Berkhamsted To Tring Canal Walk – Guide & Map

Where to go for a gentle stroll on a bright day? Well, the Canal Walk from Berkhamsted to Tring seems like a good option. Let’s wander on the Grand Union Canal towpath, from the boathouse to boathouse, among swans, ducks and birds, from luxurious vegetation to open lands. This easy walk has a lot to offer which makes it a perfect location to satisfy your craving for nature and calm.

Another Grand Union Canal walk, but this time not in London: in Hertfordshire. A gentle stroll, a group of good friends and a pub at the end, this is the perfect recipe for a great day out! So follow me to learn more about this walk. You can find the GPS map file at the end of this post that you can upload into your navigation app.

Logistics of the Berkhamsted to Tring Canal Walk

Highlights of the Berkhamsted to Tring Canal Walk

Berkhamsted to Tring Canal Walk

So now we covered the basics, let’s get into the walk!

Berkhamsted

Our walk starts in the medieval market town of Berkhamsted. Settled during the Stone Age as shown by the artefacts uncovered in the region, the town later fell under Norman domination during the invasion in 1066. William the Conqueror ordered the construction of a Castle in Berkhamstead, which remained the favourite Royal residence until 1495. During that time the town thrived, especially thanks to the trade of wood.

However, it fell into decline after the death of the Duchess of York in 1495. She was a prominent figure in the town and contributed to the development of the local economy during her life. The Castle was subsequently deserted by the Royal Family. Its stones were used to build Berkhamtead Place, a country house, inhabited by Sir Edward Carey, the Keeper of the Jewels to Queen Elizabeth I.

Do you know how much the Queen was charging Edward for the rent? One red rose per year! You won’t find a better bargain anywhere else.

Whilst Berkhamsted was struggling to survive, the nearby town of Hemel Hempstead stole the crown and turned into a thriving market town. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Berkhamsted was heavily involved in the timber trade responding to the demand during the Crimean War. Nowadays Berkhamsted benefits from the popularity of its neighbour, Hemel Hempstead, the largest town in Hertfordshire.

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Berkhamsted to Northchurch

When you come out of Berkhamstead station, walk to the main road and take a left onto Lower Kings Road. As you walk down the street with the Grand Union Canal on your left, you can see a bridge a little further down. Once you get to the bridge, cross it to get onto the Grand Union Canal towpath.

Walk alongside the canal, which was frozen when I did this walk. This part of the canal is quite residential with newly built blocks of flats reflecting on the (frozen) water.

Difficult to say which way is up!

As you arrive at a bend after the new residential development, you come face to face with a bridge painted red and green.

Walk under and you can see lock number 53, our first lock of this walk. Right after, on the opposite bank is Canal Fields Park, the main park in Berkhamstead composed of a playground, a skate park and a garden. Continue your walk and you arrive at a succession of 2 locks, number 52 and 51.

As you walk alongside the Grand Union Canal you can admire the colours of the trees on the edge, reflecting in the water, ducks and swan swimming and multicoloured boathouses.

Northchurch

You soon arrive at a stone bridge followed by a lock: New Road bridge and Northchurch lock.

Archeologic discoveries show that Northchuch was settled before Berkhamsted, which lead them to believe the village was the first site of Berkhamsted. It then expanded south of the valley to its current location.

You can find in the churchyard of St Mary the tomb of Peter the Wild Boy, a feral child found in a forest near Hanover in Germany during George I hunting Party. The young child grew up in the forest, walking on all four and could not speak. He was brought back to England in 1726 and raised the interest and curiosity of physicians, writers and journalists due to his orangutan appearance and his animalistic behaviour. Peter was the Mowgly of his time, a century before the book was written.

Northchurch to Tring

Continue your gentle stroll alongside the Grand Union Canal for a further 0.8 miles (1.3 km). When you arrive at Northcote Hill Bridge, you have to leave the towpath and walk across the bridge. You find the continuation of the path on the other side of the bridge.

Go down to the towpath and resume your walk, this time on the right-hand side of the canal. A little bit further down is the hamlet of Cow Roast.

What an interesting name!

It is believed to come from “Cow Rest”, as the area was a resting site for cattle when they were moved on foot from village to village. The hamlet was the scene of a huge excavation project in 1972. During four years archaeologists dug the site and uncovered many artefacts such as pottery, jewellery and iron tools.

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Cow Roast is home to a marina that we are passing through during this walk.

On your way to Tring, you walk under one more bridge at Newground Road. After this bridge, the landscape turns from open views on both sides to a more foresty and bushy look. And as the canal was frozen, we also encountered a swan walking on water.

When you get to the Station Road bridge, you find a set of stairs leading to the main road above you. Go up the stairs and start your walk towards Tring town centre.

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Tring

Walk down Station Road and you pass in front of the entrance of Pendley Manor Hotel. This superb Grade II listed manor and 35 acres of grounds make it an ideal location for a luxury experience in Hertfordshire. Originally built in the fifteenth century for Sir Robert Whittingham, county sheriff, the manor went through many different owners. The most famous one was John Washington, the grandfather of George Washington, the first president of the United States.

But no time to rest at the hotel, we need to get to the pub!

You then arrive in Tring. Settled during prehistoric times, the town used to be a dominant Saxon settlement as well and had a thriving economy thanks to the construction of a route linking Tring to London. It became a market town in 1315 under Edward II. The economy drastically improved thanks to the construction of the Grand Union Canal and the arrival of the railway in the nineteenth century.

Nowadays, Tring is an attractive commuter town for London workers, thanks to its location in the middle of the Chiltern Hills and its easy access by rail to the capital city.

At the corner of Station Road and Brook Street, you find the Robin Hood Pub where we stop for lunch. In a charming and friendly environment, enjoy a selection of a la carte or specialities of the day meals by the fireplace.

Bon appetit!

Berkhamstead to Tring Canal Walk Map

Do you want to do the same walk? Simply download the GPS map by clicking on the link below. If you need help uploading the map onto your navigation app, check my step-by-step guide here.

Final Thoughts on the Berkhamsted to Tring Canal Walk

If you want to do more walks in the area and discover the beauty of the Chilterns and Hertfordshire, check the walking guides below:

Best Walks In The Chilterns

Berkhamsted Circular Walk: Between Hills and Canal

Additionally, here is some inspiration should you want to do more canal walks:

Regent’s Canal Walk – Discover London (Guide & Free GPS Map)

Brentford To Hanwell Canal Walk – Guide & Map

And you, what is your favourite canal walk? Let me know in the comments below.

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