Sunday hike, Potters Bar - Northaw - Fir and Pond Wood - circular 8.1 mls
Details
Discover quiet footpaths and green spaces in and around Potters Bar. Start at Potters Bar Station and walk to Little Heath and Northaw. Continue to Fir and Pond Woods Nature Reserve and explore recently opened footpaths in Potters Chase Wood. This is a South Herts Hikers/South Herts Footpath Society joint event.
Meet Sun. 1st Feb 2026 10:30 a.m. for 10:45 start outside Potters Bar Station EN6 1AJ.
Nearest post code EN6 1AJ
Lat/Long (WGS84): 51.6964099,-0.1939198
OSGB National Grid Ref. TL250014
What3words https://w3w.co/faces.merit.calm
HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Take the lineside path from Potters Bar Station then go across the former Potters Bar Golf Course to Swanley Bar, Little Heath and Northaw where there is a pub and a village green. After lunch, visit Fir and Pond Woods Nature Reserve and Potters Chase Wood. Return to Potters Bar Station via Oakmere and Parkfield.
Total distance 8.1 miles (13.0 km) with some hills, 147 m (482 ft) of ascent and descent. The route is partly on tarmac pavements and partly on public footpaths which may be muddy in places.
We expect to finish the hike by 4:30 p.m. or earlier. Sunset 4:49 p.m.
HIKING MAP:
Ordnance Survey 'Explorer' 1:25,000 Sheet 182 St Albans & Hatfield.
ONLINE MAP:
This route was devised by South Herts Hikers. There is a route map in photo album for this event. We have also uploaded the route to Wikiloc. See: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/potters-bar-little-heath-northaw-loop-v2-117816660 but we will be doing slight variation on the above route taking in newly created footpaths in Potters Chase Wood
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 THE MEETING LOCATION:
Regular trains to Potters Bar Station (PBR) from London Kings Cross, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage. Bus 84/84A from St Albans, TfL Bus 313 from Enfield but the 243 bus service from Barnet does not run on a Sunday.
CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:
On-street parking on Darkes Lane outside shops, free Sundays if you can get a space.
Some parking restrictions in nearby streets such as Strafford Gate and The Walk EN6 1PL only apply Mon - Sat. Please park considerately.
Potters Bar Station car park £3.60 at weekends but is intended for rail passengers only.
Also Hertsmere Borough Council car parks, Wyllyotts Place, Off Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 2HN and Manor Road, Off Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, EN6 1DG are believed to be free on Sundays and Bank Holidays but please check before parking.
What to bring
- Adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with good grip
- Warm outdoor jacket for winter and a waterproof jacket or umbrella in case it rains
- Drink
- Packed lunch
For further details, please see South Herts Hikers Information Page 'A' Day Hikes http://southhertshikers.uk/info/
• Important to know
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 only apply if you actually attend an event and they apply to everyone including guests.
Annual membership subscription
We have an nominal annual membership subscription of £1 if you join 1st Jan - 30th June, 50p from 1st July - 30th November and free in December. You need to be an annual member to attend our events. 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.
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 £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 membership criteria 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/