Walk 288: Broxbourne Woods Medium Loop

3.7 miles (6 km) with 92m of total ascent

The route between points 16 & 17

We added this walk in order to take advantage of some new wooden walkways across a particularly boggy stretch of Broxbourne Woods, which is Hertfordshire's only National Nature Reserve (NNR). The section to benefit the most is between points 14 & 17. The addition of this sturdy structure has enabled us to create a new loop to add to several walks in the collection that explore this wonderful woodland.

Broxbourne Woods is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Part of the route follows the Broxbourne Woods NNR trail which is marked with discs showing a white admiral butterfly.

The National Nature Trail signs

You will encounter mud on this walk after rain (marked on the maps with a black icon) so waterproof boots and a hiking pole are recommended.

Getting there

Unfortunately, there isn't a bus stop close to the start of the walk. The nearest stops are outside The Farmers Boy pub in Brickendon (location - https://w3w.co/skips.tamed.stones) which is 750m N of point 3 in the walk and involves walking along a narrow country lane without a pedestrian pavement. The bus stops are served by the number 308 bus. 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 288: Broxbourne Woods Medium 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.

There are several car parks dotted around Broxbourne Woods. This walk starts in the West Car Park (location - https://w3w.co/rats.this.tuned). When we parked in October 2024 it was free-of-charge. Please check this is still the case before leaving your car.

1: From the Broxbourne Woods West Car Park - and with your back to the lane - turn left to join a track (location - https://w3w.co/stamp.thin.trail), see image below.

Follow the track in a north-westerly direction

Follow the track in a north-westerly direction for 210m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/buddy.guitar.push), see image below.

Turn left at the junction

2: Turn left at the junction then follow the path as it weaves its way in a south-westerly direction. Continue for 155m until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/cover.pages.cloud). There is no pedestrian pavement along this lane. Turn right on the lane then head NW for 55m until you reach a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/garden.angle.vanish), see image below.

Turn left on a bridleway

3: Turn left on the bridleway then head in a south-westerly direction.

Brickendon Liberty bridleway 3 and Bayford bridleway 7

This is a lovely bridleway which straddles a parish boundary so it has two names. They are Brickendon Liberty bridleway 3 and Bayford bridleway 7. Continue for 760m until you reach White Stubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/class.foal.gender), see image below.

Cross White Stubbs Lane then take the footpath on the other side

4: Cross White Stubbs Lane then take the footpath on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/piano.brands.comb). Head south on Brickendon Liberty footpath 23 for 60m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/offers.urban.tape), see image below.

Keep heading straight ahead at the junction

Keep heading straight ahead at the junction still on Brickendon Liberty footpath 23. Head in a southerly direction crossing a couple of brooks and climbing steps either side. This stretch can be muddy but walkers have created detour paths parallel to the muddy sections so you can avoid the worst.

Brickendon Liberty footpath 23 heading S

Crossing Wormleybury Brook

Continue for 825m until you reach a crossing (location - https://w3w.co/remark.stump.crowds), see image below.

Turn left on a wide track

5: Turn left at the crossing then take a wide track heading NE. Follow the track in a straight but undulating line for 975m. This stretch can be muddy but walkers have again trodden a parallel path just to the side of the main track which avoids the worst of the mud. Continue until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/wounds.cubs.chest), see image below.

Take a right fork

6: Take a right fork just before the main track dips down to a river bed (see the line of the orange arrow on the image above).

Follow the path down a set of steps to a footbridge

Follow the path down a set of steps to a footbridge leading to another set of step climbing the bank on the other side, see image below.

Climb the steps heading NE

After climbing the steps continue heading NE for 55m to a footpath junction, see image below.

Continue straight for another 30m to another junction

Continue straight for another 30m to another junction, see image below.

Turn right before both waymarkers

7: Turn right before both waymarkers (see orange arrow on the image above). This is a really nice path which is also part of The Hertfordshire Way. Follow it as it heads E crossing a number of footbridges.

A footbridge along the path

Continue on this path for 475m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/nasal.photo.crop).

* If you are in need of refreshments at this point you could turn right at this junction then follow Brickendon Liberty footpath 17 SSE for 270m then turn left on a lane before heading E for 550m to visit The Woodman & Olive (location - https://w3w.co/legal.lifted.voter). Check link for opening times. A map of the detour marked out in orange is below.

Optional detour to The Woodman & Olive

If you don't take the detour cross the junction and continue heading E, see image below.

Cross the junction then continue heading E

8: After the junction is another lovely section of the walk.

The route between points 8 & 9

Continue for 245m until you reach a left turn (location - https://w3w.co/fled.factor.played), see image below.

Turn left then follow the path north

9: Turn left then follow the path north. Continue for 115m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/sleepy.gold.trucks), see image below.

Turn right to join the Broxbourne Wood NNR Trail

10: Turn right to join the Broxbourne Wood NNR Trail then head E. Continue for 150m until you reach West End Road (location - https://w3w.co/gentle.ants.rather), see image below.

 Turn left on West End Road then head N

11: Turn left on West End Road then head N. There isn't a pedestrian pavement along this stretch but you can walk to the side of the road to avoid traffic. Continue for 140m until you reach White Stubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/pint.aura.faded), see image below.

Cross White Stubbs Lane

12: Cross White Stubbs Lane then take the footpath on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/garage.boat.across).

This gate will probably be replaced eventually

Follow Brickendon Liberty footpath 25 N across a meadow to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/sing.square.punchy), see image below.

Go through the gate then continue across another meadow

Go through the gate then continue across another meadow until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/palms.spun.audio), see image below.

Go through a gap in the hedgerow

13: Go through a gap to reach a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/former.went.fruit) see image below.

Take the left fork after going through a gate

At the junction take the left fork after going through a gate. This is Brickendon Liberty footpath 15. Follow it NW for 75m before going through another gate (location - https://w3w.co/bikes.zoom.clubs), see image below.

Continue heading NW until you reach Pembridge Lane

Go through the gate then continue heading NW, still on Brickendon Liberty footpath 15, for 195m until you reach Pembridge Lane (location - https://w3w.co/sentences.folds.lakes), see image below.

Cross Pembridge Lane reach a footpath

14: Cross Pembridge Lane diagonally to the left to reach a footpath on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/scans.skinny.sand). Turn right on the footpath. You will now walk along a series of tracks that include wooden walkways. Some have been recently renewed and offer an excellent way of walking through the woods without getting muddy.

Head NNW on the Broxbourne Woods NNR Trail

Head NNW, now back on the Broxbourne Woods NNR Trail. Continue for 115m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/models.privately.clues). see image below.

Turn right at the junction

15: Turn right at the junction then follow the track as it heads NW along more wooden walkways.

The wooden walkway through Broxbourne Woods

Continue for 300m, ignoring tracks to the left and right, until you reach a major junction (location - https://w3w.co/wisdom.scarf.outer), see image below.

Turn left then head SW back to the car park

16: Turn left then head SW. Continue in a straight line for 525m until you return to the Broxbourne Wood West Car Park and the start/finish of the walk.

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Local history

The Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve encompasses 239 hectares, and is made up of four woodland areas: Hoddesdon Park Wood, Wormley Wood, Broxbourne Wood, and Bencroft Wood. The woods include ancient woodlands, meadows, and ponds which support a wide variety of flora and fauna. Keep an eye out for the elusive Purple Emperor butterfly and the Great Crested Newt as well as the recently returned Woodcock. The woods carry traces of human history, with evidence of past activities such as coppicing and charcoal production. The woods are actively managed to protect their ecological integrity and promote biodiversity. (source - Gemini AI)

Interactive map

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