Plan your visit
Getting here
51.81774, -0.17437
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
- 🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
- 🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
- 🅿️Parking 127m away — 20 car parks within reach
🌤️ Visiting this summer
- 🌞Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings
- 🐕Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails
- 🅿️Parking 127m away — 20 car parks within reach
Good to know
- £Free to visit — no entry charge
- 🐕Dogs welcome
- 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
Best for
Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles
Bird watching
Very strong match
Birds — Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie +76 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Woodpigeon, Robin, Magpie +76 more · last seen 2026
Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Field Madder, Yellow Oat-grass, Bladder Campion +23 more · last seen 2025
Dog walks
Strong match
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Azure Damselfly, Hairy Shieldbug, Large Red Damselfly +22 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Azure Damselfly, Hairy Shieldbug, Large Red Damselfly +22 more · last seen 2026
Foraging
Good match
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Trails nearby
Within roughly 5 km🚶Walking
12 signed routes nearby · 17 public paths nearby
Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Walking
Old Railway & River LeaWalking route7.9 km
After a brief visit to the remains of Wheathampstead railway station, the walk follows the Ayot Greenway (route of the Permanent Way) to Ayot Green. The return journey follows the course of the River Lea.
Lea Valley WalkWalking route
Hertfordshire WayWalking route267 km
Long distance path
STOOP Link Path 4 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path LinkWalking route
A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 6 o'clock on clockface)
Hertfordshire Chain WalkWalking route
Not waymarked
Old Herns Lanepublic footpath · 32 m
Old Herns Lanepublic footpath · 409 m
🚴Cycling
74 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Cycling
Ayot GreenwayCycling route
Route 12Cycling route
Route 61Cycling route34 km
Route 61 travels from Maidenhead to Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford before arriving near Hoddesdon.
NCN National Route 57Cycling route
Main RouteCycling route52 m
Main RouteCycling route53 m
🐴Horse riding
16 public paths nearby
Public paths
Horse riding
Back Lanebyway open to all traffic · 645 m
Margery Lanebyway open to all traffic · 456 m
Wildlife to spot
Photos
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Nearby places
Useful places within 5 km
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