Start : Hollybush pub (AL3 7DU).
(S/E) With your back to the Hollybush pub, turn right and follow Church End road. Walk through the gate and into the Church of St Mary’s pretty grounds. Follow the path towards the church and explore before turning to the left to exit the church grounds. With your back to the church gate, cross the road and then turn right. Follow the road for around 100m until you see a footpath on the left after the row of houses.
(1) Follow the footpath up a slight hill until you meet the Nickey Line which is a 7 mile long Chilterns Cycleway that links Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead. Turn left onto the path and enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Nickey Line for about 600m until you see a set of steps on the right.
(2) Take these steps up and then be very careful as you cross the busy road. Once you’ve crossed the road, climb up some more steps and enter a field through a gate. Follow the footpath ahead going through the field. After the first field, walk into the next field with the hedge/treeline to your left. Keep following this path as it descends into a shallow valley and then follow this path again as it bears slightly to the right and works its way back uphill. Once you reach the end of these fields you emerge onto a quiet road.
(3) Turn right onto this road and follow it for around 50m before taking the track to the left just before the cottage. Follow this track as it descends until it eventually veers to the left and turns into a tree-lined track. Follow this for a short while until you emerge onto another quiet lane called Hill Farm Lane. Turn left onto this quiet road and then follow it for about 1000m, slightly downhill all the way with nice views either side, until you reach a busy road.
(4) Cross the busy road, turn left and walk along the footpath for about 100m. After the bus stop, turn right onto a quiet road signposted to Redbournbury Water Mill (A). When you reach the fabulous Water Mill and Bakery there is a gate for walkers on the left. (even if the Mill itself is closed) Go through this gate and then take the path directly to the left of the Water Mill (not the main track to the left going into the overflow car park) and then immediately go through two kissing gates. Follow the sweeping path besides a large field with the trees on your right. At the end of this field and path, go through another kissing gate and then cross the busy road again very carefully.
(5) Walk through the gate ahead and then after 20m go through another kissing gate. Follow the path ahead as it takes you through some fields with trees on your right until it reaches a road. Carefully cross the main road and then follow the footpath that veers slightly to the right for about 30m until it meets the Nickey Line cycleway.
(6) Turn right onto the path and after 600m you will see a turning on your left with a small set of steps going up and a signpost to “Redbourn High Street”.
(7) Take these steps and follow the footpath that turns left and right and then takes you through a pretty residential road (Waterend Lane). This road then takes you out onto the busy high street.
(8) Cross the road and take the alley path between houses that is almost directly opposite (slightly to the right). This path emerges onto the back end of the Redbourn Common and you can then join the beautiful tree-lined footpath that takes you all the way though the common, passing memorial and cricket pitch as it goes. At it’s very end, the path meets the Church End Road. Follow the road for 50m or so, and The Hollybush is on your right.(S/E)
