Walk 42: North Mymms to Hatfield North-West Linear

7.1 miles (11.4 km) with 49m total ascent

 

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.

Directions

Map for Walk 42: North Mymms to Hatfield North-West Linear
Click on the map for a larger version
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map embedded at the end of 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.

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.

Cross Swanland Road and take North Mymms bridleway 82 (location - https://w3w.co/foam.calm.fresh) over a footbridge crossing the A1(M) and emerge on Tollgate Road. Here you head NW along Tollgate Road for 490m until you reach the Octagon Lodge at the entrance to North Mymms Park.

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).

* There are three pubs near the station, The Great Northern directly opposite and The Horse and Groom and The Eight Bells on Park Street in Old Hatfield 200m E of the station.

Interactive map

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Walk 23: Hatfield-Wildhill-North Mymms

8.5 miles (13.6 km) with 182m total ascent

 

A station-to-station linear walk from Hatfield station, along the Lea Valley and over to West End, Essendon and then via Wildhill to either Brookmans Park or Welham Green. Ideal if you want to leave the car at home and have a few pints along the way. The route can be muddy in places after rain. Some gentle hill climbing involved.

Directions

Map for Walk 23: Hatfield-Wildhill-Brookmans Park and Welham Green
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is a larger interactive map embedded at foot of this page

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: Leave Hatfield station and cross the road (location - https://w3w.co/issues.smug.cake) and head E down Arm And Sword Lane that runs alongside The Great Northern pub.

2: At the bottom of the lane, turn left on Park Street and go under the viaduct. Continue until you reach The Old Hertford Road (location - https://w3w.co/rents.think.action).

* There are two pubs close to this point if you turn left on Park Street. They are The Horse and Groom and The Eight Bells.

3: Turn right on The Old Hertford Road until you meet Hertford Road, turn right, cross over the A414 and take the footpath on your right as soon as you cross the bridge (location - https://w3w.co/orange.crib.fields).

4: Turn right here and head ESE then E for 280m passing Mill Green Museum on your left and continuing until you reach Mill Green Lane (location - https://w3w.co/always.grew.ledge).

5: At the point where Mill Green Lane joins the A414 to Hertford take the footpath to your left (location - https://w3w.co/invest.flops.jumpy), which continues along the N side of the A414 heading E for 870m. This is part of the Lea Valley Walk and can be a bit noisy.

6: Head ENE and E for 840m along the north side of the A414 until you reach Gypsy Lane (location - https://w3w.co/orbit.soil.island). Here you turn right and cross the A414 (needless to say great care is required to cross this busy dual carriageway).

Once on the other side of the A414 head SSE down the lane for 310m passing a wood mill on your right, and follow the lane as it bends to the left to a bridge over the River Lea. This is Hatfield bridleway 75.

7: As soon as you cross the River Lea turn left then follow the road for 230m until it turns sharply to the right (location - https://w3w.co/clocks.join.ties).

8: At this point you take the track straight ahead. The first 60m of this path is still Hatfield bridleway 75, but the track then crosses the parish boundary (location - https://w3w.co/parent.final.dwell) at which point it becomes Essendon bridleway 6. Continue along this bridleway heading E and following the southern bank of the River Lea for 820m until you reach a bridleway on your right. This is Essendon bridleway 10, which heads S (location - https://w3w.co/limbs.adding.appeal).

9: Turn right and continue heading S on this bridleway for 1.5km until you emerge on West End Lane (location - https://w3w.co/grew.flag.milky).

10: Here you turn right and follow the lane round to The Candlestick pub and restaurant (location - https://w3w.co/calculating.axed.pets). Take the footpath on the left just before you reach the pub, Essendon footpath 13, and follow it ESE for 430m until you reach a bridleway junction (location - https://w3w.co/retail.vets.wire). This is a Essendon BOAT 14 (Byway Open to All Traffic).

11: Turn right on Essendon BOAT 14 and follow it SE, S, and SW for 1.5km until you come to West End Lane again.

12: Turn left, drop down the hill until you reach Wildhill. Turn left at Wildhill and refreshments can be taken at The Woodman.

13: Continue through The Woodman car park heading for a footpath in the SSW corner (location - https://w3w.co/gravel.like.racks). This is Essendon footpath 84. Follow it SSW for 230m, cross a footbridge (note, this bit can be boggy), continue through another gate, cross a field, and cross another footbridge before turning left and going through another gate (location - https://w3w.co/noting.slams.liability) where you turn right.

14: Now head SW then SSW for 200m with the hedge on your right and the field on your left until you reach a gap in the hedgerow on your right (location - https://w3w.co/slam.watch.zones). Go through this gap and head SW up the hill for 210m with the hedge on your right and the field on your left until the path goes diagonally SSW uphill.

15: At the top of the hill (location - https://w3w.co/meant.groom.lately) keep the woodland on your right and the field on your left and continue heading SW for 270m until you reach Grubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/movies.begun.sadly).

16: Turn left and walk SE along Grubbs Lane for 60m looking out for a footpath on the right. This is Hatfield footpath 83 which you follow heading SW for 730m through a field, over a footbridge, across another field, through a small copse (at this point, look out for the remains of the WWII Tett turret on your right, location - https://w3w.co/smashes.vocab.tent), and across a third field before reaching the corner of Woodside Lane and the A1000, Great North Road (location - https://w3w.co/stored.crisis.barks).

17: Cross The Great North Road and head SSE down Bell Lane.

* You can take a short detour by turning left and heading SE at this point for refreshments at The Cock Of The North or The Dutch Marketplace cafe further along.

Continue down Bell Lane heading S for 450m until the lane bends to the left at the top of the hill. Here you take North Mymms footpath 33 on your right (location - https://w3w.co/fight.tested.level).

18: Take this path and follow it W for 1.2km with the fields on your right and woodland on your left until you reach Bulls Lane (location - https://w3w.co/insect.brush.helps).

19: Here you have two choices depending on whether you are heading to Brookmans Park station or Welham Green station.

* Welham Green: If you are heading for Welham Green turn right on Bulls Lane and head E for 350m before turning left on Foxes Lane (20a) then heading NW along North Mymms BOAT 84. Continue along this lane and byway ignoring a footpath on your right (21a) until you return to Welham Green where you turn left to reach the station.

* Brookmans Park: If you are returning to Brookmans Park turn left on the footpath that heads WNW along the south side of Bulls Lane, North Mymms footpath 33, and continue for 460m until you go under Skimpan’s Bridge, which carries the East Coast Mainline.

20: After the bridge turn left along North Mymms footpath 34 (location - https://w3w.co/traps.sudden.films) and follow it SSE for 110m with the railway on your left until the path bends to the right and heads SW for 210m before dropping down to a set of steps then bends to the right before reaching the North Mymms Community Centre car park (location - https://w3w.co/boxer.field.models).

21: Turn left on Station Road and follow it S for 1km to Brookmans Park station. There are several shops, cafes, restaurants and a pub, Brookmans, serving refreshments in the village.

Interactive Map

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