Hatfield Forest via the Hallingburys
30 people attending
0 places left
Waitlist: This event may become fully booked, however, if you'd like to attend and there are no spaces left, add yourself to the waitlist, places often become available closer to the date, and chances are you may still get a place.
Join Alex for this 10.5-mile autumnal and arboreal amble around Hatfield Forest via Little and Great Hallingbury.
We will meet at the main western entrance to Bishop's Stortford station and initially head southwards following the languid waters of the River Stort, which forms much of the border between Hertfordshire and Essex. After crossing at a lock we will veer away from the river and towards the village of Little Hallingbury, before heading eastwards across open countryside.
We will cross Woodside Green and Wall Wood before entering Hatfield Forest, established in 1100 by Henry I as a royal hunting forest. Walking broadly northeast, we head across a landscape designed by Capability Brown in the 18th century for the Houblon family, the owners of the forest at the time. We will stop here for lunch next to the lake and Shell House, built from a combination of flint and shells from around the world.
After lunch we will turn back westwards through the forest, closely following the flight path from Stansted airport, towards the pretty village of Great Hallingbury. Passing via the churchyard of the parish church of St Giles, we will walk back towards Bishop's Stortford where we will part ways for the station, the car park and/or the pub.
Don't waste that space!
Please only book if you know you can make it. If your plans change please free up the space for someone else.
New members
Please feel free to join this as your first OutdoorLads event. If you have any questions then feel free to message me, or go to the "My First Event" section under "About Us".
Is it dog friendly?
Dogs are welcome but please be aware not all members are as fond of dogs as you. There are a few moments where our route gets very close to horses, so consider if this will be an issue for your dog.
Image / photo credits: All leader's own images - with permission for OutdoorLads to use and reuse
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What to bring
Water: bring at least a litre
Medicines: if you have any ailments etc.
Rucksack: or any other bag
Footwear: hiking boots or sturdy trainers.
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally not jeans which become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket: breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch unless otherwise stated
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch, and plenty of water and snacks to see you through the day. There is a Co-op at the station at the start of the walk and also a café at our lunch stop.