The Hertfordshire Way
A 195 mile fully way marked circular path
The Hertfordshire Way
A waymarked long distance footpath
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Leg 1 Royston to Wallington 11.1 miles
Starting in Royston at the Royce Stone this leg of the route crosses Therfield Heath before climbing to Therfield village. It then goes through the rural landscape of north Hertfordshire, through the villages of Kelshall and Sandon, to finish at Wallington.
Leg 2 Wallington to Little Wymondley 12.2 miles
This leg of the route goes from Wallington through the villages of Clothall, Weston and Graveley. After passing under the A1(M) the route continues west to the Wymondley Road then turns south to pass through Great Wymondley before finishing in Little Wymondley.
Leg 3 Little Wymondley to Codicote 9.3 miles
Soon after leaving Little Wymondley there is a difficult surface crossing of the A602 before reaching Titmore Green. The route continues south through Almshoebury, St Paul's Walden and Whitwell then turns east before finishing in Codicote.
Site Title
Leg 4 Codicote to St Albans 12.6 miles
From Codicote the route continues in a southwesterly direction through Ayot St Lawrence, Wheathampstead, Coleman Green and Sandridge. This leg then skirts round the north of the city to finish amongst the Roman remains at St Albans Museum.
Leg 5 St Albans to Markyate 11.0 miles
At the start of this section there is the option of the St Albans Loop before heading in a northwesterly direction following the line of Watling Street and River Ver to Redbourn. The route crosses the M1 continuing to Flamstead with this leg finishing in Markyate.
Leg 6 Markyate to Tring Station 11.4 miles
From Markyate the route goes southwest to Great Gaddesden, then west to Little Gaddesden, through the Ashridge Estate (NT) and Aldbury to reach Tring Station.
Leg 7 Tring Station to Kings Langley 15.4 miles
After leaving Tring Station the route climbs to the Ashridge Estate then passing through an extensive stretch of woodland to Berkhamsted Common. It turns south to Berkhamsted Castle, joining the Grand Union Canal towpath as far as Bourne End. Leaving the Bulbourne valley the route climbs through Little Hay golf course to Bovingdon and Chipperfield Common before descending to Kings Langley station.
Leg 8 Kings Langley to Shenley 12.3 miles
Although this leg follows the M25 corridor, much of the route is through open farmland, parkland and woods. It passes through Abbotts Langley, Aldenham and Letchmore Heath, avoiding the suburban sprawl of Watford, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead.
Leg 10 Cuffley to Hertford 12.6 miles
This leg heads north, passing through Newgate Street and West End, then turns east through Essendon, Little Berkhamsted and Bayford, before going north again to Hertford.
Leg 10A Cuffley to Broxbourne 12.0 miles
This leg, along with Leg 10B, was added in 2007 with the publication of the second edition of the guidebook offering an alternative route from Cuffley to Hertford. Going in a loop to the south of Cuffley Leg 10A turns north through Goffs Oak and Hammond Street, then enters a long stretch of woodland before descending through the edge of Hoddesdon to the Lea valley at Broxbourne.
Leg 10B Broxbourne to Hertford 12.5 miles
From Broxbourne, the route follows the Lea valley past Rye House to Stanstead Abbotts. It then turns east into the Ash valley before returning to the Lea at Great Amwell, after which it continues along the Lea through Ware to Bengeo and Hertford.
Leg 11 Hertford to Widford 13.6 miles
This leg continues north along the the River Beane through Stapleford, then turns east through Tonwell to Wadesmill following the Rib beyond Thundridge Old Church. It then turns south and climbs to Cold Christmas before crossing into the Ash valley at Wareside to finish at Widford church. The Beane, Rib and Ash are all tributaries of the Lea.
Leg 12 Widford to Bishop's Stortford 10.3 miles
From Widford the route descends into the Ash valley and follows the river upstream towards Much Hadham. After leaving Mill Wood, at the junction of two paths, is the start of the Much Hadham loop. Returning to this point the route heads uphill through Perry Green then onto Green Tye and Dane Bridge, passing nearby Bury Green to finish at the Tesco store at Bishops Park.
Bishop's Stortford town centre is worth visiting. The route divides just before the south west bypass (TL 467213) and is waymarked to the information centre.
Leg 13 Bishop's Stortford to Hare Street 10.5 miles
Starting from the Tesco store on the outskirts of Bishop's Stortford the route now heads west into the wide open spaces of northeast Hertfordshire. Passing through Cradle End and Millfield Cottages, Leg 13 then turns north to cross the A120 at Stone House Farm before joining the original route at Hadham Hall. The route then swings northeast going through Upwick Green, Gravesend (Patmore Heath) and Little Hormead to finish at Hare Street.
Leg 14 Hare Street to Royston 12.6 miles
The final stage continues north through similar countryside taking in the villages of Great Hormead, Little Hormead and Anstey. Leaving the road at Cheapside takes you across the WW2 airfield to the USAF 398th Memorial at Nuthampstead and onto Barkway and Reed before completing the circular route of 195 miles at The Royce Stone in Royston.
