# Hertfordshire

Hertfordshire, on London's northern border, is a predominantly rural county. The countryside is broken up by several market towns like Hertford and Hitchin, large towns like Watford and Stevenage, one cathedral city in St Albans, and dozens of smaller villages.
Some of the county's parks and green spaces have special legal status to protect their unique appearances - among them the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the Lee Valley Regional Park. Many of Hertfordshire's towns are on mainline rail routes out of London, with some stations within the London fare zones, on the famous tube map.
The county is regularly seen on screen. With large film and TV studios at Elstree, Leavesden (which is home to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour) and Bovingdon, crews often make excursions to picturesque towns and villages nearby.

## Towns and villages
### Towns

* 51.755-0.3361 St Albans – city with a magnificent cathedral
* 51.795-0.0782 Hertford – the county town, with a castle and plenty of restaurants
* 51.99-0.193 Baldock
* 51.76-0.564 Berkhamsted – historic town on the Grand Union Canal
* 51.8720.17255 Bishop's Stortford
* 51.658-0.2736 Borehamwood
* 51.9445-0.0167 Buntingford
* 51.702-0.0358 Cheshunt
* 51.8175-0.35249 Harpenden
* 51.762-0.22810 Hatfield – home of Hatfield House, childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I
* 51.7526-0.469211 Hemel Hempstead
* 51.947-0.28312 Hitchin
* 51.978-0.2313 Letchworth Garden City
* 51.698-0.18314 Potters Bar
* 51.6383-0.465915 Rickmansworth
* 52.0471-0.020216 Royston
* 51.9-0.217 Stevenage
* 51.7962-0.659218 Tring – featuring the Natural History Museum Tring
* 51.817-0.029219 Ware
* 51.655-0.39569420 Watford
* 51.831-0.21521 Welwyn Garden City

### Villages

* 51.701-0.41622 Abbots Langley
* 51.721-0.20323 Brookmans Park
* 51.71559-0.4569224 Kings Langley
* 51.866-0.18425 Knebworth
* 51.726-0.326 London Colney
* 51.966667-0.33333327 Pirton
* 51.7986-0.395328 Redbourn

## Other destinations

* 51.792131-0.6257711 Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - the Chiltern Hills spans several counties, across the area between Reading, Berkshire and Hitchin. In Hertfordshire, the AONB features countryside around Tring and the Offleys
* 51.692462-0.018362 Lee Valley Regional Park - protected land between Ware and the River Thames, London, to support "recreation, sport, entertainment and the enjoyment of leisure"
* 51.630435-0.4803013 Colne Valley Regional Park - managed land along the River Colne between Staines, Surrey and Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire

## Understand

The county is situated just north of London. It has the third highest population density for a non-metropolitan county after Surrey and Berkshire which are similarly suburban in nature. The Hertfordshire district of Hertsmere has the highest percentage of Jewish residents (11% but much larger in certain towns such as Radlett) of any English district outside London.

