Hertfordshire Walker: Shaded walks

Mimmshall Wood, North Mymms

A regular user of Hertfordshire Walker asked me to suggest some shaded walks for the hot weather. It's hard to find walks that are completely in the shade; almost all involve sections exposed to the sun. However there are a few, and I have suggested adaptations to others. If you are looking for a shaded walk you might want to browse through some of the suggestions below.

If you are going to try some of the adaptations please take a map or download the map we have provided for the walk so you don't get lost. And it might be worth reading our walking tips page before you set off.

And as always, all our walks are absolutely free to download and enjoy on any device. We have free directions, maps, photographs, and free GPS navigation files which you can follow on a data-enabled smartphone. You don't need a paid-for subscription app to explore any of our walks. They will always be free.

Walk 66: Danemead Loop

A river in the shade on the Danemead Loop

We added this walk to the shaded walks list following a post on our new Hertfordshire Walker Facebook Group by Pascale who posted that nearly all of the route is in the shade. Thanks for the reminder Pascale, I had forgotten to add this one.

Walk 38: Ayot Greenway South Loop

The Ayot Greenway

This walk can be adapted to avoid too much sun. Park at point 7 where, at the time of writing there is a free car park, then head west along the Ayot Greenway to point 6 before returning to the start point. This adaptation to the route is 2.9 miles (4.6 km) return. Most of the way is in shade or partial shade.

Walk 56: The Great Wood, Northaw

The yellow route through The Great Wood Northaw

The Great Wood has three official routes, all are mostly through thick woodland. The blue route is less than a mile, the red route is one and a half miles, and the yellow route is almost three miles. There is a car park with an honesty box and a toilet block.

Walk 63: Gobions Wood

Folly Arch taken from Gobions Wood

A walk through what was once the 18th century pleasure garden belonging to the former Gobions Estate. The site is now a woodland reserve famous for its bluebells, wood anemones, fungi, and birdlife. It is managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, is open all year round, and entry is free of charge. There is free parking in the nearby local authority car park which is off Moffats Lane in Brookmans Park . The start of this walk is three quarters of a mile east from Brookmans Park station by road.

Walk 81: Wormley Wood Loop

The coal tax marker at point 7 along the Wormley Wood Loop

This walk is mostly through deep woodland. Wormley Wood is part of Broxbourne Wood, Hertfordshire's only National Nature Reserve. There are a number of free parking areas (at the time of writing). Look out for the coal tax marker at point 7 on the walk.

Walk 83: North Mymms S Long Loop

Mymmshall Wood between points 5 & 6

About half of this walk is in woodland. There is partial shade for other sections, and you will walk through sections in open sunlight. To reduce walking along open stretches consider parking alongside the road at point 5 then, when you reach point 8, turn left alongside Cangsley Grove in order to rejoin the route at point 3. This adaptation to the route is 3 miles (4.8 km).

Walk 175: Hertford to Cole Green

The Cole Green Way

For maximum shade we suggest you do this linear walk in reverse, starting at point four then turning back at point three. The adaptation to the walk is 4.4 miles (7.1 km) return. You can park at the former Cole Green station, then head east to point three before turning back to the start point. The Cole Green station car park is free of charge at the time of writing.

Walk 230: Welwyn Garden City short loop

Sharrardspark Wood, Welwyn Garden City

The route starts and finishes in the car park at Campus West in Welwyn Garden City then heads west along the eastern section of Ayot Greenway through Sharrardspark Wood, which is one of Hertfordshire's largest and most important oak and hornbeam woodlands, before returning the same way.

We have some tips for those who want to find shaded walks in our collection.