River Ver Trail
A 17-mile long-distance path in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire following the course of the River Ver from its source near Kensworth Lynch in the Chiltern Hills to its confluence with the River Colne in Bricket Wood. With map, statistics, and GPX route file.
Statistics and Files
Grid Ref: TL 046 179
Distance: 17 miles (27 km)
Time: 6–9 hours
Duration: 1–2 days
Ordnance Survey Explorer Map (1:25,000):
182 St Albans, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead and Welwyn Garden City
Summary
The River Ver Trail is a 17-mile linear walking route starting from the source of the River Ver at Kensworth Lynch, Bedfordshire, and ending at the confluence with the River Colne in Bricket Wood, Hertfordshire. The river is, as is typical of many such waterways in the region, a chalk stream and as such is rich in displaying the flora and fauna of the Ver Valley.
From the start at the river source at Kensworth Lynch, the trail goes via Markyate, Friar’s Wash, Flamstead, Redbourn, Bow Bridge, St Albans, and Colney Street to the finish in Bricket Wood. Along the way, the trail shares paths with the Chiltern Way, the Hertfordshire Way, and the Ver-Colne Valley Walk.
The river south of Redbourn has been the site of several watermills down the centuries, mainly for grinding corn but also put to such diverse uses as papermaking, fulling cloth, silk spinning, and diamond lapping. Eleven mills are known to have existed, a number of which can still be seen today either as working mills, converted private homes, or public houses. Particularly worthy of note are Doolittle Mill, Redbournbury Mill, Kingsbury Watermill, and Moor Mill.