## Get in
### By plane

Two London airports flank Hertfordshire - London Stansted (STN) in Essex and London Luton (LTN) in Bedfordshire.
London Stansted Airport is less than 5 mi (8.0 km) by road from Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire. It is one of the largest airports in the UK, with a great many flights arriving from cities throughout the UK, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Using public transport, Stansted Express trains depart the terminal building for Bishop's Stortford. Change at Bishop's Stortford for trains to Sawbridgeworth, Broxbourne and Cheshunt. Trains from Stansted continue to Tottenham Hale in London, where you can change for trains to Ware and Hertford East. Stansted Express is part of the National Rail network. Local bus routes 508/509/510 depart Stansted Airport (outside the terminal building) for Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth. National Express 737 coach services depart Stansted Airport for Oxford via Hertford and Hatfield.
London Luton Airport is around 5 mi (8.0 km) by road from Harpenden and 9 mi (14 km) from Hitchin in Hertfordshire. It is a major international airport with a large number of short-haul flights from cities throughout the UK and Europe, particularly destinations in Eastern Europe and along the Mediterranean coast. Using public transport, Thameslink trains depart Luton Airport Parkway station nearby for Harpenden, St Albans City and Borehamwood. Trains from Luton Airport Parkway continue into London St Pancras International, where you can change for trains to Potters Bar, Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City. Thameslink is part of the National Rail network. A rail link (Luton DART) connects the airport terminal with Luton Airport Parkway. Local bus route 100 departs Luton Airport for Hitchin and Stevenage. Route X10 departs Luton Airport for Harpenden and Hatfield. National Express 737 coach services depart Luton Airport for Stansted Airport via Hatfield and Hertford.
Further afield, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) is around 18 mi (29 km) by road from Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, using the motorway. It is one of the world's largest international airports, with a large number of arrivals from cities throughout the UK, Europe, Africa, Asia and Central, North and South America. Using public transport, the Railair RA3 coach route departs terminals 2 and 3 for Watford, including Watford Town Hall and Watford Junction railway station. Bus route 724 departs terminals 2, 3 and 5 bound for Harlow via Rickmansworth, Watford, St Albans, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford and Ware. By train, London Underground Piccadilly line PIC connects Heathrow Airport terminals with King's Cross St Pancras (for National Rail trains to Borehamwood, St Albans, Harpenden, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston). The Elizabeth Line ELI connects the terminals with Farringdon (for National Rail trains to Borehamwood, St Albans, Harpenden, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston) and Liverpool Street (for National Rail trains to Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Ware, Hertford East and Bishop's Stortford, and National Rail trains from Moorgate to Hertford North, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Stevenage).
South of London, Gatwick Airport (LGW) has a direct rail link with Hertfordshire. It is a large international airport, with a large number of arrivals from cities throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and North America. Thameslink trains - part of the National Rail network - depart Gatwick Airport 24 hours a day to St Albans City, Harpenden, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston.
In the West Midlands, Birmingham Airport (BHX) is around 95 mi (153 km) by road from Watford in Hertfordshire, using the and motorways. It is an international airport with flights arriving from cities throughout the UK, Europe and Asia. Trains depart nearby Birmingham International railway station to Watford. Change at Milton Keynes Central for trains to Tring, Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire.
There is a small runway at Elstree Aerodrome in Hertfordshire.

