This is a perfect walk for people who are interested in birdwatching and enjoy native wildflowers. It follows the River Colne and meanders around the surrounding lakes - some created in abandoned quarries. There are still some quarries being excavated, and you will cross a conveyor belt as work continues, but others are now beautiful lakes edged with rushes and banks laden with wildflowers. If you are a birdwatcher take binoculars because you are in for a treat. And there are loads of butterflies in the summer months.
Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for this walk. We've added What3Words location references for those who use that navigation system. If you print these walks you might want to use the green PrintFriendly icon at the bottom of these directions to delete elements you don't need.
Please keep to the public rights of way on this walk. We have included a map at the foot of this page showing the public rights of way around Willows Lakes in green and the paths reserved for those fishing the lakes in red.
2: Turn right on Ridge bridleway 6 then head NW for 20m, cross a bridge over the River Colne (location - https://w3w.co/wants.lame.gross) and continue heading NW for 30m until you reach Ridge footpath 1 on your left which runs just to the right of the green portable cabins (location - https://w3w.co/start.supporter.pool). Head WSW for 310m on Ridge footpath 1 then take the path on the left which runs through the woods (location - https://w3w.co/inform.prefer.wins). Continue heading SSW, still Ridge footpath 1, for 180m until you reach a footpath on the right going through a small parking area (location - https://w3w.co/chest.ramp.escape).
3: This is Ridge footpath 33. Follow it for 1.1km, first W, S then W again past Blount Spring (woodland) on your right, then SSW, S, SE, and SW past Coppice Wood on your right and continue until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/type.period.level).
4: At the junction turn left and head SE on London Colney footpath 38 for 400m until you reach another junction (location - https://w3w.co/glass.detect.bugs).
5: Take the first turn on your left, Ridge footpath 1, through another parking area and up a gravel path heading NNE for 420m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/verbs.choice.trial).
The view from Ridge footpath 50 mentioned in point 6
6: Turn right on Ridge footpath 50 and head SE across a land-bridge between the lakes for 180m to a junction in the track (location - https://w3w.co/chew.traded.meals).
The view from Ridge footpath 2 just before you reach point 8
7: When you reach the junction turn left on Ridge footpath 53 and follow it as it heads NNE with the lake on your left for 1.4km until you reach the bridge over the River Colne which you crossed in point 2 (location - https://w3w.co/grew.legal.expose).
8: Turn right here on Ridge bridleway 6, cross the bridge, turn right then head SSW for 450m until you reach a track on the left (location - https://w3w.co/silent.hill.allow).
9: Turn left here, still on Ridge bridleway 6, and head first ESE, then SSW, then SE for 390m until you reach a track on the left (location - https://w3w.co/august.played.falls).
The view from Ridge footpath 4 mentioned in point 10
10: Turn left and head NE for 250m on Ridge footpath 4 crossing between two lakes on another land-bridge (location - https://w3w.co/perky.wiped.light). This is a great spot for birdwatching. Once across the lakes turn left on Ridge footpath 47 (location - https://w3w.co/notes.brass.rang) and follow it NW, NE, NW then NE again as it goes behind stables to reach a track on the left (location - https://w3w.co/filled.model.class).
11: Take this path, Ridge footpath 48, and head NW, N, then NE for 420m until you reach Colney Heath bridleway 32 where you turn right and head NE for 230m before turning right and heading SSE for 220m to a track on the left (location - https://w3w.co/soon.twist.shops).
12: Take this path and turn left in the woods heading NW for 440m picking up Colney Heath footpath 35 back to the starting point.
This is a short walk across Colney Heath, along the River Colne, and alongside Willows Lakes (renamed Albans Lakes in 2018), where anyone who enjoys bird-watching could be in for a treat depending on the season, particularly between points 5 and 6. There is free parking at the start and finish, and a pub, The Crooked Billet, in Colney Heath, a short diversion from the route. This walk is a shorter version of another walk on this site, Colney Heath South Loop.
Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for this walk. We've added What3Words location references for those who use that navigation system. If you print these walks you might want to use the green PrintFriendly icon at the bottom of these directions to delete elements you don't need.
Park along the track west of Coursers Road to the south of Colney Heath, (location - https://w3w.co/cabin.spoon.dozen). Please keep to the public rights of way on this walk. We have included a map at the foot of this page showing the public rights of way around Willows Lakes in green and the paths reserved for those fishing the lakes in red.
1: Take the footpath that leads across the heath but turn left after 15m on Colney Heath footpath 36, following it as it bends SW and then turns NW through the woods for 280m until you meet a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/baking.quick.jars). This is where Colney Heath footpath 36 heads SW across the field. You will return on this path, but for now, ignore it and continue NW through the woods for another 100m until you reach the open heath (location - https://w3w.co/agree.bricks.improving). You are now on Colney Heath footpath 35. Follow this path W for another 440m until you meet Church Lane (location - https://w3w.co/social.pose.awake).
3: Cross the track and then cross a bridge over a conveyor belt (location - https://w3w.co/gear.socket.grant) carrying sand from a nearby quarry before continuing along Ridge footpath 2 for another 100m until you come to a junction with Ridge bridleway 6 (location - https://w3w.co/raced.tubes.cotton). Turn left and follow the bridleway SW for 400m looking out for a bridleway on your left (location - https://w3w.co/tester.nature.museum).
Head SW on Ridge footpath 2
The junction of Ridge bridleway 6 and Ridge footpath 2
4: Unusually for a bridleway, this one involves wooden steps crossing over the conveyor belt from the quarry. Take this bridleway, still Ridge bridleway 6, and head SE for 400m.
* Once over the bridge you could take a 680m circular detour to the south through Garden Wood if you want to extend the walk. The detour brings your back to point 5.
The wooden steps on Ridge bridleway 6
The conveyor belt from the quarry
5: When you reach the next crossing (location - https://w3w.co/translated.stick.goes), turn left and head NE for 250m on Ridge footpath 4. This is a really nice path that goes between two lakes and is an ideal spot for birdwatchers.
Ridge bridleway 6 between the lakes
6: When you reach the next footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/tone.avoid.brings) there is a diversion that avoids crossing the field occupied by horses. The farmer has put a sign up here warning that dogs are loose in the field. Rather than take a risk we chose the diversion, Ridge footpath 47. Turn left on this path, to the left of the field, and follow it as it weaves its way around the field for 320m first NE, then NW, then NE, then NW, and eventually SE before it rejoins Ridge footpath 4 (location - https://w3w.co/valve.retail.lied).
Take the diversion on the left, Ridge footpath 47
7: Turn left on Ridge footpath 4 and head NE for 530m until you reach a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/save.launch.tree).
The footbridge mentioned in points 7 and 8
8: Cross the footbridge and continue heading NW for another 170m on Colney Heath footpath 36 until you reach the woods south of Colney Heath (location - https://w3w.co/highs.fell.hopes).
9: Continue heading NE on Colney Heath footpath 36 for 70m before branching off to the right and heading W back to the starting point.
The walk starts outside the Galleria in Hatfield and heads south along the route of the old railway branch-line from Hatfield to St Albans. You will pass the restored station of Nast Hyde Halt, walk for almost two miles down a tree-lined byway, cross Colney Heath common, then climb the hill over to North Mymms across Potwell Valley with its meadows and swallow holes. Eventually you drop down to Water End and cross the swallow holes before crossing the fields to Brookmans Park.
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.
Catch the 610 Uno bus from Brookmans Park or Welham Green to the Galleria in Hatfield (location - https://w3w.co/dollar.grand.hurls). As you approach the Galleria the bus swings left down College Lane and then takes another 10 minutes going round the University of Hertfordshire before returning and arriving at the Galleria bus stop, so you could jump off a stop before the Galleria to save 10 mins.
