Walk 164: Heartwood Forest Outer Loop

4.2 miles (6.8 km) with 84m of total ascent

The gate leading out of Langley Wood at point 3 in the walk

This walk follows the boundary to the south, west, and north of Heartwood Forest. It starts and finishes in the free car park before looping through Langley Wood (which is carpeted in bluebells in the spring), then follows a bridleway along the southern edge of the forest and then heads along the western edge to reach Nomansland Common. There are three pubs in Sandridge village. The Green Man, The Queens Head, and The Rose and Crown.

There is a cafe at West End Barns Cafe, Nomansland close to point 8 in the walk (location - https://w3w.co/nearly.impact.diary).

This is one of several walks on this site that feature Heartwood Forest.

Getting there

There are bus stops in the village of Sandridge (location - https://w3w.co/beats.loans.bucket), which are served by the numbers 304. 305, 357 and the 612 buses. You can check bus times at Intalink.

Fly through preview of walk

If you want to check what sort of landscape you will be crossing before you set off on this walk you can view a short 3D video of the route below. It's created using the free version of Relive.

Directions

Map for Walk 164: Heartwood Forest Outer Loop
Click on the map for a larger version
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below these directions

Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for this walk. We've added What3Words location references for those who use that system. If you print these walks you might want to use the green PrintFriendly icon at the bottom of these directions to delete elements such as photographs.

Take the path that heads W and slightly uphill from the car park

1: Park in the car park at Heartwood Forest (location - https://w3w.co/splash.unfair.land), then take the path that heads W and slightly uphill (location - https://w3w.co/famed.liver.boost), see image above. Follow the path for 220m until you reach a gate leading to a bridleway (location - https://w3w.co/dive.transit.love).

The wooden steps and gate leading to Langley Wood

The information board at the entrance to Langley Wood

2: Go through the gate to leave Heartwood Forest then turn right on Sandridge bridleway 8. Head WNW and slightly uphill for 280m until you reach wooden steps on the left and a gate leading to Langley Wood (location - https://w3w.co/trades.broken.beyond).

Keep left at the junction in Langley Wood

Once in Langley Wood you are back in Heartwood Forest. Keep left then follow the path SW for 100m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/shade.shack.zebra), see image above. Keep left at the junction then continue heading SW for 70m until you reach a gate leading out of the wood (location - https://w3w.co/snail.risen.object).

The gate leading to Sandridge bridleway 9

3: Leave the wood then keep left heading SSE for 90m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/wacky.game.roofs) where you go through a gate leading out of Heartwood Forest to reach Sandridge bridleway 9.

The path on the right off Sandridge bridleway 9

4: Turn right on the Sandridge bridleway 9 then follow it as it heads W for 780m until you reach a track on the right just before the railway line (location - https://w3w.co/radio.heave.storm).

Take the path to the left of the sign then head N with the fence on your left

5: When you reach the sign for Heartwood Forest (see image above), keep left taking the higher of two paths (not the one directly alongside the railway line) and keeping the fence on your right as you head NNW for 600m then N for 120m then NNE for 100m before reaching a junction (location - https://w3w.co/rather.flight.vest).

Cross Sandridge bridleway 8 then go through the gate

6: Cross Sandridge bridleway 8, go through a gate to re-enter Heartwood Forest, then head NE for 1.1km with the hedgerow on your left and field on your right until you reach a right-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/stroke.feeds.placed). Turn right then follow the path as it heads SE for 150m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/falls.minds.panic).

Continue with the hedgerow on the left until you reach the gate to the common

7: Turn left at the junction then head NE for 240m until you reach the gate leading to Nomansland Common (location - https://w3w.co/pass.causes.milk).

Follow the southern perimeter of the common for 1.3km

8: Go through gate leaving Heartwood Forest then take the fork on to the right (location - https://w3w.co/nests.strict.lasted). Keep to the right following the southern perimeter of Nomansland Common as the path heads NE, ESE, SE, NE, then SE again before reaching a junction (location - https://w3w.co/closed.locked.decent), see map below.

Keep to the right following the southern edge of Nomansland Common
Map created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors

Sandridge footpath 32 after leaving Nomansland Common

9: When you reach the SE edge of Nomansland Common you will come to a junction in the track. Turn right on Sandridge footpath 32. Don't be surprised if you come across cyclists and horse riders along this stretch of footpath. According to Hertfordshire County Council:

"Sandridge footpath 32 is recorded as a definitive footpath. The Woodland Trust owns the subsoil of approximately 95% of its length and allow bridleway use including cycle access. The remaining short middle section across Heartwood Manor’s drive is also a definitive footpath but bridleway use is by permissive agreement with the land owner.

Head S on Sandridge footpath 32 for 760m until you cross a farm track (location - https://w3w.co/pulled.intelligible.basic). Continue heading S for 120m looking out for a track on the right (location - https://w3w.co/sting.handle.wants).

The track off Sandridge footpath 32 leading into Heartwood Forest

10: Take this track to re-enter Heartwood Forest then head W for 260m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/squad.skirt.scope).

Approaching the overspill car park at the end of the walk

Turn left on this path then follow it SSW for 430m back to the Heartwood Forest car park overflow and continue to reach the main car park and the starting point.

There are three pubs in Sandridge, The Green Man (location - https://w3w.co/yappy.punchy.facing), The Queens Head (location - https://w3w.co/drama.slick.plan), and The Rose and Crown (location - https://w3w.co/closes.buddy.whites).

Interactive map

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