Hemric one

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I walked from Hemel to Rickmansworth and really enjoyed this route! It was lovely and varied, as the previous reviewer mentioned. I would agree that the steps mentioned are steep but sturdy and the handrail is useful. The section I was worried about before starting was crossing the A41 at the junction, but this turned out to be fine - good visibility, easy to see exactly which way to go and easy to see any cars coming. Between the A41 and Loudwater the route is fantastic. A variety of fields, woodlands and villages. I stopped for a few minutes at Holy Cross Church near Sarratt, which was lovely. The path through Loudwater is decent but uninspiring and may need a little care around nettles in some areas. Overall I found the route very easy to follow, generally good underfoot and an interesting varied walk. Plenty of benches for rest stops and pubs in Chipperfield and Sarratt.

I walked from Rickmansworth to Hemel Hempstead.
This is a lovely walk which I enjoyed very much. Like any walk it has its challenges, mud, roots, hills, uneven surfaces and steps. There are many steps on this route. The steps mentioned by the previous reviewer are steep (102%, 46°) and are not to be rushed, but they are solid with a hand rail. I think if you can manage stiles you can manage these steps. The less pleasant parts of the walk are short and quickly forgotten.
The majority of the walk is very varied; open fields, narrow woodland paths, wide shady tracks, gritted paths through parks, lime tree avenues, a few roads, riverside grassland, Long green passages, rolling hills, valley bottoms, farmland, churches and villages. Holy Cross Church is well worth a pause to visit. There are fields with cows and horses a path through wheat and barley. Lots of kissing gates, some wide, some narrow, 40cm. Benches along the way. Old tall trees, lots of birdsong. The Two brewers Pub in Chipperfield is about halfway (and the center of village-green Jubilee celebrations today), shops also.
Walking along the canal would be easier and nice, but longer with less variety.
I would recommend this route.

Much of this route is good walking and pleasant countryside. But there is a problem at the Hemel Hempstead end and a lesser issue at Loudwater. An alternative which is easier walking and more accessible is the Grand Union Canal towpath to Batchworth (about 17kms). The problem leaving Hemel is finding an acceptable way to cross the railway and the A41. The current route uses a footpath from Boxmoor signed to Felden that crosses a disused industrial area. Within the industrial area is a footbridge with very steep steps either side (see photo). This is dangerous. The footpath has further steps onto the footbridge over the railway and yet more steps beyond the A41. Featherbed Lane, which leaves the A4251 further towards Apsley looks to be a better option but I have not walked it to check for pedestrian safety. The byway to Rucklers Lane is pleasant. The footpath to Scatterdells crosses an enormous arable field which is not ideal walking. The route across Chipperfield Common is good to Church End at Sarratt and Solesbridge Lane. However, from there it involves an unpleasant half kilometre walking alongside the M25 just a few metres from the traffic. Unfortunately there is no direct alternative. However, there are options for diversions either via Chorleywood or Croxley Green.

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