Barley, Anstey & Barkway (12.5 miles / 20 km - Moderate, Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 25 people, including the leader.

Join us for a lovely, moderate circular walk through the countryside, taking in a mix of open farmland, woodland, and quiet rural lanes. There are a few inclines along the way to add a bit of challenge, but overall it’s a very enjoyable route through attractive villages and rolling agricultural landscapes.

We’ll start in Barley, North Hertfordshire, at the Town House Car Park. From there, the route leads us past the Church of St Margaret of Antioch and a premier equestrian facility, before heading through the hamlet of Shaftenhoe End. Along the way, we’ll enjoy a varied landscape of wide-open arable fields, wooded plantations, and peaceful country lanes before emerging in Nuthampstead, where we pass close to The Woodman Inn, a pub on the site of the former RAF Nuthampstead airfield, which served as a base for the US 398th Bombardment Group during WWII. From there, we follow a section of the Hertfordshire Way to the village of Anstey, where we’ll stop for our packed lunch near Anstey First School and also stop for a drink at The Blind Fiddler.

We’ll then continue northwest towards Barkway, passing St Mary’s Church on the way. Before leaving Anstey, we’ll also pass near the site of the village’s motte-and-bailey castle, a scheduled Norman earthwork monument. From here, the route continues through open countryside of large arable fields, small wooded areas, hedgerows, quiet lanes, and Barkway Park Golf Course, one of the longest and most challenging courses in the region.

Before leaving Barkway, we’ll pass the last of the famous Trinity Hall milestones, a series of 16 historic stone pillars marking the route between Cambridge and Barkway, thought to be the first set of milestones placed in Britain since Roman times.

From there, the walk follows a quiet lane out of the village, past the Hall and War Memorial Garden, before crossing open farmland into the Newsells area. We’ll pass a few ponds, enjoy gentle rises with lovely views across the surrounding fields, and continue past scattered buildings, small wooded patches, and country roads before returning to Barley.

After the walk, anyone who wishes to is very welcome to join us for an optional pub stop at the Fox & Hounds in Barley — a great chance to relax, enjoy a drink, and have a chat before heading home.

Dogs are welcome on a lead.

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, please click 'join waitlist' then 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.