FREE HIKE 22 Km | Ancient Oaks and Chalk Rivers | Hertford Circular
Details
📈 Grade: 🥾🥾🥾 Level 3/5 (not strenuous)
...
Join us for a relaxed and scenic circular walk through the heart of the Hertfordshire countryside, starting and finishing in the historic county town of Hertford. This is a moderate-paced hike with plenty of opportunity to chat and get to know your fellow hikers along the way.
From the town, we head into Panshanger Park, a vast 1,000-acre landscape of open parkland, ancient woodland, farmland, and chalk river habitats. This beautiful estate is home to the famous Great Oak and many veteran trees that have stood for centuries, along with rich wildlife including birds, bats, deer, and seasonal wildflowers.
From Panshanger, we continue toward the village of Tewin, a classic English village known for its historic cottages, village green, and peaceful atmosphere that feels largely untouched by modern development.
We pause here for a relaxed and sociable lunch stop. There is a post office offering indoor seating for hot drinks and snacks, as well as a welcoming local pub with both indoor and outdoor seating for food and drinks, making this an ideal place to rest, refuel, and chat.
After lunch, we return toward Hertford along the Cole Green Way, a traffic-free route following a former railway line. With gentle gradients, a reliable surface, and a leafy green-corridor feel, this stretch is perfect for easy walking and relaxed conversation, rounding off the day in an unhurried way.
We finish back in Hertford town centre, where there is the option to visit a pub or cafe to continue socialising with fellow hikers before heading home.
✅ WHO CAN JOIN:
- Adults aged 21 and over. No children. No pets.
🚗 BY CAR:
- Car park at Hertford North railway station | APCOA
🚂 BY TRAIN:
The hike starts at Hertford North, so if you’re coming from London, the best route is via Finsbury Park.
From London Finsbury Park:
- Take the 09:30 service from Finsbury Park
- Arriving at Hertford North at 10:07
- Return fare is £8.80 with a Network Railcard
From Stevenage:
- Take the 10:02 service from Stevenage
- Arriving at Hertford North at 10:14
- Return fare is £5.40 with a Network Railcard
From London Liverpool Street:
- Take the 08:48 service from London Liverpool Street
- Arriving at Hertford East at 09:39
- Walk approximately 20 minutes from Hertford East to Hertford North station
- Return fare is £12.80 with a Network Railcard
Please check train times on the day, as these are correct at the time of posting.
📍 MEETING POINT:
🚶 WALK STARTS:
🏁 WALK FINISHES:
- Between 16:30 and 17:00 - Hertford town centre
- 20 minutes walk to Hertford North railway station
- 20 minutes walk to Hertford East railway station
🍔 LUNCH:
Bring a packed lunch. We will stop after around 11 km, approximately 2.5 hours into the walk. There is a post office offering indoor seating for hot drinks and snacks, as well as a welcoming local pub with both indoor and outdoor seating for food and drinks. With a large group, there will not be enough time to order and eat a full meal.
💰 COST:
- Free
🚻 TOILETS:
- Lunchtime pub or café stop in Tewin
- Natural facilities available during the walk
💪 TERRAIN, CONDITIONS AND DIFFICULTY:
- Distance: Approximately 22 km (13.7 miles)
- Difficulty: MODERATE
- Ascent and descent: 207 m up, 206 m down
- Elevation: High point 90 m, low point 39 m
- Average pace: About 4.5 km/h, up to 5.5 km/h
- Walking time: Around 5 hours
- Total duration: Approximately 6 hours including breaks and stops
- Terrain: Mostly flat walking along woodland trails and through a nature reserve, with grassy paths, some muddy sections beside fields, and occasional pastureland where ponies may be grazing. There are a few gentle inclines, but nothing strenuous. There are also short stretches along quiet country lanes, so please be mindful of passing traffic.
🎒 WHAT TO BRING
- Packed lunch, snacks, and at least 2 litres of water
- Sturdy hiking boots
- Layers and waterproofs
- A warm layer such as a fleece or insulating jacket
- Sun protection
- Personal medication
- Basic first aid and blister plasters
- Optional walking poles (recommended for some descents)
- Fully charged phone
- Head torch
- Portable phone charger or power bank
- Dry bags or a waterproof cover for your backpack
- Whistle for emergencies
- Offline maps or GPS
- Some cash or a bank card
📅 RSVP and Attendance
RSVP only if you plan to attend. Please cancel as early as possible if you can no longer attend so others can join.
👣 Staying Together
You are responsible for staying with the group leader at all times. Please keep others in sight and avoid moving too far ahead or falling too far behind. Faster walkers should wait at junctions.
📞 CONTACT: Please message the event host AdrianB directly via Meetup with any questions.
⚠️ DISCLAIMER: By joining, you confirm that you have read and accepted the group policy on the About page. You are responsible for your own safety, and neither the host nor the group can be held liable for injury, loss, or damage.
🍃 We look forward to welcoming you on the trail.