Hertfordshire Way #20: Royston Circular (12 miles / 19.5km - Moderate, Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 30 people, including the leader.

Part 20 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.

On this circular route we will cover the Hertfordshire Way from Royston to Reed then from Therfield back to Royston. The route is on rural trails through mixed countryside, with some small sections of road. The terrain is moderately hilly, including a couple of longer climbs. Footpaths should be fairly firm unless we get a lot of rain before the walk.

We begin by heading through Royston and out into the countryside towards the small village of Reed. As we walk along, there are some lovely views over the surrounding hills. We’ll pass through Newsells Park Stud and along grassy paths to Reed, which sits on a chalk ridge south of Royston; after a steep climb to the top of the ridge, we should see Cambridge quite easily and perhaps even Ely.

On arrival in Reed it will be time for an early lunch, which we shall have on the village green. Please bring a packed lunch and something to sit on if wanted.

After this point we say goodbye to the Hertfordshire Way for now and head towards Reed End, then along a quiet lane and down a grassy track to the beautiful village of Therfield. Here we shall stop at the Fox & Duck pub for a drink.

Fully refreshed, we meander through the village to rejoin the Hertfordshire Way, heading to Therfield Heath across some grassy plains used for training racehorses. After ascending Church Hill the trail takes us beside the golf course and through the woods at the edge of Therfield Heath. This is an area of common land, and most of it is a Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

We then head back into Royston, where there will be an optional post walk drink.

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.