Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Buntingford Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Buntingford Walking Route

As we all enjoy our traditional British summer of wind and rain I was trawling through my trusty 1001 Walks In Britain, published by the AA, reminiscing over past walks in better weather. Buntingford is a delightful Hertfordshire town and was a walking route I completed after walking Deacon Hill earlier in the morning. This was an easy Hertfordshire walk that I completed in just over 2 hours and covering 8 miles of country tracks, lanes and village roads.

You can find the original walking route online here.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Buntingford Walking Route

I parked the car in the main Buntingford car park in the High Street crossing over to Church Street passed the Fox and Duck pub where I then walked left in to Wyddial Road turning right across the River Rib ford in to The Causeway. I continued my walk along the lane turning left at the public bridleway signpost in to St Bartholomew’s churchyard where I then walked down the green lane to the road turning right uphill. As the road bent I walked left at the bridleway signpost across the wide grassy path between fields to the road where I continued my walk to Wyddial parish churchyard walking along the road turning right at the bend by the footpath sign keeping the hedge on my right hand side.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Buntingford Walking Route – Beauchamp’s

At the end of the field I walked left over the footbridge and walked straight ahead keeping the hedge on my right hand side and then my left hand side to the access road by the farm where I then walked right to Beauchamp’s keeping right by the hedge and then left on to a wide grassy path to a track on the hill where I then walked right passed Beauchamp’s Wood where I then walked down to the valley turning left to climb again up the next hill. I then walked right next to the concrete pile down to the metalled track on my left hand side to the road crossing over to Alswick Hall where I then walked passed the pond and farm buildings to Owles Hall.

At Owles Hall I then walked right on to the lane down to cross the valley at Haley Hill Ditch where I then walked up and back towards Buntingford passing the Sainsbury depot on my left hand side turning right at the end of Owles Lane where I then joined the Roman Ermine Street to then turn left passed the Railway pub in to Aspenden Road to Luynes Rise.As the walk then came to its end I walked right at the footpath signpost following the River Rib and back to the High Street and the car park.

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route

It was a clear blue Sunday morning today so we decided to get our Epping Forest and Lee Valley, Hertford and Harlow Ordnance Survey Map 174 and plotted out a walking route in Hertford Heath just slightly up past Broxbourne Woods, another great place to go for walks.

It was a bracing January morning so we wrapped up in our walking clothes, although I was carrying Tedi in the child carrier so didn’t need too many layers to keep warm. As this Hertfordshire Walks walking route mainly covers bridleways, field paths, some roads and a canal tow path we didn’t need much in the way of outdoor gear but stuck to my favourite walking boots, The North Face Jannu II.

Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route Hertford Heath Village Sign

There weren’t many cars about so parking was easy on Mount Pleasant Road just off the B1197 road in Hertford Heath. We then went right and headed eastwards along Mount Pleasant and then took the left hand fork at the Mount Pleasant sign to a metalled track for a while before the bridleway went right into a wooded heathland and then left at bridleway waymarker. There are plenty of signposts and waymarkers on this route so navigating our way around the walk was really easy.

Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route at Golding's Wood

We then walked downwards through Golding’s Wood spotting the well marked waymarkers as we went until we reached a sunken lane where we then turned right out of the woods and then left to cross the access lane. We continued left and walked slightly downhill by the embankment of the A10 where we then crossed under turning left by the stile signposted Walnut Tree Walk to then continue straight ahead to a high chain linked gate.

We continued our walk straight ahead climbing slightly upwards where we then reached a metalled lane where we then turned right to reach the road. To our right was the Van Hage Garden Centre (well worth a visit as it’s huge and sells virtually everything!) but we turned left up the road to Amwellbury Lodge and then right in to Church Path where we then followed the footpath to Great Amwell before passing the George IV pub and then turning right in to the churchyard.

Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route Church at Great Amwell

We then walked down the churchyard steps and crossed the lane and then down to New River with the Myddleton Monument Urn Island on our left hand side. Here we turned right to follow the New River canal tow path down, passing Amwell Marsh Pumping Station, until we reached the road where we turned right and walked uphill to turn left passed Hillside Lane through to a restricted byway signpost.

Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route New River Canal Tow Path

We continued along this track through fields and crossed over the A414 and then the A1170 where we reached two stiles before turning right and down to the A10. We then turned left underneath the A10, crossed over to the byway signpost and turned left up the bank where we saw a magnificent sight… a common buzzard swooped down along the path ahead with its wingspan almost touching each side of the bushes! We then turned right to walk along the side of the woods at Haileybury College chatting away about such a great sighting.

