Best walks to or from Hatfield

Hatfield Station to Hertford East Station

A varied walk through scenic, rolling Hertfordshire countryside, mixing narrow woodland paths, broad cycle tracks, farm tracks and urban streets, with field, wood and downhill woodland sections. Lumpy and muddy underfoot in places and with gates. There is a stretch on a wide pavement beside the A414 dual carriageway. Follows the River Lee for a while and makes use of the Chain Walk. Can be split at Bayford station.

16km.

Includes a pedestrian crossing of the A1 and a stretch alongside the busy A414 dual carriageway, on a wide pavement set back from the road. Can be muddy.

Lunch stops: the Candlestick, or the Black Horse.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Hatfield Station to Potters Bar Station

A pleasant walk mostly on footpaths away from roads, through woods, fields with horses and sheep, residential streets and alleyways and picking up a cycle path into Hatfield. Field paths are sometimes barely visible through harvested crops; steps and narrow rooty paths. Follows Cycle Route 12 towards Hatfield. Main roads are paved and well lit. A few minutes by train returns you to the start.

Easy: 9km, moderate ascents.

Many points where it is easy to go astray, so follow the GPS map carefully.

Lunch stop: the Sibthorpe Arms.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

St Albans City Station to Hatfield Station

A fantastic Slow Ways route; a totally pleasant, easy to navigate, accessible, direct, and beautiful route; the complete forest bathing experience. An easy, flat route almost entirely along a disused railway line, the Alban Way, on paved and wide paths separated from traffic and shaded by trees. Accessible and suitable for all types of wheels; some find the tree-tunnel monotonous as there are no views. Follows the Alban Way disused railway almost the entire route, with displays at one of the former stations and benches to rest. Good pubs, cafes and shops at the St Albans end.

9km.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Hatfield Station to Welwyn Garden City Station

A direct town-to-town route: pavement and cycle-path walking beside busy roads at either end (not very exciting) and with a very pleasant cross-country section in the middle that can be muddy and has one missing field path. No big hills; steps into the station. Lots of blackberries along the route in late summer.

Easy: 5km, moderate ascents.

The diagonal field path by Woodhall Farm is not present on the ground (especially when ploughed) and requires an easy detour; steps into the station/shopping centre at Welwyn Garden City.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route

Harpenden Station to Hatfield Station

A foot-only route that can be very muddy in places and especially between Coleman Green and Symondshyde Farm via Titnol's Wood.

13km. Moderate ascents.

A crucial section does not exist on the ground: there is no way across the A1(M) between Hatfield Garden Village and Hatfield as the route suggests, leaving a dead end alongside the motorway. Instead cross by the footbridge above the A1 tunnel at the end of Green Lanes. The route between Coleman Green and Symondshyde Farm via Titnol's Wood can be impassable due to deep mud.

Documented by Slow Ways — download GPX route