Annotated map reproduced courtesy of Googlemaps.	Tykeswater Lane is an old road running from Watling Street (opposite Butterfly Lane) to Theobald Street, almost opposite Elstree 49 restricted byway which leads to Woodhall Lane, Shenley. The route was confirmed as a byway, which means of course that it can be ridden, on 23 March 2005, following the original application for it to be opened back in 1991. The work to get this path recorded has taken 14 years! The railway crossing is by a tunnel under the railway, and the crossing of Tykes Water is via a ford. This route forms part of the Aldenham Parish Ride, a community circuit surrounding Aldenham Parish and worked on by the Patchetts Green Riding Club and the British Horse Society since 1990. It subsequently formed part of the Greenway from Bushey to Shenley, as part of the Watling Chase Greenways Pilot Scheme.
The following photographs showed the route prior to the removal of the obstructions, in 2005.
View from Watling Street end of the Lane 29 Mar 2005	Fallen sapling for removal 29 Mar 2005	Fallen sapling for removal 29 Mar 2005	Stile for removal 29 Mar 2005	Stile for removal 29 Mar 2005
View along lane 29 Mar 2005	Kissing gate for removal 29 Mar 2005	View along lane 29 Mar 2005	Kissing gate for removal 29 Mar 2005	Looking towards Theobald Street, under the railway arch 29 Mar 2005
Long Legal Process - but Worth the Wait The process of having a disused right of way reopened can be lengthy. Phil Wadey applied for this path to be recorded back in November 1991. The decision to make an order recording the path was taken by the county council in May 1994. At the public inquiry to resolve the objections, the Inspector, Mr Morgan, turned it down but wrote a strange decision letter in which he concluded that the definitive map was wrong. He failed to use his powers to alter the order to show what he thought the rights were, so we had to start all over again. The second application was made in April 1996. By then, Hertfordshire County Council had taken on a number of additional definitive map staff, and they managed to find additional evidence in the county record office. A new order was made in October 2003. There were, of course, objections. These were eventually withdrawn, and the order was finally confirmed by the Secretary of State on 23 March 2005. So, it was 14 years from the initial application to confirmation, but it produced another 3/4 mile of byway available for riding.

Legal History 1 Nov 1991: Application to upgrade Footpaths to Byway. 25 Feb 1993: Secretary of State directed Hertfordshire County Council to make a decision on the application by 30 Jun 1993. The Hertfordshire County Council (Aldenham 18, 45, 63 & 79 and Elstree and Borehamwood 50 and 60) Modification Order 2003 (confirmed 23 March 2005) added this path to the definitive map as a byway. Some parts had previously been recorded as footpaths. 8 Jun 2005: the County Council have made a temporary traffic regulation order preventing the use of the route until they've completed some surfacing and safety works. 8 Jun 2022: Hertfordshire County Council consult on a proposed Traffic Regulation Order which would have the effect of requiring horse drawn carriages and motor vehicles to get a permit to use the route. We have asked for further details before a response can be sent.

Definitive Statement (10 Dec 2005) Path: [Aldenham] 79.  Status: Byway Open to All Traffic Commences on Tykeswater Lane at the Parish boundary on the eastern side of the Railway bridge at its junction with Elstree and Borehamwood BOAT 60 (TQ1752 9836) then passing under the Railway bridge in a generally south westerly direction to its junction with Aldenham 18 (TQ1750 9834) then, turning south crossing Footpath 41 (TQ1753 9819) and continues to Tykeswater then running on the west side of Tykeswater before turning south west and thence to the junction with Watling Street opposite the junction with Butterfly Lane (TQ1727 9736) Width: Varies in width between 7.4 metres and 18 metres as shown on the HCC (Aldenham 18,45,63,79 and E&B 50&60) Modification Order 2003 Limitations: None Path: [Elstree] 60.  Status: Byway Open to All Traffic  Definitive Map sheet: 85 Commences at junction with Theobald Street, Radlett (TQ1768 9848) and travels generally SW across Tykeswater to the junction with Aldenham 79 on the eastern side of the Railway Bridge (TQ1752 9836) Width: Varies in width between 6 & 36 metres as shown on the HCC (Aldenham 18,45,63,79 and E&B 50&60) Modification Order 2003 Limitations: None

© 2022 Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust. File reference: EC072.