1: Head NW from the bus stop looking out for a sign on your left immediately after you cross the A1(M). Take this path, Hatfield footpath 184 (location - https://w3w.co/supporter.lively.limbs), and head SW for 200m with the A1(M) on your left until a path turns to your right under a bridge (location - https://w3w.co/allows.goat.lifted).
Follow the path SW for 1.1km as it goes through a small housing estate and then crosses Ellenbrook Lane. Cross the lane and continue heading SW. Immediately after Ellenbrook Lane you will pass through the restored Nast Hyde Halt, one of the stations on the old line.
Nast Hyde Halt on the Alban Way
It's worth stopping here to explore the community effort that has preserved some of this railway history.
Nast Hyde Halt on the Alban Way
The video below, shot by North Mymms resident and photographer, Ron Kingdon in 1968, shows this line when it was operating.
Continue walking SW following the track until you see a byway on your left. This is Colney Heath BOAT 52 (byway open to all traffic), although it is also registered as Hatfield BOAT 26 (location - https://w3w.co/quick.retail.engage).
* At this point you could make a short detour to The Plough at Sheepshyde by continuing WSW for 210m before taking a path on your left and head SSW for 330m to the pub.
The byway heading S from the Alban Way
2: Turn left and follow this byway as it weaves its way SW and SE for 620m until it crosses the A414 North Orbital Road (location - https://w3w.co/vase.unwanted.civic).
Follow the byway on the other side of the A414, now Colney Heath restricted byway 51, and head SSE and S for 830m. It becomes a gravel road at the point where a large concrete cube blocks the byway but you continue until you reach a footpath intersection just before a new estate of houses (location - https://w3w.co/name.privately.senses). If you reach the houses you have gone too far.
The footpath junction at E of Colney Heath and N of Roestock
3: At this intersection take the path that goes off to your right, Colney Heath footpath 24 and follow it as it bends to your left heading SW behind the backs of the houses.
Continue for 500m with the houses on your left and the field on your right. Follow this path over a number of fields, still heading SW, until you reach Colney Heath High Street (location - https://w3w.co/ground.struck.pepper).
* At this point you could take a short detour to visit The Crooked Billet by turning right and heading NW along the lane for 430m.
4: Cross the road and turn left. Soon after the shops turn right to reach the common. You will see a coal post in front of you (location - https://w3w.co/ports.invest.humans).
A coal post at Colney Heath
Head SW and climb the path to reach Coursers Road. Here you turn right, cross the bridge, and take the gravel track on your right (location - https://w3w.co/cove.dimes.front).
The gravel track leading SW from Colney Heath
Continue heading SSW down this track for 230m until you reach a wooden gate on your left leading to another part of Colney Heath Common (location - https://w3w.co/alarm.builds.tins).
The gate leading south and SE towards Coursers Road
5: Take this path and head SE, diagonally across the field for 200m. You will come to a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/trials.tones.jars) and your way is ESE to your left with the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right. You are aiming for the wooden gate in the far corner of the field.
The gate leading from the common land to Coursers Road
Go through the gate and turn right heading S with Coursers Road on your left and the field on your right.
The path bends round following Coursers Road and you continue, now walking SW for 300m on Ridge bridleway 32, until you reach a path on your left which crosses Coursers Road and enters Coursers Farm (location - https://w3w.co/tiger.dinner.crowds).
The footpath sign by the gap where the path crosses Coursers Road
6: You are now on Ridge footpath 8. Follow the white markers with yellow arrows through the farm until you leave the farm buildings behind and have a track ahead of you (location - https://w3w.co/memory.moment.wished). On your right will be an industrial site with machinery. You continue straight heading S.
The track heading south from Coursers Farm
7: When you reach a group of portable buildings and containers (location - https://w3w.co/valley.chip.things) you turn left (see image below) and follow the white sign which is marked 'permissive path' and follow this SSE then WSW for 600m looking out for a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/hammer.deflection.given).
