I turned off my music a few minutes into the walk.
I had started my journey along the Nickey Line with earbuds in and a chilled playlist queued up, but within minutes the soundtrack of songbirds felt so grounding and welcoming that I didn’t need anything else. I slipped the earbuds back into my bag and walked on with nothing but the sound of nature and my own thoughts for company.
What is the Nickey Line?
If you haven’t heard of it before, the Nickey Line is one of the best kept secrets in the countryside around London and Hertfordshire. It’s a footpath and cycleway that runs for seven miles along the trackbed of a former railway between Harpenden, Redbourn, and Hemel Hempstead. Trains stopped running here decades ago; the last passenger service was in 1947 and freight ceased in 1979 before the line’s reinvention as a public path in the mid-1980s.
I reached the Nickey Line by taking a Thameslink train to Harpenden, which only took 20 minutes from central London. Harpenden’s station sits about a mile from the trailhead; an easy walk through residential streets, or you can take your bike and pedal there in minutes.
What struck me first about the Nickey Line is how seamlessly it shifts from town to hidden countryside. I started by walking down (a rather steep) set of steps, and felt like I’d descended into another world entirely. In this first section, plenty of joggers and dog walkers were out and about, enjoying this perfect footpath right on their doorstep. As I left Harpenden behind, the people thinned out until it was just me, the trees, and the path extending out ahead.
What to expect when walking the Nickey Line
The Friends of the Nickey Line, a volunteer group devoted to its care, plant trees, clear footpaths, and keep information boards updated so you always feel connected to the place you’re exploring. Signage along the way is excellent, and I never felt like I was going to lose my way at any junction.
When I walked it in winter, the path was a bit muddy, but unlike many muddy fields or woodland tracks that are completely unusable in wetter months, the Nickey Line stays walkable through all seasons. That year-round accessibility makes it a go-to even when other trails turn into quagmires.
A walk through history
As much as I enjoyed the walk for its closeness to nature and ease of navigation, my favourite part was the heritage and following in the footsteps of history. After only a few minutes, you come to your first historic landmark, the South Curve Buttress. This large, imposing brick buttress was built when the tight southward curve was added so that trains could turn to Harpenden station rather than use the original north curve towards Luton.
Further along, you can see old railway features like the Roundwood Halt platform, long disused and eerily evocative, which is accompanied by an original semaphore signal and even an old piece of rail. I paused here to take photos and imagine the Victorians who would have got the train here. It felt really immersive.
Points of interest along the Nickey Line
One of my favourite parts of the walk was a ‘pig viewing area’ which is exactly what it says on the tin: you can stand here and admire cute pigs! There were two snuffling about, so I stood and kept them company for a while before continuing my walk.
Further on, the route sweeps past stretches of meadow and scrubland towards Redbourn, where miles of hedgerows frame views over the Ver Valley and offer sightings of butterflies, sparrows, and squirrels (I saw lots on my walk).
In spring and early summer, the path beside Knott Wood is carpeted with bluebells, and other spots are marked with interpretation boards that explain what wildlife you might see depending on the season.
Approaching Redbourn
I had to take care where the route meets busy roads, especially around Redbourn, where the path crosses a roundabout. But these moments barely puncture the feeling of being totally immersed in slower, quieter landscapes that seem a world away from the commuter belt a train ride back towards London.
Redbourn is an ideal stopping point if you want refreshments or a break. There are cafés and pubs nearby, and a dedicated picnic area where you can sit with a drink and sandwiches. It’s exactly the kind of place where you realise this isn’t just a walk or cycle, it’s a proper day out.
After Redbourn, there’s an impressive (albeit very dark) tunnel which takes you under the M1. By the time I got closer to Hemel Hempstead, the scenery had shifted again. The countryside feels more open here, with views that stretch across farmland and space that makes you slow your pace and breathe deeper.
Into Hemel Hempstead
The path surface becomes more tarmac in places near the town, making the final stretch easy going underfoot. I paused a few times to snap photos of the beautiful countryside and really enjoy the fresh air. I hadn’t seen another person in a few miles and felt like this was my own personal slice of heaven, hidden away from the rest of the world behind the rows of beautiful yew trees.
If you’re walking or cycling the whole length, like I did, there are plenty of return options once you reach Hemel Hempstead. My feet were tired, so I hopped on a bus to St Albans and caught a Thameslink train back into London. Your feet might feel better than mine, and you might choose to cycle back or even walk the Nickey Line back to Harpenden if you’re feeling adventurous.
Why the Nickey Line is worth exploring
What I loved most about this walk wasn’t just the peacefulness or the light shifting over fields, though that was lovely. It was the combination of nature, history, and the thoughtful care for a piece of landscape that might otherwise have been lost.
This was once a working railway, a route for steam and diesel freight and passengers. Now it’s a place where people start their day with a brisk jog, let dogs chase squirrels, or just wander with a quiet smile on their face. Every mile that passed, I felt thankful to the dedicated volunteers who make it possible and keep this chapter of history alive.
This is the sort of day out that proves once again why hopping on a train for an adventure can be so rewarding. Whatever time of year you choose to go, take off the headphones, tune into the birdsong, and let the Nickey Line do the rest.
