Hertfordshire Way Walk 11 Bricket Wood to

This walk covers the section of the Way from Bricket Wood through Aldenham and Letchmore Heath to the outskirts of Borehamwood.

Start:

Nearest Post Code: WD7 8AL OS Map Ref: TQ 158994

Distance: 10.5 miles (17 km) Ascent 500 feet (152 m)

Parking: Phillimore Recreation Ground car park in Gills Hill, Radlett.

The path to Little Munden Farm is liable to flooding in wet weather.

Facing away from the car park entrance, take the footpath on the right heading towards the Bowls Club. Go through a metal barrier and pass the tennis courts and Bowls Club on the left. When the path emerges onto a road, continue straight ahead along the road. Turn right onto Willow Way and left at its end. Pass the school and then take the footpath on the right, opposite New Road. Walk along the edge of the field with trees on your left. At the end of the field cross into the next field, passing a barn on the left to reach a road. Turn left on the road and in 150 yards turn right into Blackbirds Lane. On reaching the farm go through the gap at the side of the gate and turn right along the byway still signed as Blackbirds Lane. After passing the farm, and in front of a wire mesh gate turn left to follow the byway with a hedge on the left and a wire fence and the Sewage Works on the right.

Follow the byway as it winds down to meet a crossing byway in front of the gate to River Lodge. Turn right and after passing the house ignore a footpath to the left and bear right. Follow the byway as it narrows to reach a metal gate and a width restriction. Take the footpath to the left heading towards Little Munden Farm. On reaching the farm, pass the large green barn and turn right. Pass all the farm buildings to reach a metal gate. Pass to the left of the gate, ignore a footpath to the right and continue along the track to reach a lane (School Lane).

Turn left onto the lane and in 50 yards take an unmarked track on the right uphill into the woods. 50 yards into the wood, by an oak tree on the left of the path, bear right to climb a small ridge. The route of the path becomes clearer from the top of the ridge, follow it as it dips and then rises as another path joins from the right. Bear left and soon another path joins from the left, continue ahead and follow the path as it winds its way through the wood becoming better defined as it does so. At the next fork bear left (if you look back you may see purple Bricket Wood Common circular route marker posts pointing in the opposite direction along this section of the path). Ignore a crossing path, soon after which the path continues on duckboards, ignore the path on the left. At the end of the duckboards the path climbs to cross the railway by a footbridge.

After crossing the railway turn left when you meet a crossing bridleway to pass between a wooden fence on the left and a wire fence on the right. After passing a house on the left bear right to join the gravel access track. On reaching a house named Far End turn sharp left to join the Hertfordshire Way at the point the last walk (walk 10) left it.

Follow this wide avenue and re-cross the railway. Continue ahead to reach a metal gate. Go through the gate and cross Bricket Wood Common on a well defined track. After crossing the common go through a further metal gate to reach a lane (School Lane). Cross the lane to enter the Munden Estate by the tarmacked drive. Go through the blue metal gate and continue along the drive. On reaching stables on your left, look for a footpath on the right and take it diagonally across the field with Munden House just visible through the trees to the left. Cross the drive and follow the yellow topped marker posts to reach the bridge over the River Colne. Cross the bridge and bear left to the second bridge. Cross this bridge and then a byway to continue straight ahead. Ignore a footpath on the left to reach Wall Hall Drive, by a metal gate with Wall Hall visible ahead. Join the drive, pass Broadfield Way on the left, and turn right at the roundabout in front of an elevated wooden barn.

Pass Holbrook Gardens on the right and in 150 yards take the signed footpath on the left into the field. Cross the field heading towards the overhead power lines. On reaching the opposite side of the field don’t go through the kissing gate and instead turn right onto the path along the field edge. At the end of the field pass a metal gate to the left of the cottages and bear left to take the gravel drive to reach a lane (Church Lane). Turn right on the lane and on reaching the church go into the churchyard and take the path to the right of the church. After passing the church tower take the path on the left to continue around the churchyard to reach a brickwall on your left (there are seats in the churchyard which can be used for a lunch stop).

When the tarmac path ends continue ahead on the grass path with the wall on your left. Leave the churchyard and continue along an enclosed path to reach Church Lane at a road junction. Cross Church Lane and take the roadside path ahead. Pass Round Bush Lane on the right and then cross the road by the traffic island. Turn left onto the access road in front of the houses. At the road junction cross the road and take the signed footpath ahead, underneath the electricity pylon, to walk initially along the edge of the field and then out across it. At the end of the field pass a gate and turn left onto the lane into Letchmore Heath.

When you reach the road junction, turn right into The Green. After passing the Three Horse Shoes, turn left, then left again (Back Lane) in front of the house named The Old Rest. At the end of this lane turn right into Common Lane. Do not take the signed footpath along the left side of the lane but continue up the lane and in 100 yards take the signed footpath on the right. Walk along the gravel drive to pass between a white cottage on the left and the white out building on the right to a pair of wooden gates. Go through the first gate and take the path to the right in front of the second gate. The path joins a tarmac drive to reach a junction of tracks. Take the track directly ahead to pass to the right of the white bungalow. After the bungalow take the enclosed path, and go through a kissing gate. Go through the next gate to emerge into a field and continue along the left-hand field edge. The hedge on the left ends to be replaced by a wire fence. When this ends, and a path joins from the left, bear right and continue now between two fields.

Just after reaching trees on the left take the footpath on the right, by a marker post, and cross the field. At the other side of the field bear left to continue along the field edge. Ignore the first path to the right and then in a further 150 yards take the path to the right, by a marker post, and take the steps down to a gate. Go through the gate and turn right onto a stone path. When the path turns sharp left take a path off to the right to go through a gate to head out across a field with Kendal House on your left. Follow the path diagonally across the field to cross a stream by a concrete bridge, and head towards a gate leading out onto the A5183 (Watling Street).

Turn right onto the A5183 and cross it at the traffic island. Take the next lane on the left, sign posted to and Kendal Hall Farm. Pass the entrance to the Jewish Primary School and go through the gate towards Kendal Hall Farm. When the track bears left go through the gate on the right across the field heading for its far-left corner. Just before the end of the field go through a gate on the left into the next field and follow its edge with the trees on your right. In 150 yards go through a gate on the right to cross a stream by a wooden bridge and turn left onto a crossing path to reach a tunnel passing under the railway. The walk leaves the Hertfordshire Way at the tunnel, do not go through the tunnel but instead bear left at the marker post to follow the track heading gently uphill and away from the railway. Follow this enclosed track and on reaching the farm perimeter, bear right onto a wide gravel track with a field and the railway to your right. When another track joins from the right continue ahead. When the track bends left leave it and go through the gate ahead into a field. Follow the edge of the field with the trees on your right. Pass a cricket pitch on the right then pass a metal gate to join a gravel drive. Bear left across the sports ground car park and on reaching the tarmac drive take the footpath by a marker post on the left. Pass between houses and gardens to emerge back onto the A5183.

Cross the road and take the drive directly ahead, Cobden Field. Ignore a path to the left and at the end of the drive take the footpath to the left of the gates ahead. Follow this enclosed path to reach a tarmac lane, The Leys, and continue straight ahead along The Leys to meet Loom Lane at a road junction. Continue ahead down Loom Place. At the end of Loom Place, by Christchurch Crescent, take the gravel track ahead between fir hedges. Pass through a metal barrier, to reach a residential street. Cross the street to another enclosed path straight ahead, this leads back to the Phillimore recreation ground and car park.