Whippendell Wood

Start: Chandlers Cross Author: Ian Brander

Nearest Post Code: WD17 3TU* OS Map Ref: TL 080982

Distance: 5.5 miles (8 km) Ascent 300 feet (90 m)

Parking: Car park off Grove Mill Lane.

* This is the nearest post code in Grove Mill Lane, the car park is ½ mile along the lane.

Head to the back of the car park, to the furthest point from the road. Take the broad track beyond the metal barrier straight ahead and into the woods. The golf course soon becomes visible through the trees on the left. After 600 yards bear left with the track, signposted public footpath leading to Park. In 200 yards cross a golf course fairway and then ignore a crossing track to descend towards the canal. Leave the track as it bears right to continue ahead and join the canal towpath. Turn right onto the towpath.

Pass a lock and follow the towpath under the road bridge. Follow the towpath to the next bridge and here turn right to take the steps up, to join a narrow lane heading upwards past a row of cottages on the left. The lane climbs then descends to meet a residential road. Turn right onto the road and then in 100 yards right again onto the access road to West Herts Golf Club. Take the footpath into the woods on the left just before the drive bends right. In 50 yards ignore a path off to the right and follow the, well defined, path as it twists and turns through the wood roughly parallel to the road below. It gradually rises to meet a concrete drive to the Golf Course maintenance yard, cross the drive and continue on the path straight ahead. Bear right at the fork in the path to head uphill to reach the edge of the golf course. Turn left to follow the path just inside the trees along the edge of the golf course.

Where the track bears right and meets a crossing track, turn left onto the track and head downhill. When the track narrows, just before reaching a road, ignore the paths to the left and right. Cross the road and pass through a kissing gate to join the path across the field heading upwards to Dell Wood. At the far side of the field take the right-hand path to walk along the edge of Dell Wood. At the end of the field ignore the first path on the left, through a gate, and take the second path enclosed by holly bushes leading out to a field. Follow the path across the field and at the far side, by the corner of a wood, turn right to continue along the field edge with a wire fence on the left. After passing a short strip of woodland on the right, the path bears left towards stables. After passing the stables the path turns sharp left into a narrow alley between a wall and a hedge to join the drive of a white cottage on the left.

Follow the drive and turn right immediately after passing Little Waterdell House. Follow the single width tarmac lane to reach Sarratt Road. Turn right here, signed as a public footpath to Chandlers Cross. Ignore a path off to the right by Cedar Lodge and continue ahead to pass York House School on the left. Pass Oak farm and take the kissing gate ahead now along a narrow path to reach Harrocks Wood through two further gates. On entering the wood take the left-hand fork to continue roughly ahead and uphill. Ignore paths off to the left and right and follow this broad track through the woods to reach a kissing gate by a wooden fence. Go through the gate, leaving the woods, and follow the path to reach a lane in front of the Prime Grill House. Turn right and then right again onto Rousebarn Lane. Follow the lane for ⅓ mile and opposite a gate into Harrocks Wood take the footpath on the left signed to . In 50 yards take the left-hand fork to follow the broad track slightly uphill. Follow this track though Whippendell Woods, passing a white house in the woods, and all the way back to the car park.