Connect Hemel Hempstead with Slow Ways

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Hemel Hempstead

Hertfordshire


Slow Ways linking Hemel Hempstead and Amersham, Berkhamsted, Chorleywood, Harpenden, Markyate, Radlett, Rickmansworth, St Albans, Watford

England / Hertfordshire / Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead’s nine Slow Ways are 69% checked

Drawn: 9/9
reviewed: 8/9
verified: 4/9
and surveyed: 4/9

Help connect Hemel Hempstead

Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.

Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.

Give a hike and help get a for every one of Hemel Hempstead’s Slow Ways.

Walk to Hemel Hempstead from further afield

Slow Way Route To do
Amersham—Hemel Hempstead
Amehem one Review me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 236m Descent 173m
Berkhamsted—Hemel Hempstead
Berhem one Enjoy me Distance 6km/4mi Ascent 19m Descent 40m
Chorleywood—Hemel Hempstead
Chohem one

Double check Distance 14km/8mi Ascent 207m Descent 209m
Chorleywood—Hemel Hempstead
Chohem two Enjoy me Distance 13km/8mi Ascent - Descent -
Hemel Hempstead—Harpenden
Hemhar one Enjoy me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 137m Descent 116m
Hemel Hempstead—Markyate
Hemmar one Pioneer me Distance 17km/10mi Ascent 213m Descent 252m
Hemel Hempstead—Radlett
Hemrad one

Double check Distance 19km/12mi Ascent 245m Descent 234m
Hemel Hempstead—Radlett
Hemrad two Review me Distance 18km/11mi Ascent - Descent -
Hemel Hempstead—Rickmansworth
Hemric one

Verify me Distance 16km/10mi Ascent 180m Descent 222m
Hemel Hempstead—St Albans
Hemsta one

Verify me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 235m Descent 220m
Hemel Hempstead—St Albans
Hemsta two Verify me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent - Descent -
Hemel Hempstead—Watford
Hemwat one

Double check Distance 14km/9mi Ascent 76m Descent 54m
Hemel Hempstead—Watford
Hemwat two Enjoy me Distance 15km/9mi Ascent 80m Descent 54m

Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?

If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Hemel Hempstead and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?

This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!

Collective progress

69% of Hemel Hempstead’s nine route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified

13/13

drawn

12/13

reviewed

7/13

surveyed

4/13

verified

11 people have contributed to Hemel Hempstead’s Slow Ways

4 people have pledged to walk and review a route

7 people have surveyed a route in Hemel Hempstead

175km out of 191km have been walked and reviewed

386km of reviews have been shared in Hemel Hempstead

Latest Updates

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

lwatson

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

lwatson

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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

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Hemel Hempstead—St Albans

Bryony Harrison-Croft pledged to walk Hemsta two

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Hemel Hempstead—St Albans

Derick Rethans added Hemsta two, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to St Albans

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

Derick Rethans

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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

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

Derick Rethans

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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

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Chorleywood—Hemel Hempstead

Derick Rethans added Chohem two, a new walk from Chorleywood to Hemel Hempstead

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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

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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

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Hemel Hempstead—Radlett

Strider added Hemrad two, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Radlett

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

Strider

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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

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

lwatson

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

mtormey

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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

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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

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Hemel Hempstead—Watford

Jane Taylor added Hemwat two, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Watford

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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

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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

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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

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-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

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Hemel Hempstead

SaraR surveyed Hemel Hempstead

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Hemel Hempstead

SaraR surveyed Hemel Hempstead

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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

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Hemel Hempstead

NeilVenn surveyed Hemel Hempstead

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Hemel Hempstead—Rickmansworth

paulcooper added Hemric one, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Rickmansworth

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Amersham—Hemel Hempstead

Slow Ways added Amehem one, a new walk from Amersham to Hemel Hempstead

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Berkhamsted—Hemel Hempstead

Slow Ways added Berhem one, a new walk from Berkhamsted to Hemel Hempstead

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Chorleywood—Hemel Hempstead

Slow Ways added Chohem one, a new walk from Chorleywood to Hemel Hempstead

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Hemel Hempstead—Harpenden

Slow Ways added Hemhar one, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Harpenden

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Hemel Hempstead—Markyate

Slow Ways added Hemmar one, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Markyate

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Hemel Hempstead—Radlett

Slow Ways added Hemrad one, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Radlett

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Hemel Hempstead—St Albans

Slow Ways added Hemsta one, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to St Albans

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Hemel Hempstead—Watford

Slow Ways added Hemwat one, a new walk from Hemel Hempstead to Watford

Walk this route
1

Hemel Hempstead, Fri 29 March

12°

Light rain shower

Hemel Hempstead’s Slow Ways starting point

Grid ref

TL0430605947

Lat / Lon

51.74253° / -0.49066°

Easting / Northing

504,306E / 205,947N

Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?

If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Hemel Hempstead and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?

This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!

Facilities

Users have reported that the following facilities can be found within 1km of Hemel Hempstead's meeting point

Public toilet

Wheelchair accessible toilet

Supermarket or convenience shop

Restaurant, cafe or pub

Accommodation

Accommodation for under £50 a night

Campsite

Bothy

Free wifi

Mobility scooter hire

Off-road wheelchair hire

Disabled Parking

Train station

Bus stop

Ferry

Official ‘Walkers are Welcome’ town

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