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HERTFORDSHIRE WALKS
Short and long walks in the county.
Hertfordshire has much to offer the walker, with gentle rolling walking along good paths to fascinating villages - many thatched on the eastern side - and rich in history.
You meet few people out walking so you have the countryside to yourself. Several books are planned - both short and long walks - so there is something for everyone!
Enjoy the walks.
Sample walk from - "Short Circular walks on the New River and South-East Hertfordshire."
GOOSE GREEN, ERMINE STREET AND HERTFORD HEATH - 6 MILES
- allow 3 hours.
Basic route - Goose Green, Ermine Street Car Park - Elbow Lane/Ermine Street - Hobbyhorse Wood - Ermine Street - B1197 - Hertford Heath - Great Stock Wood - Little Stock Wood - Ducketts Cottages - Blackfields Farm - Monks Green - Highfields Wood - Mangrove Lane - Goose Green.
Map - O.S. 1:25,000 Explorer Series No. 174 - Epping Forest & Lee Valley.
Car park and start - Ermine Street Car Park at Goose Green. On Lord Street road from Hoddesdon. Grid Ref. 346088.
Inns - The Huntsman Inn, Goose Green - 3 mins from car park. Silver Fox Inn beside B1197 near Hertford Heath. The Goat Inn and The Townsend Arms, Hertford Heath.
ABOUT THE WALK - The route follows a two mile section of the Roman Road - Ermine Street, heading due north from Goose Green to Hertford Heath. The remainder of the walk is across fields and beside woodland, on good paths and tracks back to Goose Green. Whilst the route does not go into the “centre” of Hertford Heath, you are encouraged to visit the area and see the Green, inn and water fountain; a delightful little haven.
WALKING INSTRUCTIONS - From the car park gain the track - Ermine Street - and head due north along it. For the first part you have Elbow Lane on your left. After more than 1/2 mile pass Elbow Lane on your left and keep straight ahead passing the highest point in the area - 96m. - with a communication mast. Beyond pass Hobbyhorse Wood on your left with Balls Wood beyond. Pass Brides Farm to your right and as you near the B1197 pass Ashleigh Paddocks. About 40 mins - 2 miles - from the car park reach the B1197 road with the Silver Fox Inn (named after a train), to your right.
Turn left along the road passing the Hertford Heath village sign on the right. Follow the road for 1/4 mile to house no. 77. Opposite is the path sign and your path, but first keep ahead to explore Hertford Heath. Pass a shop and Church Hill on your right - this is your return route. Keep ahead to the Townsend Arms and War Memorial. Turn right up Vicarage Causeway to The Green and Goat Inn. Turn right down Church Hill, passing the church and returning to the B1197 road. Turn left and at house no. 77, right to a kissing gate. Keep ahead on the defined path along the righthand side of the field - hedge. At the end turn right then left to continue now on a track to the perimeter of Great Stock Wood. As marked with path posts turn left then right, still on a track. Where the track turns left keep ahead with the wood on your right, as path signed, to a footbridge and path sign. Bear slightly left on the path to pass Little Stock Wood on your left. Keep straight ahead to a footbridge and turn left, as path signed, now on a track. Pass Kindle Warren Barns on your left and follow the now path with a hedge on your left to a stile, path sign and lane.
Turn left along the lane and pass Ducketts Cottages on your right, then Peterfield Stables. Soon afterwards on your left is the drive to Freedom Farm. More than 1/4 mile later the road turns sharp left at Blackfields Farm. Turn right onto a track - Public Byway. Follow this for 1 1/4 miles to a track junction. Cross over and a few yards later left along another track, also a byway, to Monks Green, 1/4 mile away. Emerging at the farm and houses, keep straight ahead past them to a path junction. Keep ahead into a field - path signed - Highfields Farm 3/4 mile. Footpath No. 4. Keep to the righthand side of the field to gain a kissing gate in the corner. Walk through Jepps Wood to another kissing gate. Continue ahead with Highfields Wood and fence on your right. Reach another kissing gate and continue close to the wood to a gate. Follow the fenced path left with farm buildings on the left. Continue along the fenced path along the wood’s edge with Highfields Farm to your left. Reach another kissing gate and bear half left and descend the field to a path sign and kissing gate, before Mangrove Lane. Turn right and less than 1/4 mile later regain the car park at Goose Green on your left. 3 mins ahead along the lane brings you to the Huntsman Inn.
ERMINE STREET - Built in the first century AD, and ran from London via Lincoln to the Humber estuary and onto York.
HERTFORD HEATH - Lies on the Roman Road - Ermine Street - the route taken to Hertford Castle by the Kings and Queens from London. On the Green is the village well but by 1897 this was considered unfit. The vicar had a well sunk in his garden and a fountain by the village well, for the children. In the late 19th. century the villagers did washing for the surrounding mansions and they all had a specific area of the Green to hang out the washing to dry.
Happy walking, John Merrill
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