Toughness, 7, 6 or 5 out of 10
The full strenuous 16 mile walk, leading to the Pegsdon Hills, Knocking Hoe, and a lunch stop with stunning views, will appeal to our tough cookies but it can be trimmed to an easier walk with the aid of Shortcuts I and II. The afternoon takes you to the pretty village of Pirton, with its remnant motte-and-bailey and abandoned medieval village, then through the fen woodland of Oughtonhead Common to Hitchin’s old town and, if up for it, a great pub.
Trains
Get the Peterborough train from Kings Cross at 10:11 (Finsbury Park 10:17), arriving Hitchin at 10:42.
Return to Kings Cross at xx:58 and xx:30. There's also a slower train at xx:34. Get a return to Hitchin.
Lunch: For the full walk, The Live and Let Live, Pegsdon, (01582 881 739 ) 8.5 miles into the walk.
The pub recommended for those taking shortcut 1 is the The Motte & Bailey in Pirton after 9 miles. (If that’s a pub too far, there are earlier ones in Great Offley, The Red Lion and The Green Man after 4.2 and 5.6 miles).
Tea:
Oughtonhead Farm Garden Gate Tea Room (07969 621 223), a charming facility 3.8 km (2.4 mi) from the end of the main walk. In summer they generally seem to be open till 16.00.
There's no shortage of places in Hitchin (see notes) and no visit to Hitchin is complete without a visit to The Half Moon , 57 Queen Street, Camra’s Hertfordshire pub of the year several times over.
Walk Directions here
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