Walk 292: Panshanger Park Boundary Loop

3.9 miles (6.3 km) with 49m of total ascent

Looking towards the River Mimram at point 8

This is another walk in the beautiful Panshanger Park. We have several walks in this area. Unlike the others, this walk enters the park in the north-west corner then follows the boundary of the park making a loop round the ecologically important River Mimram. 

There is one section of the walk, close to the noisy A414, where the route doesn't follow the boundary. You will be conscious of the noise of the A414 from points 11 to 16. 

About the River Mimram

The River Mimram is a beautiful and ecologically important chalk stream, which is a globally rare habitat. There are only about 200 chalk streams in the world. Approximately 85% are in southern and eastern England. These rivers are known for their clear, well-oxygenated water which originates from underground chalk aquifers. Chalk streams supports a diverse range of wildlife and provides habitat for various species, including brown trout, otters, and water voles. It is subject to work by organisations such as the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to improve its ecological health. The river has a long history, with records of milling dating back to the Domesday Book. It has also been historically known as the "Maran." Like many chalk streams, the Mimram has faced challenges due to water abstraction and human modifications. The river's source is near the village of Whitwell in North Hertfordshire. The River Mimram flows through various villages and towns, including Welwyn and Tewin. It eventually joins the River Lea at Hertford.

Getting there

There is an official car park off Thieves Lane (location - https://w3w.co/export.became.ranged) - charges apply. If you use that car park you can join the walk at point 12 and miss out point 1. We parked in a small unofficial layby (location - https://w3w.co/wake.hello.names) off Panshanger Lane at the start and finish of the walk. If you are travelling by bus there are bus stops 200m NE of the Thieves Lane car park (location - https://w3w.co/fruit.rating.ideas) which are served by the number 641 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 292: Panshanger Park Boundary Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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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.

Hertingfordbury footpath 10 heading SE

Historical background

Panshanger Park has a rich and layered history, evolving significantly over centuries. It was owned by the Cowper family from the late 17th to the early 20th centuries. The landscape was significantly shaped around the Mimram Valley. Landscape architects Lancelot "Capability" Brown and Humphry Repton played major roles in designing the parkland. Brown worked on the site in the mid 18th century, and Repton in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This work led to the park being registered as a Grade II* park and garden by Historic England. Panshanger House, the estate's main residence, was demolished in the mid-1950s. From the 1980s onwards, Tarmac acquired ownership of the park, and mineral extraction (sand and gravel quarrying) began. Tarmac also restored areas to agriculture, creating wetlands, and promoting nature conservation. The park was opened to the public in 2014. Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust works in partnership with Tarmac to help manage the park for both people and wildlife.

1: From Panshanger Lane take Hertingfordbury footpath 10 then go through a gate (location - https://w3w.co/seats.soon.relay) to the left of a lodge (see image above). Head SE for 190m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/rinse.line.last), see image below.

Turn left at the junction then head E

2: Turn left at the junction then head E for 130m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/magic.chart.happen), see image below.

Turn left at the junction then NE crossing the River Mimram

3: Turn left at the junction then head NE crossing the River Mimram to a gate and a cattle grid (location - https://w3w.co/units.depend.youth), see image below.

Go through the gate then follow the track uphill

Go through the gate then follow the track uphill for 270m until you reach another gate and cattle grid leading to woodland (location - https://w3w.co/remain.piles.create), see image below.

Go through the gate then continue heading uphill

4: Go through the gate then continue heading uphill through woodland in a north-easterly direction for 270m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/upgrading.gosh.aspect), see image below.

Turn right on the footpath

5: Turn right on the footpath then head S for 45m until you reach the Panshanger Great Oak, which is thought to be between 450 and 500 years old.

Panshanger Great Oak

Panshanger Great Oak information board

The Panshanger Park Oak, also known as the Panshanger Great Oak, has an estimated age of around 400-500 years. It stands approximately 65 feet tall and has a circumference of about 26 feet. It is considered the largest maiden, or clear-stemmed oak, in the country. It is believed to have been planted by Queen Elizabeth I. Winston Churchill also visited the tree and planted one of its acorns in the surrounding park. The tree has been measured and recorded over centuries, with its size and condition noted in 1719, 1804, 1805, 1822 and 1905. It is still thriving and is a center of attraction in Panshanger Park.

