About us
HIKE - "To walk a long way usually for pleasure, especially in the country"
Our hikes are typically 8 - 10 miles (12.8 - 16 km), sometimes shorter or longer.
- Local hikes in Hertfordshire and surrounding areas
- Day hikes elsewhere in South-East England
- Hiking weekends away in England and Wales
WELCOME!
If you would like to explore the countryside of England and Wales on foot, you are welcome to join us.
Bienvenue
Willkommen
Benvenuti/Benvenute
Bienvenido
Witamy
Dobrodošli
Καλώς Όρισες
ยินดีต้อนรับ
歡迎光臨
Plus many other languages, too numerous to list.
MEMBERSHIP
To join one of our events:
- Log in to Meetup if you already have a Meetup login. If not, please see below.
- Join the South Herts Hikers Meetup Group by clicking the 'Join Us' button above. This gives you immediate free trial membership of our group and you can attend our events.
- Select an event and click 'Attend'. You should receive an email confirming your place. If the event is already full you will be put onto a waiting list.
If you don't have a Meetup login yet, you can create one easily using the login details of an existing Facebook or Google login or you can create a separate Meetup login.
Although our events are shown on Meetup as free, so you don't need to pay when you sign up, we have annual and weekly subscriptions to cover the running costs of this Meetup Group including Meetup Organisers’ subscription, affiliations and other costs. These subscriptions apply to everyone including guests but they only apply if you actually attend an event and you can pay at the start of the event.
Annual membership subscription
This is £2 if you join in Jan, Feb or Mar. After that it’s £1.50 from April onwards, £1.00 July onwards, or 50p October onwards. You need to be an annual member to attend our events. Annual members can also join our group email list and annual membership is valid for both sections of our group, South Herts Hikers and South Herts Footpath Society.
Weekly subscription
We also have a weekly membership subscription of £3 but you only pay for a week when you attend an event. If you pay 10 weekly subscriptions in any calendar year then you don’t need to pay any more in the current calendar year. That's £5.00 for your first hike after 1st Jan 2026 or £3.00 per event after that. Cash is preferred or you can use Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA
Membership is open to anyone aged 18 or more who has an interest in hiking, regardless of gender, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion or other beliefs, provided they fulfil the following criteria:
- Being friendly towards all other Group members, treating other members with respect and as equals.
- Avoiding any conduct likely to discourage any other member from participating in future Group events or from organising future group events. In particular, this group is a “Grump Free Zone” especially on Group weekends away!
ETIQUETTE
These aren't rules but advice for a friendly group
- The walk leader sets the pace suitable for the slowest member, as long as we can complete the walk in a reasonable time. It is not a race to finish first nor a training event nor a non-stop work-out. We stop from time to time to regroup (for example after going through a gate), to have a rest, a drink or a snack, admire the view or take photos, etc. You may need extra clothing to put on for stops in colder weather.
- We have members of different ages and genders and we like everyone to relate to each other on an equal basis.
- We welcome members from different nationalities and cultures and we don't quiz anyone about their background or country of origin, they can tell us if they like but this is optional.
- Conversations on a group walk or other event can often be overheard by others so we avoid discussing anything that is out of place in a friendly social group. This would include avoiding heated debates or any discussions about controversial or unpleasant subjects that others may not wish to hear about, including religion, UK politics or politics of any other country.
WHAT TO TAKE
Most of our routes are on public footpaths in the countryside. Some of these may be slippery, muddy or stony in places. You need adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip. You need a waterproof jacket in case it rains and in cold weather, you also need a warm outdoor jacket and an extra layer to put on for outdoor stops.
We have some info pages on what to take for day hikes and weekends away. Please see the Hiking Info http://southhertshikers.uk/info/ page on our web site for further details.
PAST EVENTS
You can find a photo album for each past event on this Meetup Group.
AFFILIATION
We are affiliated to The Ramblers https://www.ramblers.org.uk/
Hertfordshire & North Middlesex Area https://www.hnmramblers.org.uk/
South Herts Hikers also known as South Herts Footpath Society is also a member of The Open Spaces Society https://www.oss.org.uk/
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
Please see the FAQ page http://southhertshikers.uk/faq/ on our web site or click the Organizers https://www.meetup.com/SouthHertsHikers/members/?op=leaders link on Meetup to contact the organizers via Meetup messaging.
Upcoming events
1

Sunday Hike Brookmans Park - North Mymms - Bell Bar with bluebell woods 9.2mls
Bus Stop "B", Station Road, Brookmans Park, al, GBDid you know that there are ancient bluebell woodlands in Hertfordshire with carpets of blue flowers (see photo)? We can show you where they are and the best time to visit so join us for a hike from Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire.
Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this 9.2 mile (14.8 km) hike is suitable for all and there is the option to cut the distance in half if you like.
Meet Sunday 12th April 2026 at 10:30 a.m. for 10:45 start. Hike starts and finishes near Brookmans Park Station. Meet on grass between Station Road and Station Close, Brookmans Park, Herts AL9 7SU.