Take the permissive path and head SSE
Turn left and head SSE on Ridge footpath 8 crossing several fields. There are way-marked post set up to guide you (see image below).
Follow the way-marked signposts and cross several fields
At one point, close to the top of the hill, you take a right turn followed by a left turn and then continue through the crops.
Follow the way-marked signposts and climb the hill
You will pass through a field that had grazing shire horses the day we did this. They were friendly.
8: When you reach the buildings at top of the hill (location - https://w3w.co/oven.shadow.carry), turn left and follow the Ridge bridleway 10 NE.
At this point there are some great views over the Hertfordshire countryside to the NW and W. You can see St Albans cathedral on a good day. Continue NE. On your right is Redwell Wood.
The path leading NE to Potwells Valley with Redwell Wood on the right
9: Follow the path through the woods until you reach a gate opening out a great view to the NE over North Mymms (location - https://w3w.co/words.cared.heave). This is Potwells Valley. There is an interesting feature about the geology of this area on the North Mymms History Project in a feature entitled The Natural History Around Water End.
Potwells Valley looking NE over North Mymms
Continue heading NE, now on Ridge footpath 29 as it drops down the hill to reach a crossing in the track (location - https://w3w.co/ballots.froth.tuned).
Cross the track and continue heading NE now on North Mymms footpath 44 to a wooden footbridge. Cross the bridge and then climb though the field to a gate leading to North Mymms bridleway 91 running NE alongside the S of Cangsley Grove (location - https://w3w.co/crib.leave.sides).
Turn right on this path and continue through the woods. You will cross another track, and continue NE, now on North Mymms bridleway 1 for 1.2km until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/backed.rocks.switch) running along the W side of the the A1(M). This is North Mymms BOAT 5. Here you turn left and head N until you reach Tollgate Road (location - https://w3w.co/simple.bench.oils). Turn right on Tollgate Road and head N walking under the footbridge.
10: Just after the footbridge take the path on your left (location - https://w3w.co/weep.tools.agrees). This is North Mymms bridleway 82, as it climbs left and over the footbridge crossing the A1(M). Drop down to the other side where the path emerges on Swanland Road. Cross Swanland Road and walk SE down Warrengate Road until you reach The Woodman Inn (location - https://w3w.co/task.wonderfully.cares).
11: Here you turn left on the North Mymms footpath 7 immediately after The Woodman Inn and follow it round over the swallow holes climbing through the woods at the other side to reach an open field (location - https://w3w.co/horses.winner.again).
The swallow holes at Water End
The swallow holes at Water End
12: At the open field turn right then follow the North Mymms footpath 8 round to the right with the field on your left and the hedgerow on your right. Head for the SW corner of this field then cut through the hedgerow to reach Bradmore Lane (location - https://w3w.co/whips.forks.trout). Here you turn left then follow the lane to Station Road where you turn right, cross the railway bridge and arrive in Brookmans Park.
This walks starts at Brookmans Park station, heads over to Water End, turns north along the A1(M) to the village of Roestock, over to Sleapshyde, then ends at Hatfield station where you can catch a train back to the starting point.
Warning, there is a divertion between points 6 and 8 which, according to Hertfordshire County Council is in place up to 20 March 2025, details below.
Diversion notice in Roestock
Fly through preview of walk
If you want to check what sort of landscape you will be crossing before you set off on this walk you can view a short 3D video of the route below. It's created using the free version of Relive.
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.
There is restricted parking in Brookmans Park village centre and surrounding roads (check signs), but you can pay to park in the station car park (location - https://w3w.co/escape.loss.rating).
1: From Brookmans Park Station head N along Station Road with the railway on your right. Continue for 180m until you reach Bradmore Lane on the left (location - https://w3w.co/every.swift.soak).