### By train

Most major towns in Hertfordshire have railway stations with regular National Rail services. Some towns and villages also lie on the London Underground network.
You can get into Hertfordshire from several London stations. These are:
* London Marylebone - Stopping Chiltern Railways trains to Rickmansworth and Chorleywood. Use London Underground Bakerloo line BAK for Marylebone. Alight at Rickmansworth for a short walk - around 0.5 mi (0.80 km) - to Rickmansworth Aquadrome and the Colne Valley Regional Park.
* London Euston - Metro-style London Overground Lioness line LIO trains to Carpenders Park, Bushey, Watford High Street and Watford Junction. Stopping London Northwestern Railway trains to Bushey, Watford Junction, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring. Fast Avanti West Coast trains to Watford Junction. Alight at Watford High Street for the town's main shopping street, near the large Atria shopping centre. Alight at Watford Junction for buses to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. Change at Watford Junction for trains to St Albans Abbey via Watford North, Garston, Bricket Wood, How Wood and Park Street. Alight at Tring for a hilly walk to Ashridge Forest in the Chilterns National Landscape, less than 3 mi (4.8 km) from the station. Use London Underground Northern and Victoria lines NOR VIC for Euston, or the Central, Hammersmith and City, or Metropolitan lines CIR H&C MET for Euston Square.
* London St Pancras International - Stopping and fast Thameslink trains to Elstree and Borehamwood, Radlett, St Albans City, Harpenden, Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Ashwell and Morden, and Royston. Use London Underground Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines CIR H&C MET NOR PIC VIC for King's Cross St Pancras. You can also catch trains on this route from other stations in London, including East Croydon, Wimbledon, London Bridge, London Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, Kentish Town and West Hampstead Thameslink. Alight at Hatfield for a short walk - around 0.3 mi (0.48 km) - to Hatfield House, a 17th-century Jacobean mansion built by Lord High Treasurer Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, and the adjoining 15th-century Old Palace, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I.
* London King's Cross - Stopping and fast Great Northern and Thameslink trains to Potters Bar, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City, Baldock, Ashwell and Morden, and Royston. Fast London Northwestern Railway, Hull Trains and Lumo services to Stevenage. Use London Underground Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines CIR H&C MET NOR PIC VIC for King's Cross St Pancras. Alight at Hatfield for a short walk - around 0.3 mi (0.48 km) - to Hatfield House.
* London Moorgate - Stopping Great Northern trains to Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Welham Green, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Cuffley, Bayford, Hertford North, Watton-at-Stone and Stevenage. Use London Underground Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan and Northern lines CIR H&C MET NOR for Moorgate, or the Elizabeth Line ELI (alight at Liverpool Street). Alight at Hatfield for a short walk - around 0.3 mi (0.48 km) - to Hatfield House.
* London Liverpool Street - Metro-style Weaver line WEA trains to Theobalds Grove and Cheshunt. Stopping and fast Greater Anglia trains to Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Rye House, St Margarets, Ware, Hertford East, Roydon, Sawbridgeworth and Bishop's Stortford. Fast Stansted Express trains to Bishop's Stortford. Use London Underground Central Circle, Hammersmith and City, and Metropolitan lines CEN CIR H&C MET for Liverpool Street, or the Elizabeth Line ELI . Alight at Cheshunt, Broxbourne or Rye House for the Lee Valley Regional Park and its network of waterways, home to wintering Bittern, Gadwall and Smew, and summertime Common Tern and Kingfisher. Alight at Hertford East for a short walk - around 0.2 mi (0.32 km) - to the town's busy cafés, restaurants, pubs and Salisbury Square weekly market. You can also catch stopping trains on this route from London Stratford.
You can also catch stopping Southern trains to Watford Junction from Clapham Junction, Kensington Olympia, Shepherd's Bush and Wembley Central.
London Underground Metropolitan line MET services call at Moor Park, Croxley, Watford, Rickmansworth and Chorleywood. You can catch "Met line" trains from stations throughout the City of London and North London, including Wembley and Harrow. Alight at Rickmansworth for a short walk - around 0.5 mi (0.80 km) - to Rickmansworth Aquadrome and the Colne Valley Regional Park.
From Buckinghamshire, use Chiltern Railways from Aylesbury and Amersham to Chorleywood and Rickmansworth. Use London Northwestern Railway from Milton Keynes Central to Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Apsley, Kings Langley, Watford Junction and Bushey. Alight at Watford Junction for buses to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. Change at Watford Junction for trains to St Albans Abbey via Watford North, Garston, Bricket Wood, How Wood and Park Street. Alight at Tring for a hilly walk to Ashridge Forest in the Chilterns National Landscape, less than 3 mi (4.8 km) from the station.
From Glasgow, North West England including Manchester and the West Midlands including Birmingham, use Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway trains to Watford Junction. Change at Milton Keynes Central for stopping trains to Tring, Berkhamsted, Hemel Hempstead, Apsley and Kings Langley. The Caledonian Sleeper operates overnight between Scotland (Glasgow and Edinburgh) and Watford Junction. A special booking may be required for this sleeper service.
From Bedford, Luton and Luton Airport Parkway, use Thameslink trains to Harpenden, St Albans City, Elstree and Borehamwood, and Radlett. A 24-hour service operates on this route. Passengers from Sheffield and the East Midlands including Nottingham and Leicester can use East Midlands Railway services to Bedford and change for Thameslink trains.
From Edinburgh and North East England including Newcastle upon Tyne and York, use London Northwestern Railway fast trains to Stevenage.
From Peterborough and Huntingdon, use Thameslink trains to Hitchin and Stevenage.
From Cambridge, use Great Northern and Thameslink trains to Royston, Ashwell and Morden, Baldock, Letchworth, Hitchin, Stevenage, Knebworth, Welwyn North, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield and Potters Bar. Alight at Hatfield for a short walk - around 0.3 mi (0.48 km) - to Hatfield House. Use Greater Anglia trains to Bishop's Stortford, Sawbridgeworth, Roydon, Broxbourne and Cheshunt. Alight at Cheshunt or Broxbourne for the Lee Valley Regional Park. Change at Broxbourne for trains to Rye House, St Margarets, Ware and Hertford East. Passengers from Norwich and Ipswich can use Greater Anglia services to Cambridge and change for services into Hertfordshire.
From Brighton and Gatwick Airport, use Thameslink trains to St Albans City, Harpenden, Stevenage, Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock, Ashwell and Morden, and Royston. A 24-hour service operates between Gatwick Airport and Harpenden via St Albans City.

