Walk 281: Datchworth North-East Loop

4.3 miles (6.9 km) with 72m of total ascent

Datchworth footpath 5 between points 9 & 10

This walk explores the rolling countryside to the north-east of Datchworth Green. You will enjoy wide open views, shaded byways, quiet lanes, and well-defined footpaths and bridleways. There is a choice of a cafe, a pub, a restaurant, and a general store for refreshments at the end of the walk.

The nearest bus stop to the start of the walk is 'The Plough PH, Datchworth'. There are two buses a day from Stevenage and Hertford - the 378 and the 379. The journey time is 15mins from Stevenage and 25mins from Hertford. Check with Intalink for times.

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 281: Datchworth North-East Loop
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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.

With your back to The Plough and Datchworth Coffee turn left

1: With your back to Datchworth Coffee (location - https://w3w.co/warns.neon.tunnel) and The Plough (location - https://w3w.co/ending.scary.swan), turn left then head W for 15m until you reach a gravel/cobbled track (location - https://w3w.co/cone.limit.sweep), see image below.

Head WSW for 245m until you reach Datchworth Cricket Pavilion

Continue straight heading WSW for 245m until you reach Datchworth Cricket Pavilion on the right (location - https://w3w.co/froth.twins.bleat), see image below.

Take the path to the left of the cricket pavilion

2: Take the path to the left of the cricket pavilion, see line of the orange arrow on the image above.

Head WSW on Datchworth restricted byway 11 for 50m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/phones.rally.fast), see image below.

Cross the junction on Datchworth restricted byway 11

Cross the junction then continue on Datchworth restricted byway 11 for 105m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/bother.slowly.rental), see image below.

Turn right on Datchworth footpath 10

3: Turn right on Datchworth footpath 10 then head NNW across a playing field, see image below.

Cross the playing field on Datchworth footpath 10

Cross the playing field heading NNW on Datchworth footpath 10. Continue for 85m until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/trial.poems.firmly), see image below

Continue heading NNW across an arable field

4: Go through the gap then continue heading NNW across an arable field, still on Datchworth footpath 10.

Continue for 135m until you reach a road called Wheatcotes (location - https://w3w.co/give.values.boil). Continue heading NNW along Wheatcotes for 70m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/invest.late.juror), see image below.

Turn right at the junction on Datchworth Green

5: Turn right at the junction on Datchworth Green then head ESE for 95m until you reach a footpath on the left just after Datchworth Village Hall (location - https://w3w.co/moving.juror.civil), see image below.

Turn left on Datchworth footpath 7

6: Turn left on Datchworth footpath 7 then head NNE between two hedges for 90m until you reach a field (location - https://w3w.co/monks.raves.snack), see image below.

Continue heading NNE on Datchworth footpath 7

7: Head NNE for 170m, still on Datchworth footpath 7. Continue until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/exist.shed.bared), see image below.

Go through the gap then head NE, still on Datchworth footpath 7

8: Go through the gap then head NE, still on Datchworth footpath 7.

Continue, with the hedgerow on the right and field on the left for 265m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/feast.visit.twin), see image below.

Turn left at the junction on Datchworth footpath 5

9: Turn left at the junction on Datchworth footpath 5 then head NNE for 310m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/crop.takes.thank), see image below.

Turn right at the junction on Datchworth footpath 12

10: Turn right at the junction on Datchworth footpath 12 then head ENE. After 45m you will reach a bench with a view on the left (location - https://w3w.co/began.lots.assist) just before All Saints Church, a Grade II* listed building dating back to the late 12th century (location - https://w3w.co/lunch.hood.rally), see images below.

Bench with a view off Datchworth footpath 12

All Saints Church, Datchworth

Continue heading ENE for 55m until you reach Bury Lane (location - https://w3w.co/means.crowds.today).

11: Turn right on Bury Lane then head SSE for 120m until you reach Raffin Green Lane on the left (location - https://w3w.co/sticks.gold.hoping), see image below.

