Piccotts End La. R Relax in the beautiful surroundings of Gadebridge Park, Dacorum’s principal park. o Grove Hill Park u Hemel Old Town is steeped in history Ave. n Rail to Luton Unwind by the River Gade or admire the glorious flower display in the historic M1 d Cycle route to History of the Nickey Line Luton Tassell Hall A5183 w & The Midlands providing a glimpse of days gone by with o Walled Garden with views of St Mary’s Church, regarded as one of the most Aycliffe Drive o St Cuthbert Mayne The Dee Gaddesden Row The North A1081 its attractive Victorian, Georgian and Tudor Grovehill Thames d Cupid Green Lane 1863 Act for Boxmoor to Hemel Hempstead Railway L The King’s School Catholic Juniorcomplete School Norman churches in Hertfordshire. Activities include bowls and crazy golf a n are available during the summer, with a play area and skate park for young people, architecture housing many excellent pubs, e Walking & Cycling Hunting Gate 1866 Act extending line to Midland Railway at Harpenden The Cavendish School open all year. See www.dacorum.gov.uk for details of special events. cafes, bistros and restaurants. You will ise also find a diverse selection of specialist e R 1877 Line opened between Hemel Hempstead and Luton Tassell Hall Gade Valley JMI ag W Wheatfield n St Luke’s School Walk Valley Ver The Park Rise Aycliffe Drive Luton Road Melsted Road ar Gadebridge Park Thriftfield shops including antiques, quality giftware, e The Nickey Line n v Dunstable Road ers Fletcher Way Primary School e 1888 Harpenden Junction south curve opened, taking trains to Harpenden Station En furniture and bicycles! The Old Town High St d Roa d Eastbrook Primary Shenley Westfield the green route from Gadebridge Street is home to the Old Town Hall Theatre Holtsmere End Lane 1905 New halts built at Redbourn, Cupid Green and Heath Park Scout Spring Park Fletcher Way School Road Bury Wood Skateboard with art, music and theatre productions. Washington Avenue High Wood Ambrose Wood 1929 Bus service replaced some trains Bloomfield Road Wood H Hemel Hempstead via Redbourn BMX park Townsend Harpenden Rise Harpendenbury e Wharfdale n Aycliffe Drive Golf Course a BUPA Hospital Hemel Old Town Astley Cooper M1 Farm Park Mount L Paston Rd 1947 Passenger service withdrawn, goods service continues Linden Road Roundwood Park e to Harpenden e Luton s al St Agnells Lane School The Nickey Line o Sm rd Dunstable Road & Primary Schools r ithfie b Old Town ld te The North N Hillside Road t s 1950’s and 1960’s Line gradually cut back for New Town construction Aysgarth Road m e e High Street Leighton Buzzard Road e A r W Park Hill Locker’s Park Chapel Street t To Highfield St Mary’s S 1968 Hemelite Company bought the line to transport materials for the manufacture of wnsend Lane The 7 mile (12 km) branch line linked the h Lambourn Gdns School Church c Randall Oval r Crouch Hall Lane Queensway u Park Allandale building blocks Bettespol Meadows Claygate Ave Snatchup Th h Woodhall oreton End L e Ni Herbert Street C ane cke Midland Railway at Harpenden to Boxmoor near Cambrian Way Wood M y Li The Lea Primary S A4147 Holtsmere End Infant 1979 Line closed Cavan Road ne Highfield t Ma Allandale Highfield Brockswood Primary Redbourn School ry’s Fletcher Way & Junior School Pre-School The Old George StreetRo Pennine Way School Infant & Hemel Hempstead. Passenger services ended ad A Bury Road r 1985 Opened as a footpath and cycleway, becoming National Cycle Network Route 57 Ambrose Town Hall Randalls Cattsdell Mendip Way k Jnr School Asquith Cupid Green ley Road Astley Road West Herts College Pennine Way Lybury Lane Nursery o Grover Cl. Gaddesden Lane rigi e in 1947 but a section of the line carried freight A4146 B nal tr ay lin Dacorum Campus Playing Fields Adventure Little Revel End The Ver Valley Walk ar H ack of railw