6: When you reach the Panshanger Great Oak turn left then head SE for 150m until you reach the Panshanger Orangery and Conservatory on the left (location - https://w3w.co/payer.mute.focal), both are Grade II historic buildings.

Panshanger Orangery

7: Continue head SE for 100m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/tricks.table.lonely), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn left 

8: Go through the gate then turn left. Follow the path NE then E, passing the foundations of what was Panshanger House on the left (location - https://w3w.co/sizes.dwell.swear). Continue to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/mouth.topic.shift), see image below.

Go through the gate then head NE

9: Turn left at the gate then head NE for 185m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tiger.pots.admit), see image below.

Turn right at the junction

10: Turn right at the junction then follow a track heading SE. Look out for the colourful carving of a Phoenix on the right (location - https://w3w.co/looks.cable.sentences), see image below.

The Panshanger Phoenix

Continue along the track heading in a south-easterly direction for 1.2m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tribal.filer.outer), see image below.

Continue heading in a south-easterly direction

11: Continue heading in a south-easterly direction straight across the junction and into woodland. Continue for 630m until you reach a gate leading to the car park (location - https://w3w.co/cases.latest.ample), see image below.

Turn right immediately before the gate

12: Don't go through the gate, instead turn right immediately before the gate then follow a footpath S for 70m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/scan.spot.proof), see image below.

Turn right at the junction

13: Turn right at the junction then head SW for 5m to reach a fork in the track (location - https://w3w.co/dame.folds.amuse), see image below.

Take the left fork leaving the main path

Take the left fork leaving the main path then heading diagonally SW for 195m until you reach a gate leading to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/aspect.agents.ages), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn right

14: Go through the gate then turn right. Head SW for 245m crossing two footbridges.

The first of the two footbridges

The second of the two footbridges

Continue until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/crisis.image.margin), see image below.

Turn left at the junction then cross the River Mimram

15: Turn left at the junction, cross the River Mimram, then turn right once on the other side continuing until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/modern.debate.scout), see image below.

Take the right fork at the junction

Take the right fork at the junction then head W with the River Mimram on the right.

If we had really wanted to follow the boundary of Panshanger park we would have turned left here, but the sound of the A414 was unpleasant so we decided to divert from the boundary and walk alongside the River Mimram for the next stretch. I hope you agree it was the right decision.

Continue heading W with the River Mimram on the right

Continue heading W for 1km passing Kings Lake on the right.

Kings Lake, Panshanger Park

Continue to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/lawn.dark.forks), see image below.

Turn left at the junction

16: Turn left at the junction then head NW.

Note: The next field is sometimes used for grazing livestock. If you are nervous about meeting cattle turn left just before point 16 then head SSE and uphill along a track for 185m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/lakes.zone.notice) where you turn right then head NW on another track for 1km until you rejoin the walk at point 17. This detour will add about 405m to the length of your walk and about 10m to the total ascent.

The detour to avoid the livestock field in orange

If you don't take the detour the next field is a lovely open section which, in the past, has been used for film sets. On your right is the River Mimram feeding several lakes.

Continue for 780m to a junction

Continue for 780m to a junction, passing through a gate on the way (location - https://w3w.co/span.using.glue).

Continue heading NW at the junction

17: When you reach the junction (location - https://w3w.co/head.slides.garage) continue heading NW for 290m to a gate and a cattle grid (location - https://w3w.co/method.hood.weep).

Continue heading NW to a junction

Continue heading NW to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/zooms.sooner.employ), see image below.

Take the footpath on the other side of the track

18: Cross a track then take a footpath on the other side, see orange arrow on the image above. Head NW for 280m until you reach the junction you passed at point 2 in the walk (location - https://w3w.co/lovely.ruby.hurray), see image below.

Head NW back to the start of the walk

19: Head NW for 190m back to the start of the walk.

Interactive map

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