The Hertfordshire Way

This 166 mile trail covers a large part of Hertfordshire (one of the smallest counties in England, only 634 square miles).  Hertfordshire is a county of rich contrasts.  In the north east there are wide open panoramas over low hills and rich farm lands as seen in the area around Barkway.  Standing on Therfield Heath you can look down on to the flat plains of Cambridgeshire.  Then you can enter the steep wooded escarpments of the Chilterns, visit the many ancient and fine market towns, or the Cathedral City of St Albans and the many picture postcard villages nestling in an intimate landscape of farmland and woods.

Many famous people are associated with Hertfordshire.  Samuel Pepys was a regular visitor and Queen Elizabeth 1, when a princess, was a near prisoner at Hatfield House when the Roman Catholic Queen Mary was on the throne.  King James 1 had a palace at Royston from where he hunted on the lands of North Hertfordshire.  The so-called Rye House Plot to kill King Charles II was hatched on its borders.  Isaac Walton knew the river Lea well and the earliest Christian martyr St Alban was executed in Roman times at the site of the inner city.  Francis Bacon lived in Gorhambury and is buried in the church of St Michael.  George Bernard Shaw made his home in Ayot St Lawrence and his home is now a National Trust property and close to the route we take.

The first part of the walk (which is divided into manageable sections of 10-13 miles) will be from Royston to Wallington, which promises the most dramatic scenery by following the scarp slopes.

Our plan is to cover one section per month.  Details of each section will be included in each programme.  Lunch will normally be at a pub at about half way, and bookings should  be made in advance to make sure of seats.  

It is also important to contact the walk leader to ensure car provision is adequate.  As these are linear walks half the cars must be left at the end of the walk and the other half at the beginning.  Therefore please contact me if you wish to join a section.