A flagship circular walk of 12.3 miles in East Herts, sampling four distinctive and delicious flavours of the county. (Other flavours are available in different events.)

The four flavours are: wetlands, parklands, farmlands and urban. The flavours are seasoned with traditional land custodianship, transportation, amenity and development. The four flavours happen in one walk because of the complicated confluence of rivers in the Hertford area, each creating a lowest bridging point that roads, railways and canals must exploit and circumvent to be useful, with urban development perching on whatever stable land remains. This walk includes three rivers of Hertford.

Specific features of the walk include: riverside walking in marshland, canal towpath, the everlasting conflict between nature and roadways, plush parks, villages, churches, glimpses of a very posh golf course, a brutal impression of modern industrial buildings, an ancient roadway, a disused modern roadway, common land and one sewage works (of course). Throughout the walk are satisfying views into the middle distance.

Nearly half of the route is on pavement.

Even in a dry September, there will be mud in the wetlands.

Altitude ranges from 314ft (96m) to 521ft (159m), with most gradients being mild and two gradients somewhat challenging. There is one ladder to climb over.

Most of the route is exposed. Depending on the weather, wear sunscreen and/or windproofs and/or waterproofs.

Wear sturdy boots or similar thick-soled shoes. Whether wet or concrete-dry, the ground will be too uneven for trainers.

Bring packed lunch, plenty of water and something to sit on. Lunch is going to be sat on the ground and might be later than normal (because of unexpected sheep in the lunching area), so bring a packed snack, too.

Near to the start point is a café which serves superb coffees.

The start point is accessible by public transport, followed by a walk of up to 15 minutes.

Optional pub stop at the end of the walk (~ 8 mins from the start point). Evening meals start from 6pm and are keenly priced.

This walk was first done in 2012. Since then, much has remained the same. The three notable changes are: i) the trees are bigger; ii) one new road has appeared; and iii) more fields are markedly disused or abandoned.

Safety issue: there is one fast road to cross, which will require lots of patience followed by a prompt crossing.

Toilets: there are toilets in a supermarket near the start point (~10 minutes wak), no other toilets in the urban area, plenty of gaps in hedges in the countryside.