Turn left on Raffin Green Lane

12: Turn left on Raffin Green Lane then head ENE. Be sure to look to your right after the houses to enjoy some excellent views across rolling countryside.

Continue for 765m until you reach a left-hand bend with a byway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/defend.intelligible.flows), see image below.

Follow Raffin Green Lane as it bends left

13: Follow Raffin Green Lane as it bends left then head N for 105m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/career.rugs.hats), see image below.

Turn right on Aston restricted byway 33

14: Turn right on Aston restricted byway 33 then head in a north-easterly direction along a shaded path for 410m until you reach a clearing (location - https://w3w.co/sweep.today.tolls), see image below.

Head NE between two arable fields

15: Head NE between two arable fields for 120m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/limit.grand.labs), see image below.

Follow Aston restricted byway 33 into the woodland

16: Follow Aston restricted byway 33 into the woodland then head E. This stretch was dry when we tested the route in August, but I imagine this could be a muddy section after rain.

Aston restricted byway 33 heading E

Continue for 160m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/logo.fled.regard), see image below.

Turn right on Watton-at-Stone bridleway 15

17: Turn right on Watton-at-Stone bridleway 15 then head in a southwesterly direction for 300m until you reach the end of the woodland (location - https://w3w.co/ally.busy.pumps), see image below.

Continue heading SW on Aston bridleway 6

18: At this point the bridleway you are on crosses a parish boundary where it becomes Aston bridleway 6. Continue heading SW for 560m until the bridleway bends right (location - https://w3w.co/easy.gossip.moth).

19: Follow Aston bridleway 6 round to the right as it heads W for 125m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tries.tools.relate), see image below.

Turn left at the junction on Datchworth BOAT 25

20: Turn left at the junction on Datchworth BOAT 25 (byway open to all traffic). Continue in a southwesterly direction along this shaded path for 650m until you reach Watton Road (location - https://w3w.co/rope.abode.torn), see image below.

Cross Watton Road then take the byway on the other side

21: Cross Watton Road then take the byway on the other side.

Head SSW across an arable field on Datchworth restricted byway 25

Head SSW across an arable field on Datchworth restricted byway 25. Continue for 250m until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/shiny.area.mouth), see image below.

Go through the gap in the hedgerow then turn right

22: Go through the gap in the hedgerow then turn right on Watton-at-Stone footpath 26. Follow Watton-at-Stone footpath 26 W for 75m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/stow.hero.itself), see image below.

Cross the junction, still on Watton-at-Stone footpath 26

23: Cross the junction, still on Watton-at-Stone footpath 26 then head SW for 255m until you reach a right-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/lance.dairy.front), see image below.

Continue on Datchworth footpath 29 now heading NW

24: At this point the footpath you are on crosses a parish boundary where it becomes Datchworth footpath 29.

Continue on Datchworth footpath 29 now heading NW for 95m until you reach Bramfield Road (location - https://w3w.co/brain.space.pulled), see image below.

Turn left on Bramfield Road

25: Turn left on Bramfield Road then head in a southerly direction for 135m until you reach a bridleway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/runs.invite.icon), see image below.

Turn right on Datchworth bridleway 13

26: Turn right on Datchworth bridleway 13 then head NW for 570m until you reach the junction you passed at point 2 in the walk (location - https://w3w.co/parade.gums.daily) just beyond a cottage on the left (location - https://w3w.co/rides.tubes.towers), see images below.

Pass the cottage on the left then continue to a junction

Turn right at the junction

27: Turn right at the junction then head ENE for 270m back to the starting point.

As well as the already mentioned Plough and Datchworth Coffee at the end of the walk, there is also Datchworth Village Stores (location - https://w3w.co/worth.learns.flute) and The Tilbury (location - https://w3w.co/treat.mostly.cattle).

Datchworth Village Stores and The Tilbury

Interactive map

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