St. Albans Southern Villages Walk (8.5 Miles / 13.5 km, Leisurely, Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 20 people, including the leader.

Setting off from the eastern side of St. Albans, this walk uses a series of little used rural paths to navigate a variety of rural landscapes, some with an interesting twist, to reach the villages and hamlets south of the city. After following the River Colne west, it then returns to St. Albans across farmland and a college campus.

We start by walking east past the Jersey Farm estate and before long are out in the fields, crossing a horse farm before turning southeast. Passing some active and disused sand and gravel pits, and crossing a sand conveyor, we then find ourselves in Ellenbrook Fields, a former British Aerospace test range and airfield now converted to wild grasslands for public enjoyment. We continue south into Smallford, our first village. Beyond this is the hamlet of Sleepshyde, after which we walk through woods and fields to our next village, Colney Heath. We will likely have our packed lunch stop at this point.

We follow the Colne River west, then pass Bowman's Lakes, also former sand and gravel pits, before turning northwest to reach our final village, Tyttenhanger. From here the path leads north through fields and back into St. Albans. But there won't be much street walking here, as the majority of the walk back is then across the Oaklands College campus, where there's a good chance to meet some of the animals tended by the agricultural students, most likely goats, sheep and alpacas.

There are several options for a possible pub stop along the route.

This route includes many little known and little used footpaths by design. These may be overgrown, so long trousers are recommended.

This walk is not suitable for dogs except assistance dogs.

Booking your place: If you would like to join, you must book in advance using the Stag Walkers Meetup group - see Notes for how to book & what to bring. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your booking so that someone else can take your place.

Please do not turn up for a walk without booking, as places are limited. Unless you opt in to further communications, we will only use contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk.

Please car-share or use public transport if possible. To offer a lift or ask for one from a fellow walker, please use the Meetup event page.