Berkhamsted Common

Start & Finish: Berkhamsted Station, Station Approach, Berkhamsted HP4 2AR

(S/E) Leave the station from the Long Stay car park exit. Cross straight over the access road and Bridgewater Road, turn right to the mini roundabout. Turn left up Brownlow Road and, where that bends right, continue straight ahead up Castle Hill beside (a) Berkhamsted Castle. Follow the road round to the left to a junction at the top.

(1) Fork right, walk between newly built houses and continue along the field edge through a series of three gates to a path junction.

(2) Turn right at the junction and walk along a wide field-edge path with the hedgerow on the left. Follow the path as it veers left, continue onto a narrower path and then through a wooded area (b) Alpine Meadow. Walk along another field-edge path, go through three gates and turn left to a 'T' junction.

(3) Turn right and keep following this path in the same direction, ignoring left and right turns, to reach a golf course and then a car park.

(4) Take the path at the back of the car park and turn right downhill. At the second path junction turn left to a road. Cross and follow the path up towards a large house. Turn right where the path meets another and follow this elevated path at high level until it turns right at a row of trees.

(5) Turn right down through a gate, cross the road and turn left along the pavement. Follow the road round to the right with the elevated railway line on your left to reach the station (S/E).

"We hope you have enjoyed your walk. Please remember to rate the walk and add comments. We are interested in how we could improve the instructions or the route and would like to hear about any issues with paths on the walk."

TERRAIN: Easy stile-free walking on level paths with just two short uphill sections.
START & FINISH: Berkhamsted Station, Station Approach, Berkhamsted HP4 2AR.
FOOD & DRINK: Plenty of pubs and cafés in Berkhamsted.
PARKING: Plenty of car parking in Berkhamsted. There is also a small, free car park at (4).
LOCAL TRANSPORT: Berkhamsted is served by many bus routes and is on the main train line between Euston and Birmingham.
Walk designed by Geoff Wiggett.

(a) Berkhamsted Castle: is a Norman motte-and-bailey castle in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The castle was built to obtain control of a key route between London and the Midlands during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century. The castle was surrounded by protective earthworks and a deer park for hunting.

(b) Alpine Meadow: Alpine Meadow is a chalk grassland SSSI rich in wildflowers and butterflies from spring to autumn. Located in a wooded valley within the unspoilt Ashridge woodlands, visitors can spot a variety of birds feeding throughout the winter, while the warm sloping grassland of the reserve attracts many insects during the summer and the opportunity to spot Common Lizards by the log piles at the top of the slope.