Smallford station Circular

The walk will begin from Highfield Park, which was created on the former grounds of two mental hospitals which closed in the 1990s - the first of several locations on the route which have changed use over the years and are great for nature and walkers. You'll see many species of trees as you head through the park.

A short stretch through residential streets takes you into the grounds of Oaklands College, which was originally developed as an agricultural college and includes a working farm. We might see some horses and alpacas as we pass through.

You then leave the outskirts of St Albans, heading through farmland and woodland. After passing the Cemex quarry you'll walk through grassland and scrub along the edge of Ellenbrook Fields, which was the site of Hatfield Aerodrome.

From a former airfield you'll go to a former railway station; on the platform at Smallford you can look down on the Alban Way, a shared-use path which used to be the Hatfield-St Albans railway line.

After passing through the small village of Sleapshyde, you'll come to Smallford Pits; once used for landfill and now a designated Local Wildlife Site with trees, scrub and ponds. Then we head through farmland on paths along the edge of arable fields. You'll walk up an old tree-lined lane to reach Tyttenhanger. Good opportunity to stop for a drink at its village pub, The Plough.

The final stage of the route takes you through an area of new woodland on the edge of Highfield Park and back to the start point.