The Nickey Line Lane ns Clarence Road o c D u Westfield Road Farm en Wordsworth Road l Playground Shenley Road e ly t Civic Centre t NCN 6 site of b i until 1979. Much of the track bed still remained George Street Ride Redbourn Road Pancake Douglas Road u n Dacorum Borough Christchurch Road Godwin’s Halt s g Cycle route under Primary Bellgate Primary Wood Townsend Lane Broadfields h Council The Nickey Line La construction to Luton Cotterells Hill School B487 Byron Road n intact when it was bought by Dacorum and St Lords Meadow e and Milton Keynes, Solway Library Dacorum Way Allandale St Pauls Saturn Way and ultimately to Combe St Redbourn Road Flamsteadbury Lane Albans councils in the early 1980’s and opened Alexandra Road Church Yew Tree Household Waste Road Harpenden Lane Knott Wood The Lake District Library Thumpers Wood Common Redbourn St Hilda’s School Queensway Dione Rd Recycling The Aubreys Fort Redbourn Road North Luton Road Shenley Road St James Road Centre (earthworks) Redbourn Lamb Lane M Cattsdell site of for walking and cycling. e
idla A4147 Townsend Road n Common u d Roa Neptune Drive Hemelite Works Ox Lane d Eastman Way n Marlowes T d Rothamsted e Townsend Lane
d v S Roa Jupiter Drive h Hunters Oak a t Paul’s Yew Tree Wood Crown Street o Tennyson Road Bohemia r R A e Hotel Ver Experimental Farm The route forms a pleasant green corridor with a t Water Gardens Downside e St Mary’s f Lea Road e o Jupiter Drive C High Street Maple Road Yew Tree Wood has the characteristics of an ancient The Nickey Line Church r n Woodhall Lane Jupiter Drive h site of c a e Beaumont’s Halt Hemel Hempstead Road Church Fish Street g L rural aspect along much of its length –providing JMI School semi natural woodland and is particularly noteworthy r n n r Hemel Hempstead Road End The Ver Valley Walk o u Crescent Road y Hemel Hempstead Road Redbourn L S T Lydekker Leighton Buzzard Road e site of The Nickey Line for the group of yew trees taxus baccata that give the Waterend Waterhouse Street u r The Nickey Line Village Museum attractive countryside or woodland walks as well n Hemel Hempstead e Lane Park Ox Lane Alexandra Road e Salisbury Ave e Queensway Chequer Lane Roseberry Avenue v Station wood its name. Yew is Europe’s longest lived tree with s Harpenden Hillfield Road A L B487 Hemel Hempstead Road End Musicale r Keens Field e a M1 B487 River Ver Kirkwick Ave v some individuals estimated to be up to 4000 years old. n e i as generally traffic-free access to school and Highfield Lane EastmanWay Brooke r e Reservoir take care w Adeyfield k Hemel Hempstead o D subway Redbourn fl r The Park crossing road e a caravan site Sun Lane General Hospital y r Redbourn Lane a Road The Nickey Line P Industrial Estate work. Although there are steep embankments o Widmore Wood M B487 e Rothampsted Ave
Marlowes m h St Nicholas’ St George’s School d T i The Nickey Line picnic area Church or cuttings and several bridges have been Ellingham Road W take care site of Redbourn Manland Primary The Nickey Line Sauncey Ave Swallowdale Lane crossing road railway station A5183 School Hemel Hempstead blind corner removed there is level access for cyclists and Wood End Farm High Street Cherry Tree Lane Coldharbour Lane St Nicholas Carlton Road H King Harry Street cyclists Sir John Lawes Primary Harpenden School wheelchairs along most of the route (steps are Flower’s use ramp Memorial Hospital High Street Green Industrial Estate to avoid steps School Wolsey Road Hemel Hempstead Farm Paradise Stewart Road Manland Way shown on the map). Wildlife along the Line Skateboard Amenbury Lane Park Lane Cross Way Hemel Hempstead’s award winning town centre boasts a BMX park Playing A4147 Adeyfield Road Turners Hill tremendous range of shops and services specifically designed Fields The Nickey Line is a green corridor for wildlife High Street The Nickey Line forms part of Route 57 Road Sauncey Ave Paradise Windmill for its many visitors within a family friendly pedestrianised linking the woodlands and fields along the track. Harpenden Waveney Road area. Stroll through the town centre or adjacent Water Gardens Foxes are regularly seen and if you are really lucky National Cycle Network Vaughan Road of the Sustrans National Cycle Network Broadfield Museum The Nickey Line (traffic free) Track Fields and Open Land Carlton Road West Way A5183 Deacon’s Breadcroft Lane and admire the display planting and works of art, a tradition you may glimpse a badger on its dusk patrol or a Route Number Rothamsted Library site of Spring Rothamsted Manor Park Harpenden which continues through Harpenden to sparrow hawk flying at speed. In spring the warblers House Town Hall East begun in the early days of the New Town. Pub / Restaurant Toilet The Nickey Line (on road) Bridge Parks and Woodland Station Station Broadfield Infant arrive from their winter quarters and blackcaps, Road Road railway station Station Road