### By car

Hertfordshire is well connected to the rest of the country by road.
The motorway passes Bushey, Watford, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead. It is a very busy road with speed cameras. At peak times or "rush hour" periods, the route can become very congested with stop-start traffic. Use the route from Brent Cross (London), Luton, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds. Exit at Junction 5 for the Atria Watford shopping centre.
The London Orbital motorway passes Rickmansworth, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Borehamwood, Hatfield, Potters Bar and Waltham Cross. It is a very busy road with speed cameras. At peak times or "rush hour" periods, and during peak holiday periods, the route can become very congested with stop-start traffic. Use the route from Woking, Heathrow Airport, Slough, Brentwood, Thurrock and Dartford. Exit at Junction 19 (clockwise only) or Junction 20 for Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter. Exit at Junction 25 for the Lee Valley White Water Centre and the Lee Valley Regional Park.
The - in tandem with the - passes Borehamwood, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Stevenage, Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City. Drivers on this two-lane route experience frequent congestion during peak times. Use the route from The City, Archway, Brent Cross, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Grantham, Doncaster, Leeds, Darlington, Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Edinburgh. Exit at Junction 2 for Hatfield House. Exit at Junction 3 for The Galleria shopping centre in Hatfield. Exit at Junction 7 for Knebworth House.
From The City, Tottenham, Cambridge, Ely and King's Lynn, use the for Waltham Cross, Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Hertford, Ware, Puckeridge, Buntingford and Royston. Parts of the dual-carriageway near Waltham Cross can become congested at peak times.
From Harwich, Colchester, Braintree and Stansted Airport, use the for Bishop's Stortford and Puckeridge.
From London's West End, Brent Cross, Aylesbury and Bicester including Bicester Village designer outlet, use the for Elstree, Watford including Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted and Tring.
From Maldon, Chelmsford and Harlow, use the for Ware, Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead.
From Leighton Buzzard, Luton, Duxford and Abington near Cambridge, use the for Hitchin, Letchworth Garden City and Royston.
Other routes into Hertfordshire include:
* to Waltham Cross (from Epping Forest and Waltham Abbey)
* to Potters Bar and Hatfield (from Barnet)
* to St Albans and Harpenden (from Barnet and Luton)
* to Royston (from Huntingdon)
* to Rickmansworth and Chorleywood (from Wembley, Harrow and Amersham)
* to Borehamwood, Elstree, Bushey and Watford (from Barnet)
* to Rickmansworth and Watford (from Slough and Denham)
In nearby Essex and Cambridgeshire, the passes close to the Hertfordshire border between East London, Harlow and Cambridge. Exit at Junction 8 for Bishop's Stortford. From the south, exit at Junction 10 for Royston. From the north, exit at Junction 11 for Royston and Hertford.

