CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF WELWYN GARDEN CITY IN 2020

A circular walk around Welwyn Garden City

Our 20.20 km circular walk is proving to be a hugely popular commemoration of our town’s centenary year and leaves a legacy for years to come.

Celebrating Ebenezer Howard’s original vision of a ‘a marriage of town and country’ the route can be accessed from many points across the town to the beautiful countryside surrounding Welwyn Garden City.

Our walk leaflet is available below in downloadable format which is easy to print at home. Look out for our distinctive orange way markers.

The Route

The circular walk takes in some beautiful locations around Welwyn Garden City, including Stanborough Lakes, Mill Green, The Commons Nature Reserve, the site of the Panshanger Aerodrome, Tewin Bury, Digswell, Sherrardspark Woods, Brocket Hall and Lemsford.

Spokes radiate from the perimeter of the walk into the town to link with existing town trails, meaning you can do a section of the walk or all of it if you are feeling energetic!

There is a one mile accessible circular trail around The Commons and part of the Nature Reserve. Please note that access is via a gate which is unfortunately not suitable for mobility scooters.

Following the walk route

The walk is marked with our distinctive centenary waymarkers on the trail itself.

Printed leaflets, containing the illustrated map and information on places of historic interest, are available in some places in the town centre. You can download the leaflet in A4 format which is easy to print at home.

A section under the A1 can be prone to flooding and diversion signs are in place.

Two new information boards will be installed at Digswell car park and Stanborough Lakes later this year.

There has been a diversion route put in place due to flooding. Please download the PDF below:

Who has made the walk possible?

The project has been led by our team of enthusiastic volunteers – see below. They have worked tirelessly over the past 4 years, working with landowners, Herts County Council, Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, local disability groups and local historians.

We would like to thank our sponsors for their generous support in making it possible.

We hope you enjoy the walk with family and friends and would love to see photos and feedback on social media.

You may also like to enjoy our four new walks celebrating our City of Trees.

EBENEZER HOWARD: A Birthday Tribute.

29th January 2021

Sir Ebenezer Howard OBE was born 171 years ago on 29 January 1850. This tribute outlines his life and how he founded Welwyn Garden City.

Commemorating Our Centenary

17th January 2021

The last year has been exceptionally challenging for us all, for our work, our family and our friends. Our much anticipated year of celebrations for Welwyn Garden City’s cententary could not take place as planned, which has been incredibly disappointing for everyone involved.

Our enthusiastic team of volunteers have worked since 2014 on our Signature Projects. Now we have reached the end of 2020 we have plenty to be proud of having achieved in celebration of what makes our town and community so special.

The Story of a Barn and a Theatre

7th December 2020

This is the story of a barn and how it became a theatre in Welwyn Garden City. The theatre at the centre of the story is the Barn Theatre situated in Handside Lane and is today a renowned and respected place for amateur drama providing some 10 shows a year as well as other aspects of drama, giving the community quality alternatives to the big professional theatres in London and surrounding district.

Schools’ Photographic Competition 2020

16th November 2020

The WGC Centenary Schools Photographic Competition was the first event launched in 2017 to celebrate the centenary, organised by the WGC Photographic Club.

100 years of Welwyn Garden City…and what the next 100 years hold in store

22nd October 2020

Discover Hertfordshire magazine, published by Archant, has published a lovely four page article in this quarter’s edition. Read the introduction here and view the digital version online. Words by Ellie Fells.

Celebrating our City of Trees this autumn in our centenary year

2nd October 2020

One of the greatest pleasures of the town is the beauty and variety of the 19,000 trees in its streets and public places. Our City of Trees project is part of the centenary celebrations with four areas of the town chosen for their beauty and variety, some of which are seldom seen outside botanic gardens. What better time to explore and enjoy their beauty than autumn?

David Harrison

Deborah Kirby

Jan Kitchin

Clare McIntyre

Diana Walsh

Pat Wells

WELWYN GARDEN CITY CENTENARY FOUNDATION LTD. 51 Valley Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7DH

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Disclaimer

The Foundation can accept no responsibility for the organisation or regulation of any satellite events arranged to mark the centenary of Welwyn Garden City. This includes but is not limited to public liability insurance, health and safety issues (including risk assessments, Performance Licenses and safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults), transport, hiring of facilities, and any costs associated. The use of the Foundation name and logo does not infer any specific oversight or involvement of the Foundation unless stated.”

WGC Centenary Foundation Ltd.