Walk 290: Welwyn Garden City to Wheathampstead Linear

4.8 miles (7.8 km) with 56m of total ascent

Ayot Greenway between points 8 & 9

This linear route follows the course of the former railway line between Welwyn Garden City (WGC) and Wheathampstead. It includes almost the entire length of Ayot Greenway, a former branch line which linked WGC with Luton and Dunstable.

The line opened in 1860. In 1951, passenger service ended with freight traffic ending 15 years later in 1966. Since then the former track has been transformed into a popular recreational path.

We have several walks in the Hertfordshire Walker collection featuring Ayot Greenway, but this linear route is the only one which follows it in its entirety. It is ideal for those who prefer to use public transport to access walks because, apart from Sundays, there is a bus from Wheathampstead back to the start point that takes 19 minutes. Those who prefer longer walks could always do this route there and back which would be a 9.6 mile round trip.

Getting there

We caught the train to Welwyn Garden City Station (location - https://w3w.co/blame.yoga.libraries) then walked to the start of the route, which is outside the Campus West complex (location - https://w3w.co/froze.expose.exists).

We then followed the directions below to Wheathampstead where we caught the number 366 bus back to the start point from a bus stop on High Street (location - https://w3w.co/along.closed.tune) opposite St Helen's Church. You can check bus times at Intalink.

If you are intending to do this linear walk then catch the bus back as we did we recommend you don't do it on a Saturday or Sunday when the bus journey will involve going via St Albans and changing buses. The journey time on a weekend is between an hour and an hour and a half.

If you want to drive to the start of the walk you could park in the Campus West car park close to the start (location - https://w3w.co/fears.serve.ended). Parking fees apply.

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 290: Welwyn Garden City to Wheathampstead Linear
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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.

The start of the route

1: With your back to the Campus West complex (location - https://w3w.co/sober.backup.extra) turn right then head WNW for 45m towards the car park.

Turn right before you reach the car park building

Turn right before you reach the car park building then head NNW for 60m to reach a ramp down to Ayot Greenway (location - https://w3w.co/poetic.dish.privately), see image below.

Once you reach The Ayot Greenway turn left

2: Once you reach Ayot Greenway turn left then follow the route of the old branch line W then NW.

Continue along Ayot Greenway

Continue along Ayot Greenway through Sherrardspark Wood for 1.3km until you reach a ramp leading up to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/small.dared.comical), see images below.

Follow the ramp leading to a junction

Turn left at the junction

3: Turn left at the junction then head NW for 150m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/purely.excuse.skip), see image below.

Turn left on Welwyn Garden City footpath 45

4: Turn left on Welwyn Garden City footpath 45 then head SW for 170m until you reach a gate leading to Digswell Hill, the B197 (location -https://w3w.co/indeed.chats.cared), see image below.

Go through the gate to reach Digswell Hill

*Once through the gate there is the option of turning right then heading NNE for 150m to visit The Red Lion pub/restaurant (location - https://w3w.co/economies.state.ample).

5: Cross Digswell Hill heading for a road and footbridge diagonally to your left. This bridge crosses the A1(M) (location - https://w3w.co/cloth.large.singer), see image below.

Cross the road and then the footbridge

Cross the road and then the footbridge leading to the hamlet of Ayot Green.

* Once across the bridge there is the option of turning left then heading down Brickwall Close for 125m to visit The Waggoners pub/restaurant (location - https://w3w.co/device.fried.soak).

After crossing the bridge take the gravel track

After crossing the bridge take the gravel track then head W for 180m until the track meets Ayot St Peter Road (location - https://w3w.co/double.spices.play), see image below.

Turn right on Ayot St Peter Road

6: Turn right on Ayot St Peter Road then head in a northerly direction. There isn't a pedestrian pavement along this stretch. Continue for 180m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/spoke.caring.chill) see image below.

Turn right on Ayot St Peter footpath 11

7: Turn right on Ayot St Peter footpath 11 then head NE across a field, see image below.