t Manland Ave Wheathampstead and Welwyn Garden City. Turners Hill & Junior School Maylands Public n Road Hobletts Manor Infant Mark Road chiffchaffs and whitethroats can be heard singing as e Wood Halls c St Albans Road Lane & Junior School Supermarket / Shop Football Ground Cycle Routes (signed on quiet road) Street / Minor Road Residential area B652 s NCN 57 Maylands Ave The Ver Valley Walk e they establish territories and seek mates. Grove From Harpenden, Route 6 goes south to St r Arden Cycle route to C Briery Way Rugby Club Leyton Road Newfield Everest Way TedderAdeyfield Road Road Harpenden Leasey Bridge, d Look out for orange tip and brimstone butterflies Cycle Shop Leisure Centre Cycle Routes (signed on quiet road) Main Road Commercial area o Station incomplete to Albans & Watford, and north to Luton & o Sawyers Way proposed W Montgomery in early spring. Peacocks, marbled whites, commas Wheathampstead B487 and Welwyn Milton Keynes. and small tortoiseshells are also fairly common Tourist Information Children’s Play Area Cycle Routes (traffic free) Motorway Bull Rd Windmill Road Golf Course Garden City Old Crabtree Lane Adeyfield in the summer sun. In this picture left, a speckled N Avenue Redwood Drive Wood Lane End wood warms itself on a bramble bush in the midday School / College Steps on route, Railway Station Railway (Watling Street - Roman Road) Enjoy the route for a leisurely walk or ride, or to access steps off route Rothamsted Tudor Primary White Hart Drive sunshine – they need warm still days for flight and Research appreciate wildlife. Additionally, a number of School as they bask they merge well into the dappled light Bus Station Hospital A&E Footpath River / Lake St Albans Road Seaton Road y of a clearing on The Nickey Line. Milton Road Wa Punch Bowl Lane circular routes may be enjoyed incorporating man Tenzing Road Jar Car Park Bridleway Building Redbourn West Common Jarman Park Adeyfield Harpenden Dane-End Farm Southdown Road public footpaths that cross the Line (contact School Wood Lane End Common St Dominic’s Key St Albans Road Longlands River Ver A1081 R.C. Primary Deaconsfield Road 1 kilometre Friends of the Nickey Line for more information). Hammonds End NCN 6 cycle route School Rail to St Albans Crabtree Infants & Crabtree Lane Farm Lane Hatching Green to St Albans, to Harpenden London, Brighton Junior School Leverstock Green Road 1 mile M1 Footpath to Watford, London Cycles Crabtree Athletics Ground Leisure Lane World BoundaryWay London scale 1:11,500 approx © Crown copyright. All rights reserved 100019606 2006 Redbournbury Mill Piccotts End La. R o Grove Hill Park u Ave. n Rail to Luton M1 d Cycle route to Luton Tassell Hall A5183 w & The Midlands walking & cycling o Information Aycliffe Drive o St Cuthbert Mayne The Dee Gaddesden Row The North A1081 Grovehill Thames When the Nickey Line was built in the 1870s the d Cupid Green Lane L The King’s School Catholic Junior School a n Dacorum Borough Council: www.dacorum.gov.uk Roundwood area was agricultural, but in the early e The Cavendish School Hunting Gate 1900s the first houses were built, and as more Redbourn Parish Council: www.redbourn.org.uk ise followed there was an increasing demand for a halt. The Nickey Line e R Tassell Hall Gade Valley JMI ag W Wheatfield n St Luke’s School Walk Valley Ver The Harpenden Town Council: www.harpenden.gov.uk Park Rise a Aycliffe Drive e Luton Road Melsted Road rn Thriftfield v Roundwood Halt was opened 8 August 1927. The ers Fletcher Way Primary School e Dunstable Road En St d Roa signal and platform are two of the best surviving St Albans City & District Council: www.stalbans.gov.uk d Eastbrook Primary Shenley Westfield Gadebridge Holtsmere End Lane Redbourn village sits astride Watling Street, the old Roman Scout Spring Park Fletcher Way School Road Bury reminders of the former line. Wood Skateboard Washington Avenue High Wood road to Chester, now thankfully by-passed. Its compact Ambrose Countryside Management Services: www.hertsdirect.org/cms Wood Bloomfield Road BMX park Harpenden Rise Wood H Townsend High Street features several hostelries and a variety of Harpendenbury Roundwood Halt e Wharfdale n Aycliffe Drive Golf Course a BUPA Hospital Sustrans: www.sustrans.org.uk Astley Cooper M1 Farm Park Mount L shops, while its spacious