Walk 124: Weston South-West Loop

6.4 miles (10.2 km) with 85m of total ascent

 

This walk starts and finishes in the village of Weston. According to an information board in village (embedded below the following directions) there is evidence of Neolithic occupation in the area dating from 8,000 to 4,000 BC, “succeeded by Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans”. Weston has two pubs. At the halfway point in this walk you pass through Graveley which also has two pubs.

We have been told that the Red Lion pub, mentioned in the following directions, is currently closed (February 2024), we will update these directions and maps when we know more.

Directions

Map for Walk 124: Weston South-West Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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There is an interactive map below these directions

Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for the walk. We've added What3Words 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.

At the bridleway junction mentioned in point 1, turn left and head SSW

1: From the village of Weston head S from The Red Lion pub (grid ref: TL 25830 30014) along Damask Green Lane looking out for Rowan Close on the right. You will see a bridleway sign pointing down the close. This is the start of the walk (location - https://w3w.co/boots.issued.cloth). Turn right here. When you reach the end of Rowan Close take Weston bridleway 17 and head WSW for 1.2km until you reach a junction just before How Wood (see image above).

Graveley bridleway 5 cutting through How Wood

2: Turn left at this junction and head SW, now on Graveley bridleway 5, and cut through How Wood (see image above). After 1km you will pass a bench on the left - a good spot to rest and take in the view. Continue for 860m down Brooks Hill (see image below) until you come to a gravel track with St Mary’s Church on the right.

Graveley bridleway 5 over Brooks Hill

3: Turn left on this track and head SSW for 50m and then SSE for 50m before turning right and heading WSW along Church Lane for 450m until you reach High Street Graveley.

4: Turn left on High Street and head S for 380m passing The Waggon and Horses and The George and Dragon pubs on your right, and continue uphill looking out for a footpath on the left just after the 40mph sign (see image below).

Graveley footpath 6 mentioned in point 5 below

5: Take this path, Graveley footpath 6, and head uphill, first E for 110m then NE for 380m until you reach a footpath on your right (see image below).

The junction with Graveley footpath 7 mentioned in point 6 below

6: Take this path, Graveley footpath 7, and head SSE with the hedgerow on your left and the fields on your right and then continue across open fields towards the pylons for 760m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/zoom.final.necks).

The point where Graveley bridleway 8 meets the lane

7: Turn left on Graveley bridleway 8 and head NE for 680m until you reach a lane. You might spot a sign for The Forster Country Walk just before the lane.

Graveley footpath 9 passing Harbourclose Wood, mentioned in point 8 below

8: Continue heading NE along the lane for 280m looking out for a footpath on the left just after a house on the left and just before a right-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/later.fires.beside). Take this path, Graveley footpath 9, and head NNE for 760m until you pass Harbourclose Wood on the right and then reach Stonesley Wood on the left.

The point where you take Weston footpath 40 mentioned in point 9 below

9: Continue heading ENE, now on Weston footpath 18 for 440m until the track becomes Weston footpath 40 (location - https://w3w.co/palace.maybe.intent) and continues ENE for another 440m until you reach Back Lane.

10: Turn right on Back Lane and head SSE for 280m looking out for a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/slams.baking.maps). Note: There isn’t a footpath along this short stretch of lane, but there is a verge which you can step on if a vehicle approaches.

Go through the gate, mentioned in point 11 below, and take the right-hand fork

11: Take this path, Weston footpath 22, and head NNE for 560m ignoring a path on your right and continuing until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/arrive.organs.paints). Cross the metalled track, go through a kissing gate, and then take the right-hand fork and continue heading NNE for 310m until you reach another junction. Cross a track and continue along Weston footpath 22 for another 360m until you leave the woodland (location - https://w3w.co/moped.blatantly.ages). At this point the path splits with the right-hand fork going to the church. But your way is straight and NNE, still on Weston footpath 22 for another 160m until you reach a junction.

12: Turn left here on Weston footpath 20 and head W for 500m with the playing fields on the right and continuing back to the village and the starting point.

There is a choice of two pubs in Weston. As well as The Red Lion mentioned at the start, there is also the The Cricketers pub which is 70m S of Rowan Close.

Information board on Weston village green

There is an information board on the village green (location - https://w3w.co/admit.newly.loans) which has interesting facts about Weston and its history. The image below is copyright must not be reproduced without the permission of the copyright holder. This site has been given permission to embed the image on this site.

Interactive map

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