Start and finish: Riverside Way car park off Drop Lane, Bricket Wood
Full walk: 3.7 miles (6 km) – About 2 hours
Start from the Riverside Way car park off Drop Lane. Follow the bridleway north and cross Smug Oak Lane onto the drive into Moor Mill. At the Mill watch out for Brown Trout and other wildlife feeding on titbits from customers. From Moor Mill (1) follow the footpath behind to pass under the M25. At the corner of the yard by Moor Mill Lane turn left, to follow the clear path through the former sand and gravel washing plant area to Hyde Lane, turn left. Cross the footbridge over the River Ver into Frogmore and Park Street pits (2). Walk ahead to Branch Road, then right to Watling Street. At the river (3) turn right, just before the bridge, onto the riverside path. Retrace the path through the pits. Look out for dragonflies and Great Crested Grebe. About 50 yards before the footbridge turn right onto a path up to the infill ridge and the site of Park Street Roman Villa. Turn left. Note how much higher the ‘restored’ land is in comparison with the river below. Cross the M25 via the footbridge; on the south side walk ahead through a kissing gate, then right and left through another area of infill to Smug Oak Lane. Cross the road to the bridleway opposite, and follow the gentle slope down to the Hanstead Ditch (4). Follow the path around the perimeter of the housing estate, Hanstead Park, on the site of a former training college, and then past Hanstead House (5). Follow the bridleway to Drop Lane, then turn right to see Drop Lane Pumping Station (6). Note the gentle hum of the electric pumps. At the ford stop for moment on the Ver Valley Bench depicting a large Pike and a Grass Snake, both are found in the area. The stepping stones here are popular with children. For a short detour take the footpath alongside the field, following the course of the Ver, to see where it meets the River Colne at their confluence (7). The attractive countryside, down the Colne Valley between the confluence with the River Ver and Wall Hall/Otterspool is well worth exploring (8). For an optional extra loop to this walk, continue beyond the confluence and cross the footbridge over the River Colne and return to Smug Oak Lane and Moor Mill on the Rights of Way via Netherwylde Farm. To return to the car park from the ford walk a short distance along Drop Lane, then turn right across a footbridge to follow Riverside Way (9), a popular permissive bridleway running alongside the river.