Turn left on Bradmore Lane then head W for 850m along the lane. Ignore the first footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/leader.lows.cheese). This would be an ideal footpath to take, but the official route is never reinstated by the landowner (we have reported this several times). Instead, continue downhill along Bradmore Lane through Brick Kiln Wood and then around an S-bend until you reach a footpath on your right (location - https://w3w.co/empty.expose.chest).
2: Take this path, North Mymms footpath 8, then head NNW keeping the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right. After 170m the path bends left and is now North Mymms footpath 7 (this is the footpath you would have ended up on had you taken the first footpath). Head NW for 290m. Ignore the first path on the left and continue NW until you reach the second path on your left (location - https://w3w.co/trains.zips.school).
Turn left on North Mymms footpath 30 then cut through woodland heading SW for 50m until you reach a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/chains.minute.radio). Cross the footbridge then continue heading SW for 60m until you reach a field (location - https://w3w.co/sorry.stole.galaxy). Turn left at the field, still on North Mymms footpath 30, then head SW for 80m with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right then follow the path as it bends to the right (location - https://w3w.co/exams.engine.left) then heads W for 210m until you reach Swanland Road (location - https://w3w.co/hails.email.tend).
3: Turn left on the cycle track running alongside Swanland Road and head SSE for 200m until you reach the junction with Warrengate Road.
4: Walk past the lodge until you reach Tollgate Road. Cross the road and look out for a footpath sign close to the bus stop (location - https://w3w.co/cotton.prices.small).
This is North Mymms footpath 52 which heads through a small wood before entering a field and then crossing the field NNW for 720m until it reaches the side of the A1(M) and continues to steps up to a farm road (location - https://w3w.co/left.wisely.hulk).
Take these steps and then drop down the other side (do not cross the A1(M), and continuing NNW now on North Mymms footpath 55 for another 150m along the W side of the A1(M) (location - https://w3w.co/stops.pines.sheet).
5: Turn left on North Mymms restricted byway 28 and head WSW for 350m crossing a farm track, and continuing through the crops towards an electricity pylon. Immediately after the pylon the path splits. Take the right-hand fork and head WNW for 250m to Tollgate Road (location - https://w3w.co/cure.chill.legend).
6: Turn right then walk NNW along Tollgate Road for 45m until you reach the bend. Here you take the right hand fork and head N along Bullen’s Green Lane for 570m until you reach a footpath on your left just before a row of houses on the left (location - https://w3w.co/held.nods.luck).
7: Take this path, North Mymms footpath 67 and head WSW with the hedge on your right and field on your left until the hedge turns right. The path now becomes Colney Heath footpath 48 and heads NW and then NNW until it reaches Roestock Lane (location - https://w3w.co/order.activism.fried).
8: Cross Roestock Lane and take the track directly opposite, Colney Heath restricted byway 51 and head NW and then NNE for 180m. After the bend you will see a path to your left (location - https://w3w.co/gift.thanks.evenly).
Take the middle path of three, Colney Heath bridleway 5 and head NW for 770m across the field, through woodland, over Ellen Brook and emerging on the A414 North Orbital Road (location - https://w3w.co/animal.deny.serve).
Cross the A414 e and continue north down Sleapshyde Lane until you reach The Plough pub (location - https://w3w.co/wakes.belt.bliss). Continue along the footpath just past the pub.
9: This path forks. You take the right fork, Colney Heath footpath 19 then head NNE for 370m across the fields until you reach The Alban Way (location - https://w3w.co/clips.punt.stays), which is the route of the old railway.
10: Turn right then follow this trail heading NE for 1.5km until you reach The Galleria in Hatfield (location - https://w3w.co/paint.harp.bunks).
Cross the A1(M) then look out for the path dropping to your right on the other side of the road (location - https://w3w.co/hotel.taxi.drives).
