From 29th to 31st July 1841, the 6th Earl Cowper welcomed Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to Panshanger House. Join HMWT volunteer David in retracing her steps, stopping to learn about the visit with extracts from the Queen’s journal, contemporary newspaper articles, and pictures of the house and its environs.

Accessing the Park from Panshanger Lane, you park by the bridge where the Queen first crossed the “Minirane”. Ascend to the site of the house you'll hear about the Art Gallery in which she dined and received an address from the Mayor of Hertford. Proceeding along the South Terrace, on which she “showed herself to the people”, we’ll continue to the magnificent “Panshanger Oak". Heading diagonally down the valley, we’ll come to the “Keepers Cottage” where the Royal couple watched “sports of the field, dogs, etc”. We then return along the river valley to the parking area, the Queen having left via the lodge at Cole Green.

Who knows, you may find out how the Cowpers are related to the present King!

The walk will be approximately 2 miles, mostly on gravelly or grassy paths. These paths may be uneven and at times of bad weather could become muddy so please wear appropriate footwear. The route is mainly level, but has with one uphill section not long after the start, and one section down to the valley bottom halfway through.

This event is weather dependent and may need to be cancelled at short notice.