Pete's Walks- Studham Common and Nettleden (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.

Google map of the walk

I did this circular walk of about 11.6 miles on Thursday, 15th August 2024. It was a repeat of a walk I did last December (2023.

I parked at Studham Common (Grid Reference TL027156) and started walking along the top of the common about 10am. In the corner of the common I turned right, along a path that soon brought me to Great Bradwin's Wood on my left, and a little further on I turned left and followed a path through the wood. After a few hundred yards I went straight on at a junction of tracks, now in Gravelpit Wood.

Picture omitted

The eastern section of Studham Common, just after leaving the car park

Picture omitted

The path to Great Bradwin's Wood

Picture omitted

The path through Great Bradwin's Wood

Picture omitted

The path continuing through Gravelpit Wood

Beyond the wood, the path passed the farmyard of Beechwood Farm and some cottages on my left. When I then came to a junction of drives or tracks I went straight on (I usually turn left here to go to Roe End), now on a drive heading to Beechwood Park school. After almost half a mile, I passed the school on my right and continued along the drive, before taking a footpath on the right (where the school playing fields ended). After a few yards the path forked slightly left to run between a hedge on my left and a line of trees and bushes. Further on it emerged near a bend in the school fence, where I followed the fence half-right past some sports pitches, until the path turned left and dropped downhill through a ploughed field.

Picture omitted

The path continuing past Beechwood Farm

Picture omitted

The drive to Beechwood Park school

Picture omitted

The drive to Beechwood Park school

Picture omitted

The drive just after passing Beechwood Park school

Picture omitted

The path after I turned right from the drive to Beechwood Park school

Picture omitted

The path continuing along the edge of the school's sports field

Picture omitted

The same path continuing down to a road and Babies Wood

In the valley bottom I crossed a road at a bend, and continued along a byway going fairly gently uphill through Babies Wood (I always wonder if there is a happy or sad story behind this name, but I've not been able to find out anything about it). Beyond this wood the byway continued a few hundred yards between hedgerows, then ran for some time just inside Newland's Wood. Shortly after leaving this wood, the byway turned right and after a quarter of a mile or so reached a road (next to Gaddesden Row School).

Picture omitted

The byway through Babies Wood

Picture omitted

The byway continuing from Babies Wood

Picture omitted

The byway continuing past Newland's Wood

Picture omitted

The byway continuing towards Gaddesden Row School