Experience Lifes Ups And Downs (from East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Why not make a day of it in the low hills of Hertfordshire? There is no doubt that the terrain in Hertfordshire is generally more challenging than that of Essex.

I have put together a few good slopes with some quiet lanes to allow you to relax after your efforts.

There is plenty of variety with extensive views, good woodland sections with fast-flowing streams, some noble houses and a very pleasant village.

The walk is long enough for you to make a leisurely day of it, possibly stopping off at the pub halfway round.

1. Start Walk down Church Street with the church to your left. At the T-junction turn left passing between delightful houses of various periods. Soon you come to a house, the Crest, which was once a pub immediately after this turn left along a narrow footpath which emerges at a stile at the back of the churchyard.

Go diagonally right to the far corner of the field to pass through a pair of kissing gates and left along the edge of the next field. At the next kissing gate go diagonally right towards woodland to reach another kissing gate which brings you to a cross-track.

2. 0.4 miles/0.6km Turn right to walk downhill. (This section of path can become very slippery after rain.) At the bottom, ignore paths to right and left and keep forward to cross a bridge over Essendon Brook and go through a kissing gate to go forward up the right-hand edge of a field. At the top you reach a wide track.

3. 0.8 miles/1.2km Turn left and almost immediately right along a narrow path which, after a brief passage in woodland, takes you out onto the right-hand edge of a field. (Towards the end of the field, look back to see Essendon House. It is high on the ridge overlooking the surrounding countryside.)

4. 1 mile/1.6km Turn left down a quiet lane. Over the course of about three-quarters-of-a-mile you go down into a dip then climb again to reach a public byway sign on the left.

5. 1.7 miles/2.8km Turn into the byway and, after quarter-of-a-mile, turn right through a kissing gate to reach a field where you proceed with the hedge on your left. At the bottom of the field bear left with a waymarker to reach bridge over Wildhill Brook. You will now walk uphill along a narrow path between trees with Essendon Brook over to your left. Ignore a crosstrack with a sturdy bridge to the left and keep forward a few paces to cross the stream by a smaller bridge. Climb two flights of steps to reach the road. (At this point you may wish to shorten the walk by turning left and returning to Essendon along the road.)

6. 2.7 miles/4.3km Cross over to another fenced path which soon swings right to run parallel to a lane on the left. Eventually you emerge on the lane at a fork.

Cross and walk up Berkhamsted Lane. You will continue along this road for about three-quarters-of- mile with attractive woodland to the left and extensive views on the right. Having gone down into a valley and climbed back up you will come to the Little Berkhamsted village sign and a speed restriction, just after this there's a bridleway sign to the left.

7. 3.8 miles/6.1km Pass between white gates onto a surfaced estate road with some beech hedging. Once you have passed the large complex of Dane's Farm on the right, keep forward through a kissing gate to join a muddier path. (Up on the horizon to your left is the castellated Bedwell Park house.) The path eventually descends, through woodland, to a house decorated in the blue and white estate livery.

8. 4.5 miles/7.2km Fork left to go uphill toward a golf clubhouse. Immediately before the clubhouse, turn right at a waymarker.

Starting Point/Parking: Essendon is a small village on the B158 off the A414 between Welwyn Garden City and Ware. Park carefully along Church Street, near Essendon Church.

Distance: 5 miles/8.1km Time: 3 hours Terrain: some quite reasonable climbs but nothing too strenuous. Much of the walking is along good paths but there is one slippery descent.

Stiles: 2 stiles but generally fine for dogs Near: Welwyn Garden City Refreshments: The Rose and Crown in Essendon and The Candlestick at point 4 (West End) both provide good beer and food.

Public Toilets: none Public Transport: none Map and Grid Reference: Explorer 182, grid ref: 274088 More Information: West Essex Ramblers: memberships and free programme of walks with leaders: 020 8524 2737 (Redbridge Group: 01708 456 771 and Lea Valley Friends who specialise in walks of 3 to 4 miles: 020 8529 7328).

Len Banister has written Drive and Stroll in Essex which contains 20 circular walks. He can be contacted by email if you have comments or suggestions for future walks at talkingwalking@aol.com

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