After winding its way out of Broxbourne along a canal and through a park, this walk ascends through the Spital Brook valley into Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve, an assortment of varied, ancient and wild woods, serrated by a plethora of streams. A circuitous route linking up separate woods follows age old trails, paths and green lanes through a magnificent and diverse woodland setting. While broadly following a well signposted trail through the Nature Reserve, the walk often diverts from it to take more interesting directions. Most of the distance and the ascent are covered before lunch, but the lunch pub serves food all afternoon, so a leisurely pace is entirely possible. There are plenty of signed and unsigned paths in the woods, thus following the detailed written directions is essential, and a map and a compass are recommended.
A shorter walk (18.8 km/11.7 mi, 3/10), finishing in Bayford, is possible (trains to Moorgate). Note: Broxbourne and Bayford are within the Oyster Pay-As-You-Go area (but outside the numbered zones). A Hertford (All Stations) return ticket covers both stations and is the cheapest option if ending at Bayford.
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What a wonderful woodland extravaganza this was, an extended Forest Bathing session really, with dappled sun through the leaves, plenty of leaves in all colours on the ground, just as many still up though, some turning in colour, but many evergreens as well, ferns and bracken adding to the mix, some fungi as well, the temperatures just right, some fluffy clouds passing and 100% group cohesion including a fine lunch at The Woodman (even if the food took a while to arrive).
After lunch then the weather had changed, with grey skies and even some drops of rain early on and then again towards the end of the walk. One walker took the short ending to Bayford station, citing medical advice after an inoculation, the other four paid an extended visit to The Bull near the end. 17.47 train.
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