Continuing our walking route straight ahead with Haileybury College on our left hand side we then reached a tarmac drive until the college road merged with the B1197 road where we then turned left at the College Arms pub through The Roundings heathlands. When the road started to go left we forked right by Meadow Grange on to the heath and through the trees turning left on to the grassy path walking straight ahead until we reached a road, turning right on to the track.

The track was an old Roman Road called Ermine Street that we then followed all the way upwards until we merged with the B1197 and it was only a short walk before we were back in Hertford Heath where we turned right at the Country Stores in to Church Hill and back to the green and Mount Pleasant some 3 hours and just under 7 miles later.

Hertfordshire Walks Hertford Heath Walking Route Ermine Street Roman Road

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

On reflection I should have worn my gaiters today as it rained heavily all day yesterday and it was extremely muddy on this walking route around Theydon Bois farmland and the woodland of Epping Forest. The mud was sticking to the soles of my walking boots making it quite arduous at times and some of the walk was through over grown nettles and brambles so I got stung a few times even through my thick walking trousers. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be hot or cold today so just had a lightweight windproof jacket on with my waterproof jacket in my rucksack just in case.

The Essey Way path through Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve Theydon Bois Walking Route

At the Theydon Bois tube station I walked over the railway footbridge to take me to the opposite side of the main station entrance where there was a footpath sign post taking me immediately left to walk alongside the railway tracks to a kissing gate and signpost for the Epping Forest Countrycare Country Walk (EFCCW).

Turning left to walk along the field edge to another signpost to another field where I kept to the fields edge to find a small footbridge on the fields edge. I then maintained my direction to cross the field uphill to a signpost that seemed to be pointing the wrong way… into the ferns. Looking to my right hand side I saw the entrance to the tunnel underneath the M11 motorway and the view of the All Saints Church in Theydon Garnon in the back drop, which is where I was heading. Walking downhill to the underpass I found a signpost leaning against the inside of the tunnel marked the EFCCW and continued to the other side to a stile that entered Garnish Hall farm buildings with a well preserved pond and landscaped gardens where the concrete path then bent left and then right uphill where I continued straight on past the church to a T-junction with the All Saints Church Theydon Garnon sign on my right enclosed by the hedge.

I then turned left down Coppersale Lane crossing over the road at Hobbs Cross to a gravel track in front of me which then bent left on to The Roman Road which led me under the M25, passed Barbers Wood on my left and straight up to North House and taking in the ruins of Hill Hall on my right through the gaps in the hedgerow.It was here that I started to notice deer tracks in and out of the woodland to the farmland.

Upon reaching the road I turned left by the telephone and post box to walk uphill to a signpost on my left on the bend of the road which led down a concrete path around Beachet Wood through an open gate to cross a meadow keeping to the edge of the woods on my right.Here the deer tracks became more obvious to spot so I dipped in to the wood to have a quick look for some fallow deer. After less than two minutes I spotted two female deers but the wood was very dense and the photos I took were quite blurred. I was also a little stuck for time so couldn’t afford to track them further to hopefully find the heard.Maybe next time!

Rejoining the pathway by the side of the wood I then reached a stile, and another, before reaching a wooden footbridge continuing straight on to a wooden footbridge and signpost to the road and crossing straight over to follow the road sign for Toot Hill and Ongar on the right. I then passed Mount Farm on my right before turning left at Mountwood Lane following the blue signpost sign to North Weald passing a cottage on my left I then entered Mount Wood on  the EFCCW path to a signpost marked with various walking routes.I then turned left to cross a log blocking the path to now join The Essex Way (TEW) which is a track I will now be continuing to follow for a few miles.

TEW then took me through Birching Coppice to cross over the M25 and into the Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve where a small Muntjac Deer crossed my path. Walking straight ahead I reached a signpost taking me left on TEW across duck board to another TEW signpost before turning right up a few steps to a cricket pitch where I turned left to reach a kissing gate where I turned left to stay in Gernon Bushes and then down some wide steps where signs for TEW were pinned to duck board on the ground.

Turning right at the next TEW signpost to cross a small wooden bridge and then straight on by the fields edge and through another field and signpost to a signpost then cutting left across the field to a small gap in the hedge to a signpost across a field of freshly sheared sheep to another field that then emerged by the road where I turned right to walk passed the Thydon Oak pub on my right to a gravel driveway on my left. Following TEW signpost on to Steward’s Green Land I walked down to cross a road where I then left TEW to join the driveway up to the Epping Forest Golf Course turning right at the stile at the top of the road by the cottage. I then walked down through the course along a gravel path that then turned in to a grassy path down to a signpost where I turned right to follow the edge of the course running alongside the roar of the M25 passed an electricity pylon to a stile.

