Chiltern Walks: Cow Roast and Berkhamsted Common
Northchurch Lock
Start & Finish: Free parking by the Cow Roast Recreation Ground, Tring, HP23 5RE
Distance: 11.9 km (7.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 140m
Hertfordshire Way section covered: Tom’s Hill to Berkhamsted Common: 3 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Way, Grand Union Canal Circular Walk Berkhamsted-Tring, Hertfordshire Way, Ashridge Boundary Trail, Rangers Ramble
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, Chilterns Cycleway, Berkhamsted 6 Circular
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Artisan at the start and finish
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Cow Roast, Berkhamstead Common, Berkhamsted
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 the free parking spot next to the recreation ground at Cow Roast. Cross over the A4251 Trig Road to reach Cow Roast Lock. Cross over the canal and follow The Chiltern Way along Wharf Lane. Take the path on the left to continue on the Chiltern Way crossing over the railway footbridge and climb the hill into the Ashridge Estate. When you meet the Hertfortshire Way take a right to follow it for 3 km into Berkhamsted Common.
Once you’re 5km into the walk from Cow Roast lock take a right to leave the Hertfordhshire Way to follow the Ashridge Boundary Trail in a southerly direction. When you reach Northchurch Lane, leave the Boundary Trail to take a path on the left towards Bridle Lane. Follow Bridle Lane onto Billet Lane then cross the railway line and over the Grand Union Canal. Once on the southern side of the canal follow the tow path in a westerly direction back to the start at Cow Roast.
