Visit to Hatfield Forest
Join us for a guided tour of National Trust - Hatfield Forest, the best surviving example in Britain of an almost complete Royal Hunting Forest.
The traditional woodland management techniques of coppicing, pollarding and grazing are continued today by the Forest’s custodian, the National Trust. Hatfield Forest is home to over 3,500 species of wildlife, some of which are rare and threatened. The ancient trees, some over 1000 years old, provide the perfect habitat for some of the Forest's rarest insects, lichens and fungi. Features on the site include a lake area designed by Capability Brown as a pleasure ground in the 18th century, and a Shell House, an ornate Georgian pavilion built for entertainment in the 1750s and covered in shells. Archaeological interest is provided by Portingbury Hills and The Warren which are visible manmade earthworks made up of banks and ditches, and both of historic significance.
Itinerary: The group will meet at 11:00 in the classroom near the lake, Shell House and café. James Rowland, Hatfield Forest Property Operations Manager has kindly agreed to give us a talk and tour covering the fascinating history and ecosystems of the Forest and current challenges to its management.
Directions by car: From the west: From M11 exit 8 roundabout, take B1256 towards Takeley. From the east: From the A120, take the junction for Takeley. Once in Takeley, turn into the road opposite the Green Man pub (at the brown sign). Follow this straight road for 3/4 mile to the entrance car park which will be on your right.
Sat Nav: The postcode is CM22 6NE, The main entrance is around 1km further down the road from the Estate Office which this post code takes you to.
Parking: There is free parking for National Trust members, please remember your card. For non-members, there is a parking charge of £9.00. You’ll be asked to supply your vehicle registration number when you buy your ticket which will be given to the front gate to indicate that you should be directed to the farthest car park near the Shell House, the café and the classroom where our talk and tour will commence.
Accessibility: There is Blue Badge parking and drop-off point. Wheelchairs and a Powered Mobility Vehicle are available on request to the National Trust if contacted prior to the visit at hatfieldforest@nationaltrust.org.uk. There is an accessible toilet by the lake. Please note that there are some uneven routes and that phone signal can be poor. The Shell House is accessible with assistance.
