Chiltern Walks: Aldbury & Ashridge
On the Foresters Walk, Ashridge Estate
Start & Finish: Tring Station, Tring, HP23 5QR
Distance: 7.8 km (4.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 138m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Grand Union Canal Circular Walk Berkhamsted-Tring, The Ridgeway, Hertfordshire Way, Chiltern Way, Ashridge Boundary Trail, Foresters Walk, Rangers Ramble
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway, Tring 5 Circular, Berkhamsted 6 Circular
Pubs / Cafes on route: Church Farm Cafe (1.5 km in), The Greyhound (1.7 km in), Poppies Cafe (1.8 km in), Ashridge National Trust Cafe (2.7 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Aldbury, Ashridge Estate, Ashridge National Trust Estate, Tring Station
The Hertfordshire Way offers an incredible opportunity to circumnavigate one of England's home counties, revealing its hidden charms and surprising variety. This circular long-distance footpath, stretching around 273 km (170 miles), guides walkers through the county's most picturesque landscapes, proving that green spaces are never far, even in this area close to London. We walked the Chilterns part of the Hertfordshire Way in 15 sections over a couple of years. We used my “Greater Chilterns” definition that takes the trail from the River Lea near Wheathampstead to the River Colne near Garston. This route is one of those 15 circular walks.
The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.
For this walk we parked at Tring Station then followed the Ridgeway along station road for 300m to where the Hertfordshire Way crosses the road. Take a left to follow the Hertfordshire Way in a north easterly direction to Aldbury. This a a classic Chiltern Village that’s featured in several films and TV shows. There’s also a good selection of places to stop for a drink. My favourite is the Church Farm cycle cafe.
After Aldbury continue along the Hertfordshire Way up the hill and into the National Trust Ashridge Estate. At around 250m past the National Trust cafe and visitors’ centre leave the Hertfordshire Way to take a right onto the Rangers Ramble. Follow this in a southerly direction until you reach the Hertfordshire Way again. Take a right to to follow the Hertfordshire Way out of the National Trust Estate and back to Trig Station.
