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The Meadow

3 ha

📷 Wikipedia · Meadow · CC BY-SA 3.0

Plan your visit

BirdsWildlifeInsects

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome3 ha

Getting here

51.85566, -0.11165

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦65+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Jackdaw
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦65+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Woodpigeon and Jackdaw
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

ParkingPlayground

Best for

9 activities

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow +62 more · last seen 2025

Free

Wildlife

Strong match

Birds — Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow +62 more · last seen 2025

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Insects — Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Ringlet +72 more · last seen 2025

Free

Playgrounds

Strong match

playground, parking

Free

Family friendly

Strong match

playground; Urban park — family destination

Free

Seasonal nature

Strong match

Plants — Himalayan Balsam, Lords-and-Ladies, Primrose +54 more · last seen 2025

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

11 signed routes nearby · 24 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

STOOP Link Path 3 - Stevenage Outer Orbital Path LinkWalking route

A link from Stevenage to the STOOP path (at approx 4 o'clock on clockface)

Named route

Hertfordshire WayWalking route267 km

Long distance path

Named routeLength 267 kmRegional walking route

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)

Named route

Hertfordshire Chain WalkWalking route

Not waymarked

Named routeRegional walking route

Circular Walk "Town to Country No 2"Walking route

Named route

School Lanepublic footpath · 61 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 61 mPath type: residential

School Lanepublic footpath · 66 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 66 mPath type: residential

School Lanepublic footpath · 85 m

Public pathpublic footpathLength 85 mPath type: residential

🚴

Cycling

2 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

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

Main RouteCycling route808 m

Named routeRef 61Length 808 mNational Cycle NetworkTraffic-freeSurface unsealedfirm

🐴

Horse riding

3 public paths nearby

Public paths

Mill Lanebridleway · 382 m

Public pathbridlewayLength 382 mSurface asphaltPath type: bridleway

Wildlife to spot

2,538 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

2,538 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds56 species

winterspring

2025

Jackdaw · Woodpigeon · Swift · Carrion Crow · Magpie +51

JackdawColoeus monedula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
SwiftApus apus2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
MagpiePica pica
RobinErithacus rubecula
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Great TitParus major
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
JayGarrulus glandarius
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
GadwallMareca strepera
DunnockPrunella modularis
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
Greylag GooseAnser anser
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
Coal TitPeriparus ater2024
LinnetLinaria cannabina2023
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
CootFulica atra
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2023
Sylvia atricapilla atricapillaSylvia atricapilla atricapilla2023
Mute SwanCygnus olor2023
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2023
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2023
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
NuthatchSitta europaea2023
Fulica atra atraFulica atra atra2023
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2023
House MartinDelichon urbicum2023
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2023
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
RedwingTurdus iliacus2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023

🦌

Mammals2 species

springsummer

2024

Pipistrelle Bat species · Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrelle Bat speciesPipistrellus
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023

🦎

Reptiles2 species

spring

2025

Grass Snake · Slow-worm

Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica
Slow-wormAnguis fragilis2024

🐝

Insects11 species

autumn

2025

Harlequin Ladybird · Broad-bodied Chaser · Cantharis rustica · 7-spot Ladybird · Southern Hawker +6

Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
Broad-bodied ChaserLibellula depressa2024
Cantharis rusticaCantharis rustica
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Southern HawkerAeshna cyanea2024
Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2024

🌿

Plants6 species

springautumn

2025

Lords-and-Ladies · Common Whitlowgrass · Thale Cress · Himalayan Balsam · Traveller's-joy +1

Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum2023
Common WhitlowgrassErophila verna
Thale CressArabidopsis thaliana
Himalayan BalsamImpatiens glandulifera2024
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba2023
Pendulous Sedge

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

2,538 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds56 species

winterspring

2025

Jackdaw · Woodpigeon · Swift · Carrion Crow · Magpie +51

JackdawColoeus monedula
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
SwiftApus apus2023
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
MagpiePica pica
RobinErithacus rubecula
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis
Great TitParus major
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2024
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
JayGarrulus glandarius
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus2024
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2024
RookCorvus frugilegus2024
House SparrowPasser domesticus2024
GreenfinchChloris chloris2024
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca
Mistle ThrushTurdus viscivorus
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
GadwallMareca strepera
DunnockPrunella modularis
Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
Greylag GooseAnser anser
BlackbirdTurdus merula2024
Coal TitPeriparus ater2024
LinnetLinaria cannabina2023
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2023
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto2023
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
PheasantPhasianus colchicus
CootFulica atra
LapwingVanellus vanellus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2024
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2024
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2024
Tawny OwlStrix aluco2023
Sylvia atricapilla atricapillaSylvia atricapilla atricapilla2023
Mute SwanCygnus olor2023
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2023
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2023
SwallowHirundo rustica2023
NuthatchSitta europaea2023
Fulica atra atraFulica atra atra2023
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2023
House MartinDelichon urbicum2023
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2023
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2023
RedwingTurdus iliacus2023
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2023

🦌

Mammals2 species

springsummer

2024

Pipistrelle Bat species · Common Pipistrelle

Pipistrelle Bat speciesPipistrellus
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus2023

🦎

Reptiles2 species

spring

2025

Grass Snake · Slow-worm

Grass SnakeNatrix helvetica
Slow-wormAnguis fragilis2024

🐝

Insects11 species

autumn

2025

Harlequin Ladybird · Broad-bodied Chaser · Cantharis rustica · 7-spot Ladybird · Southern Hawker +6

Harlequin LadybirdHarmonia axyridis
Broad-bodied ChaserLibellula depressa2024
Cantharis rusticaCantharis rustica
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Southern HawkerAeshna cyanea2024
Banded DemoiselleCalopteryx splendens2024

🌿

Plants6 species

springautumn

2025

Lords-and-Ladies · Common Whitlowgrass · Thale Cress · Himalayan Balsam · Traveller's-joy +1

Lords-and-LadiesArum maculatum2023
Common WhitlowgrassErophila verna
Thale CressArabidopsis thaliana
Himalayan BalsamImpatiens glandulifera2024
Traveller's-joyClematis vitalba2023
Pendulous Sedge

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Wikipedia · Meadow · CC BY-SA 3.0

Meadow

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦WOODHALL PARKHistoric site1.7 km→🌱Woodhall ParkUrban park1.8 km→🌱Datchworth GreenUrban park3.5 km→🦉WATERFORD HEATHNature reserve4.5 km→✦BENINGTON LORDSHIPHistoric site4.5 km→🌱Turkey Farm Recreation GroundUrban park3.4 km→