### By bus and coach

From London Victoria Coach Station, use:
* Flixbus UK006 to Stevenage (also from Cambridge)
* Green Line 755/757 to Bricket Wood near St Albans and Watford (also from Luton Airport)
Use National Express 707 to Hemel Hempstead from Heathrow Airport, Luton Airport, Milton Keynes Coachway, Northampton, Coventry, Birmingham Airport and Birmingham Coach Station.
Use National Express 737 to Hertford and Hatfield from Stansted Airport, Harlow, Luton Airport, Luton, Milton Keynes Coachway and Oxford.
Use Railair RA3 from Heathrow Airport to Watford Town Hall and Watford Junction.
Local bus routes cross into Hertfordshire from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex. Routes include:
* the one 1 to Hemel Hempstead from High Wycombe, Amersham and Chesham
* X5 to Tring, Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead from Aylesbury
* 9 to Hitchin and Stevenage from Bedford and Shefford
* X10 to Harpenden and Hatfield from Luton and Luton Airport Parkway
* 13 to Waltham Cross from North Weald, Epping including Epping London Underground station ( CEN ), Epping Forest and Waltham Abbey
* 26 to Royston from Cambridge
* 46 to Redbourn, Markyate and Hemel Hempstead from Luton
* 66 to Waltham Cross from Loughton including Loughton London Underground station ( CEN ), Debden including Debden London Underground station ( CEN ), Epping Forest and Waltham Abbey
* 100 to Hitchin and Stevenage from Luton and Luton Airport
* 301 to Bishop's Stortford from Saffron Walden and Stansted Mountfitchet
* 321 to Harpenden, St Albans and Watford from Luton
* 508/509/510 to Bishop's Stortford and Sawbridgeworth from Stansted Airport, Stansted Mountfitchet and Harlow
* dragonfly 610 to Potters Bar, Hatfield and Harpenden from Cockfosters London Underground station ( PIC ) and Luton.
* The Comet 614 to Borehamwood and Hatfield from Queensbury London Underground station ( JUB ), Edgware near Edgware London Underground station ( NOR ) and Barnet
* 724 to Rickmansworth, Watford, St Albans, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Hertford and Ware from Heathrow Airport and Harlow
You can plan your journey in Hertfordshire using the Intalink website.
London Buses cross into Hertfordshire. You can use an Oyster or Contactless card to pay for turn-up-and-go travel on these London Bus routes, including:
* 107 to Elstree and Borehamwood from New Barnet, High Barnet London Underground station ( NOR ) and Edgware including Edgware London Underground station ( NOR )
* 142 to Bushey, Watford High Street and Watford Junction from Brent Cross Shopping Centre and Edgware near Edgware London Underground station ( NOR )
* 217 to Waltham Cross from Turnpike Lane London Underground station ( PIC ) and Enfield
* 258 to Bushey, Watford High Street and Watford Junction from South Harrow including South Harrow London Underground station ( PIC ) and Harrow Bus Station including Harrow-on-the-Hill station ( MET )
* 279 to Waltham Cross from Manor House London Underground station ( PIC ), Tottenham Town Hall near Seven Sisters London Underground station ( VIC ) and Edmonton
* 292 to Borehamwood from Colindale
* 313 to Potters Bar from Chingford and Enfield
* 491 to Waltham Cross from North Middlesex Hospital and Edmonton
Hertfordshire has a limited overnight network. Route 510 through Harlow, Sawbridgeworth, Bishop's Stortford and Stansted Airport operates overnight. London Bus route N279 runs all night between London's Trafalgar Square and Waltham Cross, via Leicester Square, Tottenham Court Road, Camden Town, Finsbury Park, Manor House, Tottenham and Edmonton.

### By bicycle

Active travel charity Sustrans maintains a network of leisure cycle routes throughout Hertfordshire, as part of the National Cycle Network. These routes are generally signposted along traffic-free paths or quieter country roads.
Route straddles the Hertfordshire and Essex border, along the rivers Lee and Stort. Cyclists generally share this part of the route with pedestrians, along canal towpaths and shared-use paths, maintained by the Canal and River Trust and the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. Northbound cyclists leave London near Enfield Lock, crossing Gunpowder Park in Essex. Find the Meridian Way towards Waltham Cross, and join the River Lee towpath opposite Highbridge Retail Park near Waltham Town Lock. Northbound cyclists will follow the general route: Waltham Abbey - Cheshunt - Lower Nazeing - Dobb's Weir - Roydon. Southbound cyclists from Harlow can join the River Stort towpath at Roydon Marina Village, just south-west of Roydon station. The route ultimately links Dover in Kent with Tain in the Scottish Highlands. In London, follow the route through Canary Wharf, Mile End, Hackney Wick, Tottenham and Brimsdown. In Essex, follow the route through Colchester, Tiptree, Maldon, Chelmsford, Fyfield and Harlow. This cycleway is part of EuroVelo Capitals Route between Dublin and Moscow, via Bristol, London, Harwich, The Hague, Berlin, Warsaw, and Minsk.