Common provides a free car park Roundwood Park e Paston Rd Linden Road s ale St Agnells Lane School Luton The Nickey Line o Sm rd Dunstable Road & Primary Schools r Friends of the Nickey Line: www.nickeyline.org ithfie beside the local cricket pitch, close to the village Museum. b Old Town ld te The North N Hillside Road t s Aysgarth Road m e e High Street Leighton Buzzard Road e A r W Park Hill St Albans Cycle Campaign: www.stacc.org.uk Locker’s Park Chapel Street t To Highfield St Mary’s S Redbourn wnsend Lane h Lambourn Gdns School Church c Randall Oval r Crouch Hall Lane Queensway u Park Allandale Bettespol Meadows Claygate Ave Ver Valley Society: www.riverver.co.uk Snatchup Th h Woodhall oreton End L e Ni Herbert Street C ane cke Cambrian Way Wood M y Li The Lea Primary S A4147 Holtsmere End Infant Cavan Road ne Highfield t Ma Allandale Highfield Brockswood Primary Redbourn School Redbournbury Mill: www.redbournmill.co.uk ry’s Fletcher Way & Junior School Pre-School The Old George StreetRo Pennine Way School Infant & ad A Bury Road r Ambrose Town Hall Randalls Cattsdell Mendip Way k Jnr School Asquith Cupid Green ley Road Astley Road West Herts College Pennine Way Lybury Lane Nursery o Grover Cl. Gaddesden Lane rigi e History A4146 B nal tr ay lin Dacorum Campus Playing Fields Adventure Little Revel End The Ver Valley Walk ar H ack of railw
The Nickey Line Lane ns Clarence Road o c D u Westfield Road Books available on The Nickey Line: Farm en Wordsworth Road l Playground Shenley Road e ly t Civic Centre t NCN 6 site of b i George Street Ride Redbourn Road Pancake Douglas Road u n Dacorum Borough Christchurch Road Godwin’s Halt s g Cycle route under Primary Bellgate Primary Wood Townsend Lane Broadfields h The Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead Railway - The Nickey Council The Nickey Line La construction to Luton Cotterells Hill School B487 Byron Road n Lords Meadow e Solway and Milton Keynes, Allandale Library Line by Sue & Geoff Woodward, 1996, The Oakwood Press Dacorum Way St Pauls Saturn Way and ultimately to Combe St Redbourn Road Flamsteadbury Lane Alexandra Road Church Yew Tree Household Waste Road Harpenden Lane Knott Wood The Lake District Library Thumpers Wood Common Redbourn St Hilda’s School Branch Line to Hemel Hempstead - The Nickey Line Queensway Dione Rd Recycling The Aubreys Fort Redbourn Road North Luton Road Shenley Road St James Road Centre (earthworks) Redbourn Lamb Lane M Cattsdell site of e by Sue & Geoff Woodward, 2006, Middleton Press
idla A4147 Townsend Road n Common u d Roa Neptune Drive Hemelite Works Ox Lane d Eastman Way n Marlowes T d Rothamsted e Townsend Lane
d v S Roa Jupiter Drive h Hunters Oak a t Paul’s Crown Street o Tennyson Road Bohemia r R A e Hotel Ver Experimental Farm t Water Gardens Downside e St Mary’s f Lea Road Walking & Cycling e o Jupiter Drive C High Street Maple Road The Nickey Line Church r n Woodhall Lane Jupiter Drive h site of c a e Beaumont’s Halt Hemel Hempstead Road Church Fish Street g L Hertfordshire County Council: www.hertsdirect.org/libsleisure JMI School r n n r Hemel Hempstead Road End The Ver Valley Walk o u Crescent Road y Hemel Hempstead Road Redbourn L S Leighton Buzzard Road e site of The Nickey Line T Waterend Lydekker & click on ‘Enjoying the Countryside’ Waterhouse Street u r The Nickey Line Village Museum n Hemel Hempstead e Lane Park Ox Lane
Alexandra Road e Salisbury Ave e Queensway Chequer Lane Roseberry Avenue v Station s Harpenden
L Further free maps & leaflets in this series: Hillfield Road A B487 Hemel Hempstead Road End Musicale r Keens Field e a M1 B487 River Ver Kirkwick Ave v e i n Highfield Lane EastmanWay Brooke r e Reservoir take care w Adeyfield k The Great North Way, The Ayot Greenway, The Alban Way, Hemel Hempstead o D subway Redbourn fl r The Park crossing road e a caravan site Sun Lane General Hospital y r Redbourn Lane a Road The Nickey Line P Industrial Estate o Widmore Wood The Cole Green Way, The Ebury Way, available from Libraries, M B487 e The Jacobean Manor House at Rothamsted was the Rothampsted Ave
