Borwhe one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 75.00% of reviewers

This might be a four star route in settled dry weather. After a wet winter it is to be avoided. Walked yesterday (6 April) and eventually had to abandon. I will go back and complete. Part is London Loop and it is easy to navigate. The first section from Elstree and Boreham Wood station is good paved road but noisy as on a main road. The problems began when we turned off road. From there on, following the Dollis Valley Green Walk, we had to trudge through soggy fields and mud at field changes. The scenery was lovely (and it was a beautiful windy day) but we were obsessed with our feet and at one field crossing I slid gently into the brambles. We left the route about 2k before the finish, and took a path up to the left to get us onto a quiet road which led to High Barnet station and then home.

I do think in dry conditions it would be lovely although because the bus connections are good, I might be tempted to start at Stirling Corner to limit the road walking along the A411. We got to the start of the route via underground to High Barent and bus 107 to E&B station. Had lunch in a the Pink Cafe (good) on the parade of shops on Shenley Road, before starting. No cafes or food stops after that, if you are looking to stock up.

We walked this one from Whetstone to Borehamwood forming part of our walked Slow Ways from central London escaping the city. It's the first from central London to hit the greenbelt so feels much more rural for most of its length. Navigation is largely straightforward as it follows the waymarked Dollis Brook / London Loop path for the most part although the GPX route was helpful at the multiple field corners where there was often a choice of paths. We did the walk after a sustained dry spell (June 2023) so ground was dry throughout but it's clear it could be much muddier at times.

It's surprising how much of a difference the greenbelt makes to the feel of the walking, especially after working our way though inner London and then suburbia in previous Slow ways that lead to this one. The early (Whetstone) part is along a metalled track through dog-walking parkland (photo 1), but soon gives way to rougher path with a more rural feel (photos 2 and 3). Eventually, after passing though the Old Cholmeleon's sports ground you hit the first road (Hendon Wood Lane), where there is a melange of monied architecture and gated-CC-TV-mulitimillion pound properties (photos 4 and 5). Then it's back to woodland paths (photos 6, 7 and 8) before hitting the A1 and outskirts of Borehamwood. This stretch of roadside walking is not the most pleasant, but does have pavement the whole way albeit with a few busy road crossings. The GPX file takes a route along the road all the way in to Borehamwood, but as others have noted, much better is to divert slightly North off Barnet Lane and rejoin the London Loop path down through Woodcock Hill Village Green (photo 9) and through the pleasant modern housing development leading to the end point.

I agree with the previous reviewer, Gilgul.
This is a lovely walk generally following the London Loop/Dollis Valley Greenwalk.
I walked from Borehamwood which is suburban roads which then goes along a very busy road. I might be tempted to follow the Loop down through Scratchwood and meet up with this path again later, but this makes the route longer. The paths can be very muddy and there are plenty of narrow bridges and kissing gates. Closer to Whetstone the paths are tarmac and easier going.

I walked this route from Whetstone to Borehamwood. It largely follows the well established Dollis Valley Greenwalk, but for some reason the gpx file (on Komoot at least) deviated from it a couple of times in unhelpful ways. This is a lovely route by day, but could be isolated at night and can also get very muddy at times.
The final stretch leading to Borehamwood is urban, walking on a pavement alongside a busy main road. This is followed by a nice walk through residential streets in Borehamwood.
Overall I would recommend this route, and only found some accuracy issues which could be easily rectified by following the Dollis Valley Greenwalk signs from Whetstone to Moat Mount Open Space.

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