Pete's Walks- Ashridge and Berkhamsted Common (page 1 of 5)
If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.
I did this circular walk of about 9.5 miles on Friday, November 3rd, 2023. It was a new route for me, although there were only one or two paths I'd not walked previously on my numerous other walks in and around Ashridge. I had a planned route in mind when I set off, but in the event I varied from it in a couple of places.
I parked in the car park near the visitor centre and cafe by the Bridgewater Monument (Grid Reference SP972131). I started walking at about 9.30am, and walked past the visitor centre and cafe on my left, with the monument to my right. I went straight on along a bridleway that descended gently through the woods of Ashridge, soon curving slightly left. I went straight on where another bridleway forked right (and dropped downhill to Aldbury), the bridleway I followed now staying level and fairly straight for several hundred yards. There was a nice view to my right at one point (with a seat to take advantage of the view), looking out from the woods over the village of Aldbury and beyond.
The path from the car park at the Bridgewater Monument
The bridleway from the Bridgewater Monument (I went straight on here)
The bridleway after I went straight on where another bridleway forked right to descend to Aldbury
Further along the same bridleway
Eventually I came to a junction where I turned right (there was a gap in the tress with a bit of a view here), but then turned immediately left on to another bridleway. This soon crossed a drive and shortly afterwards came to a road (the Tom's Hill car park was a little way to the left). The bridleway continued across the road through more of the woods of Ashridge. After about half a mile I came to a fork, where I went right for a few yards and then turned left (not the immediate left that formed a path triangle here. I soon came to a path crossroads where I intended to go right but found that path to be completely blocked by a large puddle, so I went straight on instead along a small path through bracken.
The bridleway after I turned right and then immediately left
The bridleway after I crossed the road (near the Tom's Hill car park)
I love Beech trees!
Further along the same bridleway
Further along the same bridleway
The path soon reached the huge grassy expanse of Northchurch Common (I was once approached by the Location Manager of a film, who was thinking of using the common for scenes that were set in the African savannah!), where I turned right along a broad path close to the edge of the grass. Just after this turned left in a corner and headed towards a line of trees, I took a path going right, and then turned left along the edge of the common again.
Where I started walking round the edge of the grassy part of Northchurch Common
Northchurch Common - I turned right here and then turned left along the edge of the common
Northchurch Common, after I turned left along the edge of the common
Northchurch Common, shortly before I took a bridleway going half-right
After several hundred yards I took a bridleway forking right, back into the woods. I went straight on at a path crossroads, and again when I came to a crossing drive. I then crossed a road (from Ringshall to Northchurch, nearby to my right) and continued along a bridleway on the other side. I soon came to a bridleway fork where I went right (I usually go left here), and followed the bridleway until it reached the drive to Northchurch Farm.
The bridleway after I turned half-right on Northchurch Common
The same bridleway after it has crossed a drive, just before it reaches the Ringshall-Northchurch road
The bridleway after I crossed the Ringshall-Northchurch road
View right from the bridleway
View left from the bridleway