We’re a Ramblers group aimed mainly at people in their 20s, 30s and a bit beyond, offering guided hikes and social events across Herts, Beds and south Cambs.
Emily S
This walk is for up to 25 people, including the leader.
The penultimate and longest section of an epic long-distance trail around Hertfordshire!
The Hertfordshire Way is a 200-mile route around the county, which we're walking in sections each month. Don’t worry if you’ve missed previous parts of the series - everyone is welcome to join any of these walks.
Please note this is a linear walk from Baldock to Royston, which are linked by the Kings Cross - Cambridge railway line. Drivers can choose to park at either the start or end point of the walk.
We will follow this leg of the Hertfordshire Way in the clockwise direction, allowing us to have a pub stop a few miles before the end of the walk.
This section of the trail takes in a range of picturesque small villages in the rolling North Herts countryside, passing through and alongside old churchyards and traditional village greens, open farmland with wide views across the hills, and occasional peaceful woodland.
We will start by following the Icknield Way Path from Baldock, ascending gently out of town and up through fields to join the Hertfordshire Way on the chalk ridge at Clothall. From there, we will head through Clothallbury Wood to the village of Wallington, where we can stop by the church for an early lunch. We then meander through the village past George Orwell's former home. Orwell lived in the village from 1936 to 1940 and ran the village stores to supplement his income from writing. While living in Wallington, he wrote The Road to Wigan Pier and Homage to Catalonia, and is thought to have based the setting of Animal Farm on Manor Farm in the village.
From Wallington, we will head across undulating fields to Sandon via Roe Green, rejoining parts of the Icknield Way Path before turning north into Kelshall. We then make our way to Therfield, where we will pause for refreshments at The Fox and Duck pub by the village green.
Finally, for the last three miles of today’s walk we will leave the Hertfordshire Way and rejoin the Icknield Way to descend into Royston. We will pass through the town centre with its famous Royse Stone (erected as the base of a cross in around 1066), then finish at Royston railway station.
Please note this walk is not suitable for dogs.
For information about walking with the group, including our dog policy, please visit the Stag Walkers website.
Booking your place: Please book your place using the free Meetup website/app. Join the Stag Walkers Meetup group and click the 'Attend' button on the event page.
Please do not turn up for a walk without booking, as places are limited.
If the walk is fully booked, click 'join waitlist' to get a place if one becomes available and please check back regularly as you will likely get a place. The waitlist gives priority to single bookings so if you wish to bring a guest, we recommend booking separately.
Unless you opt in to further communications, we will only use contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk.
This is a linear walk.
The start time is when we aim to start walking and the finish time is an estimate.
Walks are graded Easy, Leisurely, Moderate or Strenuous in increasing order of difficulty. Please read the walk description to check it is within your abilities and contact the group if you are unsure.
Please:
We are a Ramblers group, non-members are welcome to try us out for three free walks before joining Ramblers as a full member.
As a charity we ask that non-members consider making a voluntary donation to Ramblers until they purchase membership. We suggest £3-4 per walk. You can donate in person or online.
The Ramblers’ Association is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company registration number: 4458492. Registered Charity in England and Wales number: 1093577. Registered office: Stone King LLP, Boundary House, 91 Charterhouse Street, London EC1M 6HR.
Baldock railway station, Station Road, Baldock, Herts, SG7 5BU. Turn immediately left out of the station to meet near the cycle storage. Parking £3.30 at the station car park or free parking around 10 mins walk away at The Twitchell Car Park, Simpson Drive, Baldock SG7 6DN. Alternatively, drivers may wish to park at Royston railway station, Kneesworth Street SG8 5AH (the end point of the walk) and catch the 09.46 train from Royston, due to arrive in Baldock at 09.55. Parking at Royston station is £3.30 or you may park considerately free of charge on Green Drift, SG8 5BT. There are three trains an hour from Royston to Baldock (standard fare £6.20).
Royston Railway Station, Kneesworth Street, Royston, SG8 5AH