11: This path then turns left under the road outside the Galleria (location - https://w3w.co/tells.inch.views) then continues NE into Hatfield along the route of the old railway. Continue for 1.4km then follow footpath signs to Hatfield station which is a further 1.1km (location - https://w3w.co/butter.icons.linked).
This circular walk starts from St Mary’s Church, North Mymms, and heads S through Cangsley Grove and over the Potswell Valley then down to the Colne Valley and via Colney Heath before looping back to North Mymms.
Warning, there is a divertion between points 6 and 8 which, according to Hertfordshire County Council is in place up to 20 March 2025, details below.
Diversion notice in Roestock
The start of this walk is 1.3 miles SW from Welham Green Station by road. The route crosses several livestock fields. There is a sign at Coursers Farm asking dog owners to keep their pets on a lead.
Fly over the route before you set off
If you want to check what sort of landscape the long version of this walk covers before setting off you can view a short 3D video of the route below. It's created using the free version of Relive.
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.
Keep left at the fork then continue heading SSW for 470m until the road bends to the right (location - https://w3w.co/cook.erase.onions), see image below.
Keep left at the fork on North Mymms bridleway 2
2: Keep left at the fork then head SSW along North Mymms bridleway 2 for 770m as it climbs the hill through Cangsley Grove. Continue until you reach a gate on the right with views across the Potwells Valley (location - https://w3w.co/output.chips.navy), see image below.
Go through the gate then follow North Mymms bridleway 90
3: Go through the gate then follow North Mymms bridleway 90 SW for 215m with the woodland on the right and field on your left. This bridleway crosses a parish boundary (location - https://w3w.co/dress.ends.beyond) and you will continue on Ridge bridleway 44 then head SW for 440m until you reach to a footpath on your right (location - https://w3w.co/surely.robots.hurls), see image below.
Turn right on Ridge bridleway 10
4: Turn right on Ridge bridleway 10 then head SW for 850m until you reach a farm and a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/salsa.dunes.fields), see image below.
Go through the gate then follow Ridge footpath 8
5: Go through the gate then follow Ridge footpath 8, which heads NW and downhill for 120m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/open.advice.rocks), see image below.
Go through the gate then head N
6: Go through the gate then head N and diagonally across a field, still on Ridge footpath 8, for 155m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/ready.lock.cheek), see orange line on the image below to judge the direction you need to walk to reach the gate.
Head N and diagonally across a field
7: Once through the gate, continue heading N across a second field, still on Ridge footpath 8. The field had just been ploughed when we revisited this walk. See orange line on the image below for the direction you need to walk.
Head N across the field, still on Ridge footpath 8
Continue heading N, still on Ridge footpath 8, for 180m, until you reach the corner of the field (location - https://w3w.co/pipe.allow.grass), see image below.
At the corner of the field go through the gap then turn left
8: When you reach the corner of the field (see orange arrow on the image above), go through the gap then turn left and head NNW, still on Ridge footpath 8, with the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right. Continue for 130m until you reach a signpost on the right (location - https://w3w.co/spot.sketch.plus), see image below.
The permissive path follows the hedgerow NW
9: At this point Ridge footpath 8 crosses a field, but there is an alternative permissive path which continues to head NW with the hedgerow on the left and the field on the right for 185m until it meets a track (location - https://w3w.co/notice.fans.forgot). We took this route because the field had just been ploughed and Ridge footpath 8 had not been reinstated.
10: Turn right when you meet the track then head ENE for 55m looking out for a footpath in the hedgerow on the left (location - https://w3w.co/eagle.types.torn), see image below.
Turn left, still on Ridge footpath 8, then follow the path NNE
Turn left, still on Ridge footpath 8, then follow the path NNE through the woodland, see image below.
Ridge footpath 8 heading NNE through woodland
Continue for 390m until you reach an industrial area. Follow Ridge footpath 8 through the buildings then out to a track where you turn left then right, (location - https://w3w.co/sticks.faced.sounds), see image below.
