Walks near Harlow by train
Stations: Harlow Town · Harlow Mill
MapA day hike in the countryside is just a simple train journey away — explore the most charmingly located railway stations near Harlow and plan your next day of green.
Alternatively, view walks directly from Harlow.
Cambridge Circular via Grantchester (Cambridgeshire)
45 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
Beginner-friendly: A straightforward walk along the River Cam with many lunch options in Granchester. Within Cambridge itself, feel free to wander about randomly rather than following the route — there’s plenty to appreciate.
King's College Chapel (2h45 in)
Fitzwilliam Museum (2h45 in)
Cambridge (2h45 in)
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
4 lunch spots: Grantchester (1h30 in) — the Orchard Tea Garden, Grantchester, the Red Lion, the Rupert Brooke, or the Blue Ball Inn
1 end-of-walk reward: the Panton Arms
Warnings: A quarter urban.
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Waterbeach to Ely (Cambridgeshire)
1 hour from Harlow Town, with one change.
Highly recommended
Waterway: two thirds beside rivers and canals.
Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland (5h15 in).
Oliver Cromwell's House (5h30 in)
Ely (5h15 in)
Time: 7h30 (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch, 30m break)
2 lunch spots: the Five Miles Inn (2h in), or Wren Cafe (3h in)
5 end-of-walk rewards: the Cutter Inn, the Drayman's Son, the Kings Arms, the Minster Tavern, or the Prince Albert
Adapted from: The Rough Guide to Walks in London & the South East (3rd edition).
Ely Circular (Cambridgeshire)
1 hour from Harlow Town, with one change.
Open fenland, flat drained farmland, long straight tree-lined farm tracks, hedge-lined meadows, river banks, dykes and catchwater drains, quayside and historic city.
Ely Cathedral: the 'ship of the fens', a great Norman cathedral visible for miles across the flat fenland.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Exposed river banks.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Cambridge to Cambridge North (Cambridgeshire)
45 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
A short city and riverside walk linking Cambridge's two stations, taking in some of the best-known views of the ancient colleges, punting on the upper river, and riverside paths across the commons where college and town crews race their traditional 'bumps'.
Time: 4h30 (3h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Shared with cyclists along most of the route, so watch out for bikes.
Walk details: Mid Anglia Rail Passengers Association (PDF).
Shelford to Cambridge (Cambridgeshire)
45 minutes from Harlow Town, with one change.
Flat walk through traditional villages and along the River Cam, finishing through Grantchester Meadows into Cambridge city centre.
Great Shelford: Traditional village with thatched cottages and a striking parish church.
Little Shelford: Village with period architecture.
Hauxton Mill: Historic watermill on the River Cam.
Trumpington Meadows: Open meadow nature reserve on the edge of Cambridge.
Byron's Pool: Wild-swimming spot on the Cam named after the poet Lord Byron.
The Old Vicarage (Rupert Brooke's House): Former home of poet Rupert Brooke, with sculptures in the grounds.
Grantchester Meadows: Open riverside meadows along the Cam between Cambridge and Grantchester.
King's College: World-famous University of Cambridge college with its renowned chapel.
The Orchard Tea Garden
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
2 lunch spots: the Red Lion, or the Orchard Tea Garden
Warnings: Busy A10 road crossing; shared cyclist path before the M11 bridge.
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Similar walk: the Saturday Walkers Club.
Broxbourne Circular via Waltham Abbey (Hertfordshire)
6 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
Flat river floodplain, towpaths, water meadows, lakeside paths, woodland strips, farmland fields and open parkland.
Time: 5h30 (4h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Cheshunt Circular via Royal Gunpowder Mills (Hertfordshire)
15 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
Flat river floodplain, gravel-pit lakes, water meadows, country park sculptures, farmland and a market town.
Time: 5h (3h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Audley End Circular via the Cottage (pargeted house, Wendens Ambo) (Essex)
30 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
Gently rolling chalky uplands, farmland, woods and copses, green lanes, field boundaries and pretty villages with thatched cottages and pargeted houses.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
St Margarets Circular via Hollycross Lake (Hertfordshire)
15 minutes from Harlow Town, with one change.
Rolling East Hertfordshire countryside, wheat fields, woods, ancient tracks, green lanes, river valleys along Ash, Rib and Lea rivers and scenic nature reserve.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Can be muddy.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Roydon to Sawbridgeworth (Essex)
3 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
Gently rolling Hertfordshire countryside, wheat fields, woods, waterways, green lanes, quiet country roads, river stretches and navigation canal.
Time: 6h30 (5h walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Cattle in pastures. Avoid end Oct–Easter.
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Bishop's Stortford to Newport (Hertfordshire)
9 minutes direct from Harlow Town.
Historic churches and fields of Essex, along the River Stort past Waytemore Castle and Hassobury Mansion.
Waytemore Castle: The earthwork remains of an 11th-century motte-and-bailey castle beside the River Stort.
Hassobury Mansion: An imposing Victorian country mansion glimpsed from the route near Manuden.
Time: 6h (4h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).
Ware to Bishop's Stortford (Hertfordshire)
30 minutes from Harlow Town, with one change.
A pleasant and interesting walk on undemanding local footways, with nothing too challenging underfoot, though gates can be limiting for some and wet periods may cause flooding and especially along the Ash Valley section.
Woodland: a quarter under tree cover.
Time: 7h (5h30 walking, 1h30 lunch)
Warnings: Gates may limit access for some. Wet periods can result in flooding, especially along the Ash Valley section.
Walk details: Walking Post (tips, photos and local insights).