## Get around
### By train

There are very few east-west rail links across Hertfordshire. It is often quicker to travel through central London by train, rather than using alternative public transport within the county only.
East-west routes in Hertfordshire include:
* Watford Junction - St Albans Abbey - London Northwestern Railway via Watford North and Bricket Wood
* London - Letchworth - Cambridge - Thameslink and Great Northern via Stevenage, Letchworth, Royston and Cambridge

### By car

It is easy to travel within Hertfordshire by car, but there is heavy congestion at peak times on some routes - particularly around Broxbourne, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead and Potters Bar.

### By bus

Check local routes online or at bus stops. Intalink is the official Hertfordshire County Council public transport website. In addition to regular, timetabled routes, dial-a-ride (bookable) services include ArrivaClick in Watford and HertsLynx in eastern and northern Hertfordshire.

### By bike

Cycle routes criss-cross Hertfordshire. Some longer routes include:
* Ware - Hertford - Welwyn Garden City (Cole Green Way) - approximately 10 mi (16 km) miles of signposted cycleway between Ware, Hertford and Welwyn Garden City. The seven-mile stretch between Hertford and WGC follows a former railway line. Part of the National Cycle Network Route 61;
* Chilterns Cycleway - a 170 mi (270 km) route which mostly follows minor roads. Access via Berkhamsted, Harpenden or Tring in Hertfordshire.
Towpaths along the Grand Union Canal (Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring), Lee Navigation (Hertford, Ware, Hoddesdon and Cheshunt) and River Stort (Sawbridgeworth and Bishop's Stortford) are also shared-use paths.

## See

With historic homes, pretty market streets, and rivers and valleys, there are a great many things to see in Hertfordshire.
Ashridge Estate, near Tring, has rolling hills and a 5,000-acre woodland managed by the National Trust. The Natural History Museum at Tring is a sister museum to the larger Natural History Museum in London. More than 4,900 objects are stored in the Hertfordshire collection, including two little fleas dressed as Mexicans dating back to 1905 and the last British specimen of the great auk, which is extinct.
Hatfield House, near Hatfield, was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I.
The Henry Moore Studios, in Much Hadham near Bishop's Stortford has a 70-acre sculpture garden at his former home.
Royston Cave, near Royston, features carvings which depict Christian icons in a medieval style, and some earlier Pagan symbols.
You can spot common tern, kestrel, owls and kingfisher at the RSPB Rye Meads bird reserve in the lush green Lee Valley south of Ware.
St Albans Cathedral has the longest nave of any cathedral in England. The St Albans Museums include 159 Roman coins unearthed in the Hertfordshire countryside, an ancient Roman heating system, and an exhibition space in the city centre.
The Welwyn Roman Baths, in Welwyn Garden City, is a 1,800-year-old Roman bathhouse.

## Do

A large county close to London, Hertfordshire is home to several hands-on attractions, sports venues and events.

### Attractions

Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne outside of Hertford, has white lions, tigers, snow leopards, zebras, reindeer, tapir, meerkat, red pandas and capybaras.
The Warner Bros. Studio Tour takes you inside the Leavesden studios, where the Harry Potter films were made, just north of Watford Junction.

### Arts, music and festivals

Alban Arena in St Albans hosts a range of events, from local theatre and dance groups to shows on the national comedy circuit. The St Albans Comedy Garden is an annual summer festival of comedy in featuring some of the biggest names on the London and national circuts.
Hatfield Park hosts a year-round calendar featuring markets, immersive theatre, music festivals, concerts, motor shows, fireworks, Christmas lights, and the Folk by the Oak festival.
Knebworth House near Stevenage runs events throughout the year including concerts, gardening events, motor shows and Christmas markets.
Standon Calling, held in fields near Standon south of Buntingford, is an enormous, friendly festival featuring some of the biggest names in UK music.
Watford Colosseum hosts a range of music and drama events throughout the year.

