The further along the lane, the more leaves there were on it (photo #2). Then a muddy path down the hill followed, with view of the next hill to get over (photo #3). After a short section on the High Street, the route starts following another narrow lane (without traffic), East Lane (photo #6), which it follows underneath the M25. The lane continues, and turns very muddy (photo #7), but luckily the route bends to the east first, on a much nicer path along a field and past some woods (photo #8). I followed this "new" path to East Lane, where I then picked up High Elms Lane a little earlier on the west side than this route. I also don't understand why the route goes here, as just going straight east on that bridle path gets you to the same point on School Lane....

Derick Rethans

Most of this route is fine, but I found the path completly blocked at Grrm near Pudephats Lane, Grid ref 075134. I will attempt to find anothe route from Hemel to Flaunden....

Margaret Stanier

The route is mostly well laid out and accessible one or two point just outside St Albans at Park Wood there are a few fallen or felled trees across the route making it fine for walkers but less than ideal for cyclists. However some kind person has kept the route through the woods extra interesting by creating faces on the tree stumps. Delightful....

Malachi O'Byrne

The walk is not too strenuous; one notable hill near Abbot's Hill School and a couple of other ups and downs....

lwatson

Albans I walked along its shopping streets for a while, before going past its magnificent cathedral (photo #1) and into Verulamium Park (photo #2). On the other side of King Harry Lane sits a newish development which I had to cross through narrowish public footpaths to be able to go up a hill (photo #4) through farmland to the A414, which I crossed with a bridge. I did follow the new footpaths for a bit to avoid the lane, but after not much distance my only option was to actually follow the lane (photo #5). On the other side of Church Hill in Bedmond, the route continued along the edge of a field (photo #10), followed by a public footpath sign pointing straight across a newly ploughed field....

Derick Rethans

I haven't walked this route but we've been told that there is a dangerous dual carriageway crossing. Which seems to concur with the other reviews. Hemsta two is the better route from what we've heard so please head over and check out that version of the route....

Slow Ways Cristie

The heart of this route is along the Nickey Line, which was a rail branch line that ran between Hemel Hempstead and Harpenden and is now a cycle and walking path....

Dave

Lovely park parallel to Hemel shops. Approaching Harpenden you pass through Rothamsted research farm then down through Rothamsted Park (water fountain near the gate)....

Strider

The section coming out of Hemel station down London Road is probably the least pleasant part of the walk....

lwatson

All the road sections on this route are good, either very quiet and/or with good verges/paths beside them, with the exception of a 30m part as you enter/leave the South exit of Roughdown Common where care needs to be taken....

Strider

although it was lovely to walk along the canal again, it was fairly monotonous...

Derick Rethans

On the other side of King Harry Lane sits a newish development which I had to cross through narrowish public footpaths to be able to go up a hill through. I did follow the new footpaths for a bit to avoid the lane, but after not much distance my only option was to actually follow the lane. From Potters Crouch to Bedmond my route went along more lanes, and to be honest, this was the least nice part of the walk. On the other side of Church Hill in Bedmond, the route continued along the edge of a field, followed by a public footpath sign pointing straight across a. After crossing a lane, a stile, a field and another stile, my route was suddenly blocked by a field of horses I will be proposing an alternative route, which also adds the shortcut through the aforementioned Park Wood, and avoids the field of horses....

Derick Rethans

I don't, and hence I've marked this route with access issues, and left a proper review up for Chohem 2....

Derick Rethans

There was a fairly long climb up through Felden along a road with no pavement, but also luckily with little traffic (photo #2). After a lovely walk through some woods, with some good views of a village in the valley below, I ended up crossing a road. My pre-planned route (Chohem 1) had me go along the road, but luckily there is now a permissive footpath that avoids the road, where there was fast traffic. Unfortunately that meant a little road walking, but luckily again, there was little traffic. I spotted the first snow drops of the year along the lanes and the Chess Valley Walk themselves, and in the river a Little Egret (photo #9)...

Derick Rethans

Off the canal and through a new estate there are lovely fields and woodland paths to Bedmond and the corrugated Church. From here there is a long stretch of walking in a narrow country lanes, Bedmond and Ragg Hall lanes. More lovely wooded paths the a long alley towards the Cathedral past the Roman walls....

Strider

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. Overall I found the route very easy to follow, generally good underfoot and an interesting varied walk....

lwatson

To avoid Chequers Lane I've routed along High Elms Lane which has a path alongside the road....

Strider

After a steady uphill suburban road out of Radlett there is a gap in a hedge and then lovely Hertfordshire countryside. A quiet road takes you to a farm yard then along an old holloway with glimpses of rolling farmland through the trees. There is a path just past the Fox Pub (closed) through woodland to a quiet road that passes over the M1, then a subway to High Elms Lane along a cycle path....

Strider

Some paths required careful walking to avoid nettles, and there was one road crossing that required particular care....

lwatson

This is a lovely walk which I enjoyed very much. Like any walk it has its challenges, mud, roots, hills, uneven surfaces and steps. 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....

Strider

Apart from the very start and end, it followed the Nickey Line (an old railway route) which meant it was easy to follow, and generally well-paved and wide....

lwatson

The first section of canal beyond Hemel has countryside surroundings. As you near the meeting point at Berkhamsted Station, the last section of towpath offers a number of welcoming pubs....

David Sanderson

My only criticism of the walk would be that I didn't really feel like I visited Hemel Hempstead, which is an issue with the location of the meeting point, which is at the railway station, outside of the centre of town....

David Sanderson

Navigation is easy but, at the Hemel end the route shows accessing the canal on the East of the bridge which involves a narrow kissing gate and a shallow wade across a weir....

Strider

From the station you cross a busy road and through a pedestrianized town center, shops and coffee. Exit the towpath through a kissing gate to Box Moor with several wide gates (to control livestock) on the approach to Hemel Hempstead Station which is 3Km from the High Street and Marlows Shopping Centre....

Strider

I walked this route from Hemel Hempstead to Berkhamsted....

mtormey

I really wanted to like this route (I walked from St Albans to Hemel Hempstead), and there was a lot about it I really enjoyed, but there were several issues that came up, too. - especially around Hemel Hempstead, it felt silly to divert from the canal when it looked like you could just stay on it all the way to the station...

mtormey

I made this route as an alternative to Hemwat One with less road and more park and canal towpath. The route passes the 'Hub' with a cafe and toilets, before it reaches the canal towpath....

Jane Taylor

Very straightforward and pleasant route along the Grand Union canal, linking Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted railway stations. Plenty of refreshment stops at either end - particularly in Berkhamsted, where the walk runs through the middle of the town....

Hock55

Some rather quaint houses and bridges along the way, and we were able to have our picnic in Berkhamsted Castle right by the railway station at the end of the route. A lovely morning's walk!...

lwatson

Much of this route is good walking and pleasant countryside. An alternative which is easier walking and more accessible is the Grand Union Canal towpath to Batchworth (about 17kms). The footpath has further steps onto the footbridge over the railway and yet more steps beyond the A41....

Brian Thomson

-Carrying on down Hempstead Road (the quiet one) until the end, and then crossing the busy road and continuing down the (wide and reasonably safe) footpath until reaching the canal - this is the route I ended up taking...

lwatson

There are steps to get under a bridge in Berkhamsted, steps to get over a bridge just outside Brkhamstead and steps or stepping stones to access the tow path at Hemel Hempstead but other than that it's pretty level - with the usual sloped paths around the lock gates. A pleasant walk....

NeilVenn