← Back🌱 Urban park

Former Abbey View Golf Course

23 ha

📷 Martin Addison · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

BirdsWildlifeDogs

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome23 ha

Getting here

51.74519, -0.35142

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦63+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Black-headed Gull
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
🅿️St Albans Abbey Station 28m away — 20 car parks within reach

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦63+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Black-headed Gull
🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
🅿️St Albans Abbey Station 28m away — 20 car parks within reach

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Parking· Paid

Best for

9 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull, Mallard +60 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull, Mallard +60 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals; Multi-group wildlife — Birds, Mammals

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, Trioza centranthi +7 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Harlequin Ladybird, 7-spot Ladybird, Trioza centranthi +7 more · last seen 2026

Free

Foraging

Good match

Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic

Varies

Family friendly

Good match

Urban park — family destination

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

15 signed routes nearby · 32 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

Ver Valley Walk 5Walking route

The Three Burys Walk

Named routeRef Ver5Local walking route

Ver Valley Walk 7Walking route

The Watermeadow Walk

Named routeRef Ver 7Local walking route

Ver Valley Walk 8Walking route

The Confluence Walk

Named routeRef Ver 8Local walking route

River Ver TrailWalking route

17 mile footpath along the River Ver

Named routeRegional walking route

Nickey LineWalking route

Named route

St Albans Green Ringpublic footpath · 4 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 4 mSurface asphaltPath type: cycleway

St Albans Green Ringpublic footpath · 2 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 2 mSurface asphaltPath type: cycleway

Verulamium Park cycle path- Causewaypublic footpath · 52 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 52 mSurface asphaltPath type: cycleway

🚴

Cycling

73 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Hemel Hempstead cycle route 7Cycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Verulamium Park Cycle PathCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Route 6Cycling route

Named routeRef 6National Cycle Network

St Albans Green RingCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Route 61Cycling route34 km

Route 61 travels from Maidenhead to Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford before arriving near Hoddesdon.

Named routeRef 61Length 34 kmNational Cycle Network

NCN National Route 57Cycling route

Named routeRef 57National Cycle Network

Wildlife to spot

67,639 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

67,639 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

winter

2026

Mallard · Black-headed Gull · Moorhen · Robin · Coot +43

MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
RobinErithacus rubecula
CootFulica atra
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Common GullLarus canus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Great TitParus major2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

winter

2026

Grey Squirrel · Domestic Dog · Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Domestic DogCanis lupus subsp. familiaris2025
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus

🐝

Insects5 species

winterspring

2026

Trioza centranthi · 7-spot Ladybird · Syrphus · Scathophaga stercoraria · Harlequin Ladybird

Trioza centranthiTrioza centranthi
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
SyrphusSyrphus
Scathophaga stercorariaScathophaga stercoraria
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

67,639 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds48 species

winter

2026

Mallard · Black-headed Gull · Moorhen · Robin · Coot +43

MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
RobinErithacus rubecula
CootFulica atra
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
KingfisherAlcedo atthis
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Common GullLarus canus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
Great TitParus major2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
GreenfinchChloris chloris
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
PeregrineFalco peregrinus2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
Greylag GooseAnser anser2025
Mute SwanCygnus olor
Yellow-browed WarblerPhylloscopus inornatus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
RookCorvus frugilegus2025
FieldfareTurdus pilaris2025
LinnetLinaria cannabina2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
SiskinSpinus spinus2025
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

winter

2026

Grey Squirrel · Domestic Dog · Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis2025
Domestic DogCanis lupus subsp. familiaris2025
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus

🐝

Insects5 species

winterspring

2026

Trioza centranthi · 7-spot Ladybird · Syrphus · Scathophaga stercoraria · Harlequin Ladybird

Trioza centranthiTrioza centranthi
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
SyrphusSyrphus
Scathophaga stercorariaScathophaga stercoraria
Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Martin Addison · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Abbey View Athletics Track

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Verulamium ParkUrban park500 m→✦Roman VerulamiumHistoric site900 m→🌱Grebe House Wildlife GardenUrban park800 m→✦BasillicaHistoric site900 m→✦Verulamium, site ofHistoric site900 m→🌱Greenwood ParkUrban park1.8 km→

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