Walk 272: Ayot Green North Loop

3.6 miles (5.8km) with 99m of total ascent

Looking back from just before point 11

This is a lovely walk in undulating countryside to the north of Ayot Green. It is an area we have explored before but on different rights of way and quiet country lanes. This new route offers totally new perspectives.

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 272: Ayot Green North Loop
Click on the map above 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.

1: From the car park off Ayot St Peter Road (location - https://w3w.co/drift.formed.skill) walk towards the exit (where you drove in) then take the footpath that forks to the right of the car park (location - https://w3w.co/safety.vague.dangerously) see image below.

Take the footpath then head NW

Take Ayot St Peter footpath 15 then head NW for 20m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/gold.stays.wrong), see images below.

Turn right off Ayot St Peter footpath 15

Then take Ayot St Peter footpath 25

Turn right on Ayot St Peter footpath 25 (location - https://w3w.co/people.ants.supply) then head in a north-easterly direction for 255m until you reach Homerswood Lane (location - https://w3w.co/solid.acid.crowds), see image below.

Turn left on Homerswood Lane

2: Turn left on Homerswood Lane then head NNW for 90m until you join White Hill (location - https://w3w.co/sticky.trick.brings), see image below.

Turn right then head N on White Hill

3: Turn right then continue heading N on White Hill for 520m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/called.seated.lived), see image below. There isn't a pedestrian pavement along this road but there are places you can stand to one side if traffic approaches.

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 10

4: Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 10 then head NW for 245m, with the hedgerow on the right and field on the left.

Continue onAyot St Peter footpath 10 until you reach woodland

Continue on Ayot St Peter footpath 10 until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/straw.sculpture.oval), see image below.

Enter the woodland still on Ayot St Peter footpath 10

5: Enter the woodland still on Ayot St Peter footpath 10 then immediately take the right fork, see image below.

Fork right then follow Ayot St Peter footpath 10 NW

Follow Ayot St Peter footpath 10 as it heads NW through the woodland for 235m until you reach School Lane (location - https://w3w.co/shout.port.giant), see image below.

Turn right on School Lane

6: Turn right on School Lane. This is a quiet lane with a 20 mph speed limit, but there isn't a pedestrian pavement along this stretch so take extra care. Head NNE for 220m until School Lane bends right and a footpath goes off to the left (location - https://w3w.co/clear.reader.rarely), see image below.

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 23

7: Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 23 then head NNW for 685m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/locate.shrimp.nature), see image below.

Turn left, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 23

8: Turn left, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 23, then head NNE for 105m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/curving.tinsel.useful), see image below.

Turn right, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 23

9: Turn right (see image above), still on Ayot St Peter footpath 23, then immediately turn left (location - https://w3w.co/tables.loss.pens), see image below.

Turn left, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 23

Turn left, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 23, then head NNE for 15m before turning left on Ayot St Peter footpath 2 (location - https://w3w.co/mugs.transit.class), see image below.

Head W on Ayot St Peter footpath 2

Head W on Ayot St Peter footpath 2 for 400m, with the hedgerow on the left and fields on the right, until you reach a gap in the hedge (location - https://w3w.co/yappy.tiny.globe), see image below.

Go through the gap then climb across an arable field

10: Go through the gap then climb across an arable field, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 2, for 220m until you reach the top of the hill (location - https://w3w.co/blitz.wires.truck). The view back from this spot is lovely, see image below.

Looking back from point 11

11: Continue on Ayot St Peter footpath 2, now heading SW for 120m until you reach Ryfield Farm (location - https://w3w.co/crazy.wires.city), see image below.

Ayot St Peter footpath 2 continues through the farmyard

12: Ayot St Peter footpath 2 continues through the farmyard until it reaches a footpath post on the right (location - https://w3w.co/finely.wonderfully.single), see map below.

Turn left at the footpath post then follow the footpath S

13: Turn left at the footpath post then follow the footpath S for 30m until you reach a marker post (location - https://w3w.co/ranks.slang.card), see image below.

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 6

14: Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 6 then head E for 70m until you reach a hedge (location - https://w3w.co/yarn.union.going), see image below.

Take the right then continue on Ayot St Peter footpath 6

15: Keep right then continue on Ayot St Peter footpath 6 with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right. Head SE for 195m then S for 500m until you reach Ayot St Peter Road (location - https://w3w.co/intent.noise.dimes), see image below.

Head SSW on Ayot St Peter Road

16: Head SSW on Ayot St Peter Road for 250m until the road bends right (location - https://w3w.co/aside.region.giant), see image below. There isn't a pedestrian pavement along this stretch.

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 19

17: Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 19. You will go through a door to the left of the metal gate and then out of another door before heading SW for 185m to a left-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/dash.falls.jazz), see image below.

Keep left, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 19

18: Keep left, still on Ayot St Peter footpath 19, then follow the footpath SSE for 165m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/harder.future.stocks), see image below.

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 18

19: Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 18 then head SE across an arable field, see image below.

Continue across the arable field

Continue across the arable field for 355m until you reach The Ayot Greenway (location - https://w3w.co/stacks.kings.slurs), see image below.

The Ayot Greenway information board
Click on the image for a larger version

The Ayot Greenway is a rail trail which extends from Ayot St Peter, just west of Welwyn Garden City and the A1(M) Motorway to Wheathampstead. It is the route of the former branch line from Welwyn Garden City railway station towards Luton and Dunstable. The line opened on 1 September 1860 and operated for more than 100 years. Passenger services ended in 1951, although commercial traffic continued until 1966.

Turn left on Ayot Greenway

20: Turn left on Ayot Greenway then head in a south-easterly direction for 475m until you reach the end of the former track (location - https://w3w.co/stroke.flock.button), see image below.

Take the left or right fork - they end up in the same place

21: Both the ramp (left) and the stairs (right) take you to the same place, so the choice is yours. Once you reach Ayot St Peter Road cross to the other side of the road then take the footpath and climb a set of stairs (location - https://w3w.co/dated.seats.finely), see image below.

Climb the steps then follow Ayot St Peter footpath 15

Cross Ayot St Peter Road, climb the steps, then turn right to follow Ayot St Peter footpath 15 SE for 230m back to the car park.

Follow Ayot St Peter footpath 15 back to the car park

There are two pubs close to the start/finish point. They are The Waggoners at Ayot Green (location - https://w3w.co/tunes.skinny.wiping) and The Red Lion at Digswell Hill, Ayot Green (location - https://w3w.co/major.dine.teeth).

If you enjoyed this walk please consider joining our Hertfordshire Walker members-only Facebook Group where you can share photos and comments on your walking experiences.

Interactive map

---