Continue across the field for 180m until you reach a gate

Continue across the field for 180m until you reach a gate leading to a track (location - https://w3w.co/stow.vocal.dimes), see image below.

Go through the gate, cross the track, then continue to a junction

8: Go through the gate, cross the track, then follow the footpath through the hedgerow to a junction (location -  https://w3w.co/people.ants.supply), see image below.

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 15

Turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 15 then head NW. Continue for 130m until the footpath cuts through a fence before dropping down to Ayot St Peter Road (location - https://w3w.co/loans.draw.about), see images below.

Follow Ayot St Peter footpath 15 through a fence

Cross Ayot St Peter Road then climb the stairs to Ayot Greenway

9: Cross Ayot St Peter Road, climb the stairs leading to Ayot Greenway then head in a westerly direction.

Sparrowhall Bridge over Ayot Greenway

Continue for 2.3km until you reach Robinson's Wood picnic area on the left (location - https://w3w.co/snows.breath.export), see image below. This is a possible spot for a break if you need a rest.

Robinson's Wood picnic area off Ayot Greenway

10: Continue along Ayot Greenway heading in a westerly direction for 1.3km until you reach a junction with The Hertfordshire Way (location - https://w3w.co/churn.quiz.socket), see image below.

Turn left on The Hertfordshire Way

11: Turn left on The Hertfordshire Way, which is also Wheathampstead BOAT 4 (byway open to all traffic) and Ayot Greenway along this stretch. Head S for 275m until you reach an underpass (location - https://w3w.co/danger.sober.papers), see image below.

Go through the underpass then continue heading S

Go through the underpass then continue heading S for another 55m until you reach a bridleway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/letter.escape.refers), see image below.

Turn right on Wheathampstead bridleway 12

12: Turn right on Wheathampstead bridleway 12, which is still Ayot Greenway. Head NNW for 140m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/hired.edges.sport), see image below.

Go through the gate then head W

13: Go through the gate then head W then NW on Wheathampstead bridleway 12. Continue for 330m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/civil.tunnel.raced), see image below.

* At this point our route leaves Ayot Greenway - which continues heading W through a residential area before reaching Station Road in Wheathampstead (location - https://w3w.co/orbit.cone.fully). We decided to break off here because we prefer the footpath down to the River Lea. If you would rather complete Ayot Greenway you can follow the orange line on the map below.

The optional detour (in orange) to complete Ayot Greenway

Turn left then follow the footpath SW

14: Turn left then follow the footpath SW, with the River Lea on your left. Continue for 205m until you reach a footbridge on your left (location - https://w3w.co/quite.needed.cable), see image below.

Cross the footbridge then follow the path round to the right

15: Cross the footbridge then follow the path round to the right. You are now on Wheathampstead footpath 71. Head SW for 85m until you reach Meads Lane (location - https://w3w.co/cake.camps.eggs), see image below.

Continue heading SW along Meads Lane

16: Continue heading SW along Meads Lane for 140m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/park.slang.busy), see image below.

Continue along East Lane until you reach High Street

17: Here Meads Lane becomes East Lane. Continue along East Lane in a westerly direction. After 70m you will pass public toilets on the right (location - https://w3w.co/firmly.gentle.spit). Continue for 90m until you reach High Street in Wheathampstead (location - https://w3w.co/ramp.rigid.washed).

The bus stop for the 366 is opposite the church

18: Turn left on High Street then head S for 110m until you reach the bus stop for the 366 opposite St Helen's Church on the E side of High Street (location - https://w3w.co/grapes.effort.slick).

There is a timetable at the bus stop and an electronic display showing which buses are due. You can also check the times of the buses back to the start point by visiting Intalink.

When you return to Welwyn Garden City at the end of the walk you are spoilt for choice for cafes and restaurants. There are three pubs, The Two Willows (location - https://w3w.co/slices.nail.trucks), The Doctors Tonic (location - https://w3w.co/editor.truly.jumpy), and The Bakehouse (location - https://w3w.co/closes.silver.unique).

Interactive map

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