Homage to Wallington

1 Start on Kit's Lane at the west end of Wallington. George Orwell lived in a cottage on this street in the late 1930s. His thatched and plastered home, The Stores, can be seen to the left of the former Plough pub.

2 Walk uphill, out of the village, then descend to a bridleway to bear left. Now on the Icknield Way path, you wind up and along the chalk ridge, with occasional stretches of hedge. As it climbs out of a valley the path passes to the left of some modern farm buildings. The track crosses a lane and descends to the busy A507 Baldock to Buntingford road.

3 Across the road the path curves along the edge of a field with pasture to your left and the ridge on which Clothall's church stands. Ignore the stile and, at the tree belt, turn left on to a path, which becomes a metalled track. At the village lane turn left and left again after a few paces, through a kissing gate, and uphill to the churchyard. Take time to look at the church, then, from its porch, go down the path towards garages and turn right on to an access drive. At the road turn right. At a bend, just before Glebe House, go left at the footpath sign to follow the left edge of a field, uphill. At the top bear right along a track between fields.

4 Cross the A507 and head for a footpath sign pointing you along a track. Past a farmyard the track becomes a green lane heading towards Clothallbury Woods. Follow the edge of these woods until the hedge and a tapering tree belt merge from the left. Go diagonally right, downhill to reach a post at the left of some hedges around a pond. Bear left to another footpath sign in front of Quickswood Farm.
Turn right (do not cross the footbridge) and walk along the edge of the arable field. At a metalled track go right and pass a cottage to follow the track alongside oak and ash woods. At the corner of the wood go straight on along a green lane with the Corsican pine plantation of Spital Wood to your right. Where the track goes right, continue straight on, the footpath now in the edge of the pines, with pheasants everywhere.

5 Cross a cattle-grazed pasture, heading to the left of some ponds, and go over a stile. Carry straight on. In a shallow dry valley cross a footbridge over a drain. Where the drain goes left, continue straight on. The path crosses a hedged green lane, then a gravelled drive. Continue to the corner of the field, go right over a stile and along a path to St Mary's Church.
Out of the churchyard go left to a lane, descend to a junction and turn left to walk down Wallington's Main Street. On the way you will pass Manor Farm on the right, whose barn is thought by many to have been the inspiration for the Great Barn featured in George Orwell's Animal Farm (1945). Follow the road round by the pillar box and left back into Kit's Lane.