Marlowes m h St Nicholas’ St George’s School d T i The Nickey Line home of John Bennet Lawes who began agricultural Church Tourist Information or Councils listed above. Ellingham Road W picnic area take care site of Redbourn Manland Primary The Nickey Line experiments in 1843, ultimately leading to the Sauncey Ave Swallowdale Lane crossing road railway station A5183 School Hemel Hempstead blind corner Wood End Farm High Street establishment of Rothamsted Research.The house Cherry Tree Lane Coldharbour Lane St Nicholas Carlton Road H King Harry Street cyclists provides student accommodation and the Drawing Room Sir John Lawes Primary Harpenden School Flower’s use ramp Memorial Hospital High Street Green Industrial Estate to avoid steps is a popular venue for recitals. Public rights of way cross School Wolsey Road Farm Paradise Stewart Road Manland Way the estate, and a permissive path allows a view of the Skateboard Amenbury Lane Park Lane Cross Way 17th Century south facade of the house. BMX park Playing A4147 Adeyfield Road Turners Hill Fields High Street Paradise Windmill Road Rothamsted Harpenden Sauncey Ave Waveney Road Vaughan Road Carlton Road West Way Broadfield A5183 Deacon’s Breadcroft Lane Rothamsted Library site of Spring Rothamsted Manor Park Harpenden House Town Hall East Station Station Broadfield Infant Road Road railway station Station Road t Manland Ave Turners Hill & Junior School Maylands Public n Road Hobletts Manor Infant Mark Road e Wood Halls Hertfordshire Rural Transport c St Albans Road Lane & Junior School B652 s Redbournbury Mill NCN 57 Maylands Ave The Ver Valley Walk e Grove Partnership r Arden Cycle route to C Briery Way Rugby Club Leyton Road Harpenden Everest Way Adeyfield Road Harpenden d Newfield Tedder Road Powered by the River Ver - and latterly by a Crossley Diesel Leasey Bridge, o Station incomplete to o Sawyers Way engine - the 18th century Mill worked well into the 20th The local council purchased the 230 acre Manorial Lying on the Chiltern dip slope between the valleys of the W Montgomery Wheathampstead century. It was restored after a disastrous fire in 1987 and B487 Common from the Rothamsted Estate in 1929, Bull Rd rivers Ver and Lea, Harpenden was destined to become a and Welwyn Windmill Road now produces stoneground flour. The Mill is open, with teas Golf Course for the benefit of the townsfolk. An annual horse commuter town with the coming of the Midland Main Line in Garden City Old Crabtree Lane Adeyfield N Avenue Redwood Drive Wood Lane End served, typically on Sunday afternoons and special weekends. racing event ceased in 1914, and The Silver Cup pub 1868. It retains its village character though, thanks to its large (Watling Street - Roman Road) See back cover for contact details to check opening times). recalls past ambition. Golf, cricket and football clubs Rothamsted Common, its tree lined High Street and period cottages. White Hart Drive Research Tudor Primary The Ver Valley Walk lease space for their pursuits, while the public has School St Albans Road
The walk traces the unimpeded access to it all. Ancient rights still permit Milton Road Seaton Road y Wa Punch Bowl Lane river from its source man Tenzing Road traditional showman fairs on the Common. The Ordnance Survey mapping data included within this publication is provided by Hertfordshire County Jar Redbourn West Common Jarman Park Adeyfield near Redbourn to its Harpenden Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfil its public function to provide information Dane-End Farm Common Southdown Road relating to its activities, services and plans. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey School Wood Lane End Harpenden Common St Dominic’s 7 mile green route between conjunction with the Colne St Albans Road Deaconsfield Road Longlands River Ver A1081 R.C. Primary copyright for advice should they wish to licence Ordnance Survey mapping for their own use. Such mapping close to Watford. A free Hammonds End NCN 6 cycle route School Rail to St Albans Crabtree Infants & Crabtree Lane is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown Farm Lane Hatching Green to St Albans, to Harpenden London, Brighton Junior School copyright 100019606 2006. Hemel Hempstead, Redbourn Leverstock Green Road leaflet is available from M1 Footpath to Watford, London Cycles Crabtree Athletics Ground Leisure Lane Cartography, photography, leaflet design and cycling by Stephen Wragg - Wragg Art House: www.wah.co.uk World BoundaryWay London local Information Centres. Redbournbury Mill & Harpenden © WAH 2006 Printed on environmentally friendly paper