Nearest post code: AL9 7SU
Lat/Long (WGS84): 51.721858 , -0.203992
OSGB National Grid Reference: TL242041
What3Words https://w3w.co/toast.heads.pits
HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Brookmans Park, North Mymms Park, passing Bush Wood (bluebells), Welham Green, Bell Bar, Gobions Wood (more bluebells). It is possible to finish half way by taking a train or bus 242 from Welham Green station back to Brookmans Park.
Most of the route is on public footpaths, public bridleways or residential roads with pavement or grass verge. Some short sections are on roads with no pavement but no through traffic. Total distance is 9.2 mls, 14.8 km. We plan to finish by 16:45 or earlier.
HIKING MAP:
Ordnance Survey 'Explorer' 1:25,000 scale, Sheet 182 St Albans & Hatfield.
ONLINE MAP:
This route was devised by South Herts Hikers and is on Wikiloc: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/brookmans-park-north-mymms-bell-bar-loop-v1-133206939
You can select map or aerial view (OpenStreetmap recommended) and you can zoom in. Navigating the trail outdoors using the Wikiloc app needs the premium version but you can also set up a free Wikiloc login then use a web browser such as Chrome to download a .GPX or .kml file to a mobile device then use a mobile phone GPS app (OSMand, Komoot, All Trails, Outdoor Active, Organic Maps or Google Maps).
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MEETING LOCATION (CHECK TIMES):
From London Moorgate 09:31, Old Street [OLD], Essex Road [EXR], Highbury & Islington [HHY], Finsbury Park [FPK] 09:45, Harringay [HGY], Hornsey [HRN], Alexandra Palace [AAP], New Southgate [NSG], Oakleigh Park [OKL], New Barnet [NBA], Hadley Wood [HDW], Potters Bar [PBR] to Brookmans Park [BPK] at 10:10 a.m.
From Welwyn Garden City [WGC]: Great Northern trains 10:02 calling at Hatfield [HAT], Welham Green [WMG] to Brookmans Park [BPK] at 10:12.
From St Albans: Bus 84 from St Albans City Railway Station Stop "B" at 09:11 to Potters Bar Station 09:43 then bus 242 at 09:46 to Brookmans Park Station or train at 10:07 to Brookmans Park Station.
From Waltham Cross 09:00, Cheshunt, Cuffley 09:31, Potters Bar Station 09:46 by bus 242 to Brookmans Park Station 09:54.
See Intalink bus travel in Hertfordshire https://www.intalink.org.uk/
CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:
Brookmans Park Station car park £3.80 on Sunday. APCOA Parking, location code 3626. Pay by credit card, by APCOA Connect App or pay on-line before you arrive https://citycentre.apcoa.co.uk/carpark/location/brookmans-park-station/3626 This may be easier if you don't already have the APCOA Connect app. Alternatively, it may be possible to park free in nearby streets such as Brookmans Avenue AL9 7QH (please park considerately).
PLACES OF INTEREST:
Gobion's Wood (Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust)
https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/gobions-wood
Café at Dutch garden centre, Bell Bar https://dutchmarketplace.co.uk/dutch-cafe/
WHAT TO BRING
Most of the route is on public footpaths in the countryside. Some of these may be slippery, muddy or stony in places. We recommend:- adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip
- waterproof jacket or umbrella for rain
- sun hat if sunny
- drink essential (1 - 2 litres)
- packed lunch (optional).
• Important to know
Mid morning stop/early lunch stop for packed lunch outdoors 6.5 km from the start. Late lunch stop at Bell Bar 10.4 km from start, you can go to the Café at Dutch garden centre or visit Cock O'the North pub.
Although our events are shown on Meetup as free, so you don't need to pay when you sign up, we have a small annual membership subscription and we also invite a donation for each event. This is to cover the running costs of this Meetup Group including Meetup Organisers’ subscription, affiliations and other costs. This applies to everyone including guests who attends an event but you can pay at your first event.
Annual membership subscription
We have an nominal annual membership subscription of £1 if you join from 1st Jan - 30th June, 50p if you join from 1st July - 30th November and free if you join in December. You need to be an annual member to attend our events but you can join at the start of your first event. Annual members can also join our group email list and receive details of our walks programme. Annual membership is valid for both sections of our group, South Herts Hikers and South Herts Footpath Society.
Event donation
We also invite a donation of £3 per event so that would be £4.00 for your first hike after 1st Jan 2026 or £3.00 per event after that. Cash is preferred or you can use Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
Please note our conventions and guidelines . From this Meetup Group's home page https://www.meetup.com/southhertshikers/ see What we're about > Read More
To summarise:- The walk leader sets the pace suitable for the slowest member. We stop from time to time to regroup. You may need extra clothing to put on for stops in colder weather.
- We have members of different ages and genders and we like everyone to relate to each other on an equal basis.
- We welcome members from different nationalities and cultures and we don't quiz anyone about their background or country of origin, they can tell us if they like but this is optional.
- We avoid heated debates or any discussions about controversial or unpleasant subjects.
For our policy on dogs on our hikes, please see our FAQ page, http://southhertshikers.uk/faq/
7 attendees
Past events
255


