SATURDAY Hike Brookmans Park - North Mymms - Bell Bar with bluebell woods 9.2mls

To see who has signed up so far, please see the comment below.

Have you ever seen ancient bluebell woodlands with carpets of blue flowers (see photo)? We know where to find them and when, so join us for a hike from Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire.
Whether you're a seasoned hiker or a beginner, this 9.2 mile (14.8 km) hike is suitable for all and there is the option to cut the distance in half if you like.
Meet Saturday 26th April 2025 at 10:30 a.m. for 10:45 start. Hike starts and finishes near Brookmans Park Station. Meet on grass between Station Road and Station Close, Brookmans Park, Herts AL9 7SU.
Nearest post code: AL9 7SU
Lat/Long (WGS84): 51.721858 , -0.203992
OSGB National Grid Reference: TL242041
What3Words https://w3w.co/toast.heads.pits
HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Brookmans Park, North Mymms Park, passing Bush Wood (bluebells), Welham Green, Bell Bar, Gobions Wood (more bluebells). It is possible to finish half way by taking a train from Welham Green station back to Brookmans Park.
Most of the route is on public footpaths, public bridleways or residential roads with pavement or grass verge. Some short sections are on roads with no pavement but no through traffic. Total distance is 9.2 mls, 14.8 km. We plan to finish by 16:45 or earlier.
HIKING MAP:
Ordnance Survey 'Explorer' 1:25,000 scale, Sheet 182 St Albans & Hatfield.
ONLINE MAP:
This route was devised by South Herts Hikers and is on Wikiloc: https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/brookmans-park-north-mymms-bell-bar-loop-v1-133206939
You can select map or aerial view (OpenStreetmap recommended) and you can zoom in. Navigating the trail outdoors using the Wikiloc app needs the premium version but you can also set up a free Wikiloc login then use a web browser such as Chrome to download a .GPX or .kml file to a mobile device then open the .GPX file with a mobile phone GPS app (OSMand, Komoot, All Trails, Outdoor Active, Organic Maps or Google Maps).
PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO MEETING LOCATION (CHECK TIMES):
From London Moorgate 09:27, Finsbury Park [FPK] 09:42, Harringay [HGY], Hornsey [HRN], Alexandra Palace [AAP], New Southgate [NSG], Oakleigh Park [OKL], New Barnet [NBA], Hadley Wood [HDW], Potters Bar [PBR] to Brookmans Park (BPK) at 10:07 a.m.
From Welwyn Garden City: Great Northern trains 10:00 calling at Hatfield (HAT), Welham Green (WMG) to Brookmans Park (BPK) at 10:10.
From St Albans: Bus 84 from St Albans City Railway Station Stop "B" at 09:11 to Potters Bar Station then train or bus 610 to Brookmans Park Station.
From Barnet: Train from New Barnet Station to Brookmans Park or bus 84B to Potters Bar Station then train or bus 610 to Brookmans Park.
See Intalink bus travel in Hertfordshire https://www.intalink.org.uk/
CAR PARKING NEAR MEETING LOCATION:
Brookmans Park Station car park £3.30 on Sat. APCOA Parking, location code 3626. Pay by credit card, by APCOA Connect App or pay on-line before you arrive https://citycentre.apcoa.co.uk/carpark/location/brookmans-park-station/3626 This may be easier if you don't already have the APCOA Connect app. Alternatively, it may be possible to park in nearby streets such as Brookmans Avenue AL9 7QH (please park considerately).
PLACES OF INTEREST:
Gobion's Wood (Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust)
https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/gobions-wood
Café at Dutch garden centre, Bell Bar https://dutchmarketplace.co.uk/dutch-cafe/
WHAT TO BRING
Most of the route is on public footpaths in the countryside. Some of these may be slippery, muddy or stony in places. We recommend:

• adequate footwear, preferably hiking boots, with thick soles and good grip
• waterproof jacket or umbrella for rain
• sun hat if sunny
• drink essential (1 - 2 litres)
• packed lunch (optional).

• Important to know
Mid morning stop/early lunch stop for packed lunch outdoors 6.5 km from the start. Late lunch stop at Bell Bar 10.4 km from start, can go to Café at Dutch garden centre or visit Cock O'the North pub.
Although this event is shown on Meetup as free, from 1st Jan 2025, this group has introduced a monthly membership subscription of £4 per month. You only pay for months when you actually attend an event. Anyone who attends an event needs to be a member of South Herts Hikers, including guests and your membership subscription lasts for one month from the date when you pay. During that time you can attend any other Group events with no extra charge. There will normally be at least one more event in the 31 days after you join, possibly more. This subscription contributes towards the costs of running this Meetup Group including the fees that organisers need to pay Meetup which increased by 80% from July 2024. You can use cash or Paypal https://paypal.me/SouthHertsHikers
Please note our membership criteria and guidelines for etiquette. From this Meetup Group's home page https://www.meetup.com/southhertshikers/ see What we're about > Read More
For our policy on dogs on our hikes, please see our FAQ page, http://southhertshikers.uk/faq/