Head NNE then NNW, still on Ridge footpath 8
11: Continue on Ridge footpath 8 heading NNE then NNW for 730m until you reach Coursers Farm (location - https://w3w.co/builds.meal.adding). Follow Ridge footpath 8 through the farmyard for 270m until you reach a stile (location - https://w3w.co/hello.broad.shorts), see image below.
Cross the stile and the next field to reach Coursers Road
12: Cross Coursers Road then turn right on Ridge bridleway 32 and follow it ENE for 260m until the bridleway bends left (location - https://w3w.co/dices.fuel.price), see image below.
Go through the gap and continue heading N
13: Go through the gap then continue heading N with the hedgerow on the right and a field on the left for 290m until you reach a gate on the left (location - https://w3w.co/buns.smooth.curvy), see image below.
Go through the gate then follow the path WNW
14: Go through the gate then follow the path WNW then NW for 250m until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/every.useful.adding), see image below.
Turn right on the track then head NNE
15: Turn right on the track then head NNE for 230m until you reach Coursers Road (location - ), see image below.
Turn left on Coursers Road then head NE
16: Turn left on Coursers Road then head NE for 160m crossing the River Colne and continuing until you reach the end of the crash barrier on the left (location - https://w3w.co/rooms.curiosity.survey). Turn left after the crash barrier then follow the path down to the common, see image below.
Keep right then follow the path round to the right
Keep right then follow the path round to the right to reach High Street Colney Heath (location - https://w3w.co/cult.laser.gates).
* There is a pub, The Crooked Billet, in Colney Heath as well as some shops selling refreshments. The Crooked Billet is 440m on the left along High Street.
17: Cross High Street then take Colney Heath footpath 24 and head NE for 505m until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/gift.thanks.evenly).
18: Turn right on the track, Colney Heath restricted byway 51, then follow it S then SE for 170m until you reach Roestock Lane (location - https://w3w.co/under.leaps.bless), see image below.
Cross Roestock Lane then take Colney Heath footpath 23
19: Cross Roestock Lane then head SE on Colney Heath footpath 23 for 170m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/settle.tunnel.become), see image below.
Turn left at the junction
20: Turn left at the junction on Colney Heath footpath 48 then head E for 260m until you reach Bullens Green Lane (location - https://w3w.co/love.drift.onion).
21: Turn right on Bullens Green Lane and follow it SSW then S for 560m until you reach Tollgate Road (location - https://w3w.co/summer.shady.larger).
22: Turn left and head SSE on Tollgate Road for 50m before taking the footpath on your left just after the farm (location - https://w3w.co/clever.runner.quit). This is North Mymms footpath 41. Here you go diagonally to your left heading ESE for 260m towards the energy pylon in the middle of the field. Go under the pylon and continue now heading ENE for 350m towards the A1(M) crossing a farm track on the way.
23: When you reach the A1(M) turn right (location - https://w3w.co/brave.hints.edits) and head S until you reach the farm track again. Cross the track to the right of the bridge over the A1(M) and take the stairs on the other side of the track (location - https://w3w.co/scam.puff.shut). Do not cross the A1(M) bridge but stay on the W side heading SE with the A1(M) on your left and the field on your right for 55m until you reach a footpath on your right (location - https://w3w.co/complains.cards.plays).
24: Turn right on the North Mymms footpath 55 then follow it WSW for 550m following a line of trees until you reach Tollgate Road (location - https://w3w.co/town.upper.shut).
25: Turn left inside the field and then follow a permissive path SE for 210m until you reach a gate on the right (location - https://w3w.co/known.gifted.lined). see image below
Go through the gate, cross Tollgate Road
26: Go through the gate, cross Tollgate Road, then go through a gate on the other side, then follow North Mymms footpath 29 SE for 380m until you reach a gate leading to a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/froth.dive.large), see image below.
Cross the footbridge then follow North Mymms footpath 29 SE
