Family-friendly cycle routes on former railway paths

Why old railway lines make brilliant family rides

Hertfordshire is quietly criss-crossed with the ghosts of railways. When the branch lines closed in the 1960s, most of the land was left intact — and over the following decades, local volunteers and councils turned those old trackbeds into something rather special. Because trains can't climb steep hills, a former railway path is almost always flat, wide and gentle. Add a sealed surface and the absence of traffic, and you have the perfect place to teach a child to ride, or to spend a Sunday afternoon towing a trailer without feeling like you've signed up for a hill climb.

These paths suit almost everyone: first pedal bikes, balance bikes, tag-alongs, child seats and grandparents on hybrids. Do check your tyres before you set off — flint and hawthorn punctures are the classic family ride spoiler, and a spare inner tube weighs almost nothing.

The Alban Way: St Albans to Hatfield

Just over six miles of smooth tarmac between the two towns, on the old Hatfield and St Albans railway. The St Albans end begins within easy reach of Clarence Park, so you can combine the ride with a play in the park first.

The highlight for children is Nast Hyde Halt, roughly halfway, where the little wooden platform has been restored and marked with a signboard. It's a lovely spot for a photograph, a biscuit and a bit of pretending to wait for a train. You'll also pass the site of Smallford station and cross the Ellenbrook. Kestrels hover over the open stretches, and rabbits bolt across the path at dusk.

Good to know: the final stretch into central Hatfield runs through a business park and is the least charming part of the route. If small legs are flagging, turn around at Smallford or Ellenbrook.

Cole Green Way: Hertford to Welwyn Garden City

Around five miles on the former Hertford and Welwyn Junction line, and one of the prettiest of the county's railway paths. The old red brick bridges have survived, and the former Cole Green station building still stands beside the route.

The surface is firm gravel rather than tarmac — perfectly manageable in dry weather, though it holds puddles after heavy rain, and the Hertford end can get sticky in winter. Slightly wider tyres help enormously.

Your reward stop is Panshanger Park, on the edge of Welwyn Garden City. There are lakes, a heronry, cormorants and plenty of open grass for running off the last of the energy before the ride home. It also connects neatly onwards to the Ayot Greenway if you're feeling ambitious.

The Nickey Line: Harpenden to Redbourn

The Nickey Line once ran thirteen miles between Harpenden and Hemel Hempstead; the four-mile stretch from Harpenden to Redbourn is the family-friendly section, and it starts within a short walk of Harpenden railway station, which makes it easy to reach without a car.

This is chalk stream country. Look out for kingfishers and grey wagtails along the River Ver, and the old watercress beds near Redbournbury. At the far end, Redbournbury Mill is a working watermill that sells its own flour — a genuinely good excuse to stop, and occasionally open for visits.

Be aware that the surface here is more mixed than the Alban Way, with some rougher patches. This one suits children on geared bikes with slightly fatter tyres rather than the smallest balance bikes.

Shorter options: the Ebury Way and Ayot Greenway

The Ebury Way runs about four miles from Watford to Rickmansworth along the old Watford and Rickmansworth Railway, following the River Colne and the Grand Union Canal. It's flat, well surfaced, and finishes near the Rickmansworth Aquadrome, where you'll find lakes, a playground, toilets and a café. Ideal for a first proper ride, or an outing with a reluctant pedaller.

The Ayot Greenway stretches roughly five miles from Welwyn Garden City to Wheathampstead, on the former Luton to Hatfield line. It's gravel, gently rural, and passes close to the village of Ayot St Lawrence — handy for a pub lunch. The leafy cutting gives welcome shade in high summer, and if you ride at dawn or dusk you have a fair chance of spotting muntjac deer.

Practical tips for a smooth family ride

• Match the surface to the rider. Tarmac routes such as the Alban Way and Ebury Way are best for balance bikes and first pedal bikes. Gravel routes, including the Cole Green Way, Ayot Greenway and parts of the Nickey Line, are better suited to slightly wider tyres.
• Plan your snack stops in advance. A successful family ride is really a series of snacks with pedalling in between. Nast Hyde Halt, Panshanger Park and Redbournbury Mill all make excellent targets.
• Go early. These paths are popular with dog walkers, runners and other cyclists, especially at weekends. Before 10am you'll have far more room to wobble.
• Check for barriers. Many former railway paths have staggered barriers or Kissing gates at road crossings, which can be a tight squeeze with a trailer or tag-along. Worth a quick look at the route before you load up the car.
• Pack layers and spare socks. Even flat paths get breezy in the cuttings, and shaded puddles linger well into spring.
• Teach the etiquette. Ring a bell, keep left, and warn walkers before overtaking. Shared paths work best when everyone is courteous.

Flat, safe and full of small adventures, Hertfordshire's old railway lines are some of the county's most underrated family days out. Fill the flask, check the tyres, and pick a path.