### Sports

Hertfordshire is home to a network of active travel trails for walking and cycling. Among them are:
* Chilterns Cycleway. A 170-mile circular cycle route through Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire, through the Chiltern Hills AONB. More than 95 per cent of the route is on-road, mostly following minor routes. (updated Jun 2023)
* The Hertfordshire Way. A 195-mile waymarked, circular, long-distance footpath through Hertfordshire's countryside. The route takes in the Chilterns as well as several towns and villages, including Hertford, Kings Langley, Tring, Royston, Bishop's Stortford and St Albans. An extension to the path passes through the Lee Valley. (updated Jun 2023)
* Icknield Way. A 110-mile footpath between Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire to Thetford Forest in Norfolk. Dubbed the "oldest road in Britain" and one of the "four highways of medieval England", this ancient track joins the Ridgeway National Trail near Tring in Hertfordshire, linking it up with Dorset. Join the Icknield Way in Hertfordshire near Tring, Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock and Royston. There is a 170-mile Icknield Way equestrian and mountain bike trail which runs roughly parallel to the walking route. (updated Jun 2023)
* New River Path. A 28-mile walk between Finsbury in London and Hertford, through Great Amwell, Hoddesdon and Cheshunt. It follows the course of the New River, which opened in 1613 to supply the capital with water. (updated Jun 2023)
Lee Valley White Water Centre, near Waltham Cross in the Lee Valley, was the London 2012 Olympics canoe and kayak venue. The centre is open to the public for rafting or paddling.
Stanborough Park Water Sports Centre has lakes open for sailing, canoeing, paddleboarding, rafting and open water swimming in Welwyn Garden City.
Cricket: Hertfordshire CCC play in the National Counties Cricket Championship, the tier formerly known as "Minor Counties" below the first class competitions. They don't have a permanent ground but play at half-a-dozen venues across the county

## Stay safe

Hertfordshire is the second safest county in the UK. The chances of you being attacked/robbed at night are slim, and in the daytime basically none. The only crime you may encounter is at closing time in the larger urban areas (Watford, St. Albans, Hatfield and Stevenage) around clubs/pubs. Theft or interference with cars may occur, but only if left in the more unpleasant areas overnight.
Usual instructions apply, if a crime/emergency is in progress call 999 or 112 and ask for Police/Fire/Ambulance as needed. There are three main police stations (Open M Th 8AM-11PM, F Sa 8AM-midnight and Su 10AM-8PM) in Watford, Hatfield and Stevenage. A police counter service is available at Abbots Langley and Rickmansworth police stations.

### Hospitals

* Stevenage (Lister Hospital) with 24-hr A&E
* Watford (Watford General) with 24-hr A&E
* St Albans (St Albans City Hospital) with a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) open every day of the week from 9AM-8PM. No A&E
* Bishop's Stortford (Herts and Essex Hospital) with Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) open M-F 9AM-4:30PM. No A&E
* Cheshunt (Cheshunt Community Hospital) with a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) open every day of the week from 8AM-8PM. No A&E
* Hemel Hempstead (Hemel Hempstead Hospital) with Urgent Care Centre open 8AM-10PM. No A&E
* Northwood (Mount Vernon Cancer Centre) with Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) open every day 9AM-8PM (except Christmas Day). No A&E
* Welwyn Garden City (QEII) with 24-hr Urgent Care Centre. No A&E

## Go next

* London, England's capital city, lies just south of Hertfordshire. Central London, with its museums, galleries, theatres, bars, restaurants and nightlife, is as little as 30 minutes by train from some Hertfordshire destinations
* Bicester in Oxfordshire is home to a busy shopping village which is less than an hour from Tring
* Cambridge, the world-famous university city, lies to the north-east of Hertfordshire
* Saffron Walden in Essex is a picturesque market town near the Hertfordshire border
* Southend-on-Sea - a coastal city in Essex - features the world's longest pier
* Whipsnade Zoo near Dunstable is part of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) family