I then walked down the overgrown concrete path to turn left under the M25 emerging the other side to turn left and then right at the signpost to cross fields to a wooden footbridge where I turned left on to a wasteland under development to a signpost and metal bridge to rejoin the pathway from the beginning of the walk. I then crossed the railway footbridge to return to the car some 13 miles and just under 4 hours later…. muddy, tired but satisfied.

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

Walks And Walking – Epping Forest Theydon Bois Walking Route

On reflection I should have worn my gaiters today as it rained heavily all day yesterday and it was extremely muddy on this walking route around Theydon Bois farmland and the woodland of Epping Forest. The mud was sticking to the soles of my walking boots making it quite arduous at times and some of the walk was through over grown nettles and brambles so I got stung a few times even through my thick walking trousers. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be hot or cold today so just had a lightweight windproof jacket on with my waterproof jacket in my rucksack just in case.

The Essey Way path through Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve Theydon Bois Walking Route

At the Theydon Bois tube station I walked over the railway footbridge to take me to the opposite side of the main station entrance where there was a footpath sign post taking me immediately left to walk alongside the railway tracks to a kissing gate and signpost for the Epping Forest Countrycare Country Walk (EFCCW).

Turning left to walk along the field edge to another signpost to another field where I kept to the fields edge to find a small footbridge on the fields edge. I then maintained my direction to cross the field uphill to a signpost that seemed to be pointing the wrong way… into the ferns. Looking to my right hand side I saw the entrance to the tunnel underneath the M11 motorway and the view of the All Saints Church in Theydon Garnon in the back drop, which is where I was heading. Walking downhill to the underpass I found a signpost leaning against the inside of the tunnel marked the EFCCW and continued to the other side to a stile that entered Garnish Hall farm buildings with a well preserved pond and landscaped gardens where the concrete path then bent left and then right uphill where I continued straight on past the church to a T-junction with the All Saints Church Theydon Garnon sign on my right enclosed by the hedge.

I then turned left down Coppersale Lane crossing over the road at Hobbs Cross to a gravel track in front of me which then bent left on to The Roman Road which led me under the M25, passed Barbers Wood on my left and straight up to North House and taking in the ruins of Hill Hall on my right through the gaps in the hedgerow.It was here that I started to notice deer tracks in and out of the woodland to the farmland.

Upon reaching the road I turned left by the telephone and post box to walk uphill to a signpost on my left on the bend of the road which led down a concrete path around Beachet Wood through an open gate to cross a meadow keeping to the edge of the woods on my right.Here the deer tracks became more obvious to spot so I dipped in to the wood to have a quick look for some fallow deer. After less than two minutes I spotted two female deers but the wood was very dense and the photos I took were quite blurred. I was also a little stuck for time so couldn’t afford to track them further to hopefully find the heard.Maybe next time!

Rejoining the pathway by the side of the wood I then reached a stile, and another, before reaching a wooden footbridge continuing straight on to a wooden footbridge and signpost to the road and crossing straight over to follow the road sign for Toot Hill and Ongar on the right. I then passed Mount Farm on my right before turning left at Mountwood Lane following the blue signpost sign to North Weald passing a cottage on my left I then entered Mount Wood on  the EFCCW path to a signpost marked with various walking routes.I then turned left to cross a log blocking the path to now join The Essex Way (TEW) which is a track I will now be continuing to follow for a few miles.

TEW then took me through Birching Coppice to cross over the M25 and into the Gernon Bushes Nature Reserve where a small Muntjac Deer crossed my path. Walking straight ahead I reached a signpost taking me left on TEW across duck board to another TEW signpost before turning right up a few steps to a cricket pitch where I turned left to reach a kissing gate where I turned left to stay in Gernon Bushes and then down some wide steps where signs for TEW were pinned to duck board on the ground.

Turning right at the next TEW signpost to cross a small wooden bridge and then straight on by the fields edge and through another field and signpost to a signpost then cutting left across the field to a small gap in the hedge to a signpost across a field of freshly sheared sheep to another field that then emerged by the road where I turned right to walk passed the Thydon Oak pub on my right to a gravel driveway on my left. Following TEW signpost on to Steward’s Green Land I walked down to cross a road where I then left TEW to join the driveway up to the Epping Forest Golf Course turning right at the stile at the top of the road by the cottage. I then walked down through the course along a gravel path that then turned in to a grassy path down to a signpost where I turned right to follow the edge of the course running alongside the roar of the M25 passed an electricity pylon to a stile.

I then walked down the overgrown concrete path to turn left under the M25 emerging the other side to turn left and then right at the signpost to cross fields to a wooden footbridge where I turned left on to a wasteland under development to a signpost and metal bridge to rejoin the pathway from the beginning of the walk. I then crossed the railway footbridge to return to the car some 13 miles and just under 4 hours later…. muddy, tired but satisfied.