Look out for manors and hunting grounds dating back to Tudor times, cross a Roman road, a 400-year-old aqueduct and their modern equivalents.
For relaxed family cycling and all ability wheeling we recommend Gunpowder Park and Forty Hall country park.
Information on this page
Places to see and explore
- Gunpowder Park, Sewardstone Marsh and Ramney Marsh
- Albany Park
- Myddelton House botanical garden and tea room (free entry)
- Forty Hall Country Park. House, gardens, café and shop (free entry)
- Hilly Fields Park. Popular for brass band concerts since the 1920s, check local listings for upcoming music events
- Enfield Chase – this former royal hunting ground is now London’s largest reforestation project
- Trent Park – a grand country estate turned WW2 interrogation station, university and now public park with grand obelisks and a secret mediaeval moat
- The River Lea, Turkey Brook, the New River and Salmons Brook
Local amenities
Enfield island village: local shops and café, the Greyhound pub
Enfield Lock: local shops and pub
Hertford Road (A1010): local shops and services
Myddleton House: tea room
Forty Hall: café, toilets
Clay Hill: Rose and Crown pub
Trent Park: café and toilets
Cockfosters: local shops and services
Hadley Wood station: local shops and café
Public transport
By train: Enfield Lock (Greater Anglia to London Liverpool St, Hertford East and Bishops Stortford), Turkey Street (TfL rail to London Liverpool St and Cheshunt), Gordon Hill/Crews Hill (Great Northern to Moorgate, Stevenage and Hertford North), Hadley Wood (Great Northern to Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City)
By tube: Cockfosters (Piccadilly line)
Find out more about using public transport to get to the National Cycle Network on our Get started on London’s National Cycle Network page.
Local loops
We recommend these local circular routes for family friendly, traffic free and accessible adventures.
- Gunpowder Park has 3 miles of quiet traffic free paths, perfect for relaxed family cycling and gaining confidence. This longer 5-mile Explosive Pedal Power route is a more adventurous route exploring beyond the park.
- Explore Forty Hall Country Park and Hilly Fields park using Route 12 as your guide. Use Route 12 and this map of Forty Hall Country Park to explore 4 miles of traffic free paths.
Continue on the National Cycle Network
Want to explore more of the National Cycle Network from this route?
Follow these directions to find other National Cycle Network routes near here:
At Enfield island village, join the Lea Valley south to Greenwich or north to Cheshunt on Route 1.
From Hadley Wood, continue north on Route 12 to Hatfield, Peterborough and Spalding.
At Hatfield, take the 6-mile traffic free Alban Way to St Albans on Route 61.
Continue walking
Want to explore more of London’s walking network from this route?
Find out which other routes you can join from Route 12:
- At Enfield Island Village, join the Lea Valley Walk northbound or southbound.
- Join the London Loop eastbound at Enfield Island Village or westbound at Trent Park.
- Between the A10 and Forty Hill, join the New River Path northbound or southbound.
- At Crews Hill, join the Hertfordshire Chain Walk.
Find more useful information about walking in London on our Get started on London's National Cycle Network page.
Accessibility information
Route gap: The Ridgeway to Hadley Wood
There is a 2-mile gap in this route. We do not recommend using busy local Hadley Road/Ferny Hill to link these sections.
In 2021, Enfield Council constructed new paths for walking, wheeling and cycling between the Ridgeway and Trent Park. Access is via a stile at the Ridgeway and a chicane barrier at Trent Park. The remaining 800m link from these new paths to Hadley Wood is an informal path not designated as a footpath or bridleway.
Barriers
There are 4 chicane barriers on Mollison Avenue bridge (A1055).
There are 2 chicane barriers at Newbury Avenue.
Access to Enfield Chase from the extent of the current NCN at the Ridgeway is via a stile. Access to Enfield chase from Trent Park is via a chicane barrier and a busy road crossing.
Surface
In Forty Hall Park, Hilly Fields Park, Enfield Chase and Trent Park, paths are hard packed gravel.
Steeps and steps
Mollison Avenue bridge has a gentle ramp.
At Albany Park, there is a stepped railway bridge. This can be avoided by crossing the railway at Enfield lock level crossing (signed diversion).
The A10 is crossed via a ramped subway or a stepped bridge.
Hilly Fields and Crews Hill have climbs.
Take care
This route has these busier on road sections.
At The Ridgeway, the crossing to Enfield Chase is not signal controlled.
Please note
We have taken all responsible steps to ensure that these routes are safe and achievable by people with a reasonable level of fitness.
However, all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk. To the extent permitted by law, Sustrans accepts no responsibility for any accidents or injury resulting from following these routes.
Walking and cycling routes change over time. Weather conditions may also affect path surfaces.
Please use your own judgement when using the routes based upon the weather and the ability, experience and confidence levels of those in your group.
To make sure everyone gets the most out of their time by the water, please ensure that you follow the Towpath Code.