Walk 77: Old Knebworth South-West Loop

6.2 miles (10 km) with 72m total ascent

 

A pleasant ramble through rolling countryside with wide, open fields offering excellent views. A mix of woodland footpaths, tracks, quiet country lanes, and one small section through a housing estate on the northern edge of Codicote. The walk starts and finishes at The Lytton Arms in Old Knebworth.

You will walk through the grounds of the Knebworth House estate on public rights of way. You do not have to pay an admission charge to use the public footpaths that cross the estate so long as you don't stray from them and don't visit any of the estate facilities, which includes the cafe and toilets.

The Knebworth House Estate stages concerts and other events, and, in some cases, the public rights of way will be closed while events take place. Please check on the estate's website before you set off to avoid disappointment.

Directions

Map for Walk 77: Old Knebworth South-West Loop
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below these directions

Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for this walk. We've added What3Words location references for those who use that system. If you print these walks you might want to use the green PrintFriendly icon at the bottom of these directions to delete elements such as photographs.

1: Take Knebworth footpath 14 just N of The Lytton Arms and head SE for 130m with the backs of houses on the left and an open field on the right. When you reach a footpath crossing (location - https://w3w.co/horn.sting.spice), turn right on Knebworth footpath 15, and head SSW for 240m until you reach Slip Lane (location - https://w3w.co/strike.front.able).

Turn right on Slip Lane and head NW for 310m until you reach Park Lane (location - https://w3w.co/call.laying.ruins).

The path between points 1 and 2

2: When you reach Park Lane, turn left and head SW for 10m looking for a gate on the opposite side of the lane (location - https://w3w.co/burst.feared.edgy). Take this path, Codicode footpath 41 (which becomes Knebworth footpath 20 after 170m) and walk through a private driveway.

Go through a second gate and continue heading NW for 1km, with the hedgerow on your right and the field on your left. Go through the gate at the end of the field, cross a footbridge, and then go through the large metal gate.

Continue, with the boundary fence on your left and the open field on your right. You will see the cenotaph on your right, but your way is to the left of this, heading towards another large metal gate leading into the Knebworth House estate.

Photograph of deer at Knebworth courtesy of Sarah Hurst-Cox

There is a good chance you will come across herds of deer. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk the public rights of way. Please read the sign on the gate which contains a number of rules and requests for walkers using the public footpaths. The sign reads:

Notice to Footpath Walkers

You are most welcome to enjoy the footpaths, we simply asked that you stay on them, and keep all dogs on leads. If you are tempted to use our facilities, further explore the park, gardens, special events, and playground, please be honest and buy a ticket. We do check tickets. Not only will this help support the future of the park, but it enables us to insure your safety. Have a good day!

The gate leading into the Knebworth House estate

Continue along the western boundary of the Knebworth House estate with the boundary fence on your left and the estate stretching to your right, until you reach a footpath T-junction. Continue straight, now on Knebworth footpth 19 for 70m until you reach the B656 Hitchin Road (location - https://w3w.co/fallen.bubble.mile).

Ignore the path on the right and continue heading NW to the estate boundary

3: Cross the road and take the footpath directly opposite, Knebworth footpath 38, and walk through Winter Wood for 810m. Keep following the signs posts as the path veers slightly to the right and then left until it reaches a quiet country lane. until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/fell.brings.weds).

Take the path into Winter Wood and head W

4: Turn right on the lane and head NW for 170m passing cottages on your left. After the last cottage look out for a footpath sign on your left (location - https://w3w.co/return.sand.dress).

Take this path, Knebworth footpath 35, and head SW for 730m down the western side of Holl Lays Wood keeping the woodland on your left and the fields on your right. Continue until you reach the end of the woodland (location - https://w3w.co/rental.busy.navy). Turn left at the way-marked sign and head SE for 270m down the edge of Holl Lays Wood until you reach Three Houses Lane (location - https://w3w.co/grab.making.boom).

Turn left at the end of Holl Lays Wood and head SE

5: Turn right on Three Houses Lane and walk SW for 320m until you reach a footpath sign on the left (location - https://w3w.co/bikes.slows.festivity).

Take this path, Knebworth footpath 32, and head SE for 630m along a track with woodland on your left and fields on your right. Continue as it leaves the woodland, dips down a dell. At this point the path becomes Codicote footpath 39 and continues for 870m crossing fields and rising to meet the B656 Hitchin Road (location - https://w3w.co/worth.drama.boat).

Here the path would have joined the busy road, but you can take a 'permissive path' which heads S down the side of Hitchin Road to the junction with Whitwell Road (location - https://w3w.co/transfers.bliss.jumps).

Cross the road and walk S down the E side of the B656 (now called High Street) for 130m into the village of Codicote. After crossing Tower Road continue for 75m looking out for a footpath sign on your left (location - https://w3w.co/places.labs.guitar), see image below.

Follow Codicote footpath 1 through the housing estate

6: Take this path, Codicote footpath 1, as it weaves its way through the housing estate heading first E then ENE for 440m.

This footpath crosses two small roads. The first is a close called Bentick Way. Here you walk diagonally across the road heading ENE (location - https://w3w.co/gladiators.intelligible.exile).

The second is St Giles Road where you continue straight ahead crossing the road and following the footpath ENE (location - https://w3w.co/boots.bring.lofts).

When you reach Bury Lane (location - https://w3w.co/bulb.bats.sugar) turn right and head SSE for 90m looking out for a footpath on your left (location - https://w3w.co/swung.price.cost).

The footpath heading E off Bury Lane

7: Follow the path, Codicote footpath 5, E for 230m as it drops down to fields with wide open views. When you reach a footpath junction continue heading E, now on Codicote footpath 6 for 120m before turning to your left at the next footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/runner.dance.beats) where you follow Codicote footpath 7 NE for 870m until you reach Sally Deards Lane (location - https://w3w.co/money.glass.point).

8: Turn right on Sally Deards Lane and follow it for 230m first S, then round a bend and E looking out for a footpath sign on your left (location - https://w3w.co/casino.storms.scars). Take this path, Codicote footpath 27, and head ENE for 470m until you reach Slip Lane (location - https://w3w.co/fast.globe.tasty).

* At this point you could take a 300m detour to your right and head SSE along Slip Lane to visit The Robin Hood & Little John pub/restaurant at Rabley Heath (location - https://w3w.co/catch.inner.lonely).

9: Turn left on Slip Lane and head NW for 120m looking out for a footpath sign on your right leading into New Wood (location - https://w3w.co/skills.orange.define). Take this path, Knebworth footpath 13, and head NW for 690m through the wood and then across the fields crossing one footpath junction.

When you reach the second footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/carbon.vibrate.device), turn left, now on Knebworth footpath 14, and head NW for 360m back to the Lytton Arms.

The footpath leading into New Wood

Interactive map

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