Hertfordshire Way
The Hertfordshire Way is a long-distance circular walk around Hertfordshire. The total length is 194 miles, which is fully waymarked in the anti-clockwise direction. One section has two optional routes reducing the possible length to 168 miles
The walk is mainly in open countryside, but it also passes through the county's two historic centres: the City of St Albans and the county town; Hertford. It also runs through Royston and Bishop's Stortford. A number of the smaller, attractive villages of Hertfordshire are also visited on the route.
The route is formally divided into 16 sections most of which are accessible using public transport but as a circular walk it can be used to suit the wishes of the walker.
The walk was planned and is cared for by The Friends of the Hertfordshire Way, who are affiliated to the Ramblers Association.[1] Funding for maintenance of way marks etc. is provided through subscriptions and donations to the group and sale of the guidebook.
History
The route originally started development in 1995 as part of the celebrations to mark 60 years of the Ramblers Association but it was not until 1996 that the route was officially established and the first issue of the guidebook was published in 1998. At that time it was 166 miles in length. Over subsequent years amendments and additions have been made. The 2009 edition is available from the Friends of Hertfordshire Way.
Route
The route is divided into 16 legs the shortest being around 10½ miles and the longest 15 miles in length.
Starts in the north-east of the county, at Royston, it runs as follows:
| Leg no. | Section | Length | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royston to Wallington | 11 miles | Across Therfield Heath and along parts of the ridge with views to Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. Then through Therfield, Kelshall and Sandon to Wallington. |
| 2 | Wallington to Willian | 11 miles | Through Clothall, Weston and Graveley to finish at Willian on the edge of Letchworth. |
| 3 | Willian to Codicote | 12 miles | Through the Wymondleys, St Paul's Walden and Whitwell before arriving at Codicote. |
| 4 | Codicote to St Albans | 12½ miles | Through Ayot St Lawrence and Shaw's Corner, Wheathampstead and, after skirting the north of St Albans, finishing at the Verulam Museum. |
| 5 | St Albans to Markyate | 11 miles | Through Redbourn and Flamstead. |
| 6 | Markyate to Tring Station | 11 miles | Through Great Gaddesden and Little Gaddesden to the National Trust's Ashridge Estate before descending to Aldbury and Tring Station. |
| 7 | Tring Station to King's Langley | 15 miles | Following the southern edge of the Ashridge Estate, across Berkhamsted Common to Potten End, crossing the Bulbourne valley and Grand Union Canal to Bovingdon, Chipperfield and Kings Langley. |
| 8 | Kings Langley to Shenley | 12½ miles | Through Bedmond, Aldenham and Letchmore Heath. |
| 9 | Shenley to Cuffley | 11½ miles | Passing South Mimms (Middlesex) and the northern edge of Potters Bar (garzing the boundary) to reach Cuffley. |
| 10 | Cuffley to Hertford | 12½ miles | Almost all in rolling countryside via Newgate Street, Essendon, Little Berkhamsted and Bayford to finish in the county town, Hertford. |
| Alternative route: | |||
| 10A | Cuffley to Broxbourne | 12 miles | The first stage of the alternative route to Hertford via Goffs Oak and Hammond Street, skirting Hoddesdon in woodland to Broxbourne. |
| 10B | Broxbourne to Hertford | 12½ miles | The second stage of the alternative route to Hertford, by Rye House and Stansted Abbotts, briefly entering the Ash valley following the River Lea from Great Amwell in to Hertford. |
| Main route: | |||
| 11 | Hertford to Widford | 12½ miles | Following three tributaries of the River Lea; the Beane as far as Stapleford, the Rib from Wadesmill to Thundridge and the Ash from Wareside. |
| 12 | Widford to Bishop's Stortford | 11 miles | Following the River Ash to Much Hadham, then to Perry Green and towards the River Stort and north to Bishop's Stortford. |
| 13 | Bishop’s Stortford to Hare Street | 11 miles | Through the open countryside in the north-east of the county. |
| 14 | Hare Street to Royston | 11 miles | In open countryside some with long views north as the escarpment is reached and passing Great Hornmead, Nuthampstead, Barkway and Reed. |
Connecting trails
The following trails intersect with the Hertfordshire Way:
- Ridgeway National Trail
- Icknield Way
- Lea Valley Walk
- Chiltern Way
- Grand Union Canal Walk
- Hertfordshire Chain Walk
- Harcamlow Way
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Hertfordshire Way) |