Car-free inHatfieldHertfordshire
Explore Elizabeth I’s childhood home in a historic palace with intricate gardens, miles of parkland, a stable yard full of shops and cafes – and all this two minutes walk from the railway station. Hatfield House is an almost perfect car-free destination. And there are other sights in the area too if you want to branch out, including a working flour mill, a watery country park and a riverside path.
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1. Hatfield House by train
The Bishop of Ely built a palace here in the fifteenth century and some of its ornate red bricks still rise over a Tudor-style knot garden. In 1538, Henry VIII bought the old palace for his kids and two decades later Elizabeth I was sitting under an oak tree nearby when she got the news that she was queen. Wandering around Hatfield House, phrases like “steeped in history” really do feel justified.
- How to get to Hatfield House car-free: Follow Good Journey’s instructions. The fastest trains take just twenty minutes from London’s St Pancras to Hatfield station. You can also take a train from Moorgate or Finsbury Park. Cross the road outside the station and you’re there! You can enter through the pedestrian gate and follow the path ahead.
- The opulent interiors are full of paintings and tapestries, including some of the most iconic portraits of Elizabeth.
- Look out for artworks in the grounds and gardens too – like the face in one of the huge trees of the woodland garden.
- Pick up a leaflet of Woodland Walks. Various routes, 1 to 3 miles long, run past 500-year-old oaks, a castle folly and a lake – beautiful!
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2. Mill Green by bus
On the banks of the River Lea, about a mile north of the station, Mill Green is a museum and working eighteenth-century watermill.
- How to get to Mill Green by bus: Buses 301 or 653 both run regularly from outside Hatfield Railway station. Catch the bus to the stop called Museum walk a few steps further on and follow the brown signs down Mill Green Lane (five mins walk).
- To check whether the watermill will be working, call 01707 357850 on the day. You can buy freshly ground organic flour to take away.
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3. Stanborough Park
This curious nature reserve, created in the 1970s around two flooded gravel pits, is probably not worth making a special trip for, but it can be a great place to stop off if you happen to be nearby and fancy a swan-shaped pedalo, an ice cream by the lake or a good old-fashioned cup of tea.
- The drawback is e traffic noise from the nearby main road, but the South Lake, with its rental rowing boats and café, is a bit more peaceful.
- Kids will probably love the bouncy castles or the hair-raising Vertigo adventure playground by the North Lake: ten meter-high rope walkways, a zip wire and climbing wall.
- How do I get to Stanborough Park without a car? Follow Good Journey’s instructions. Catch the bus as for Mill Green above and follow the Lea valley Way. From just the other side of the junction near Mill Green (see 2 above), the Lea Valley Way’s swan-logo way marks lead away from the main road into Stanborough Park with its two lakes and a café.
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4. Lea Valley Way
This 50 mile walking route follows the River Lea from source to Thames. It’s a bit of a mixed blessing in places, passing through some intractably urban areas and close to Luton airport. On the plus side it’s very easy to access by public transport and has some lovely rural stretches along the way.
- The 10 miles between Hatfield and Harpenden, which also has a station, are among the prettiest.
- This section of the route starts from Mill Green (see 2 above) and passes through Stanborough Park.
- Wheathampstead, a large village with pubs, cafes and an unusual church, makes a good halfway point.
