Become a member
Join today and help protect nature, beauty and history – for everyone, for ever. Enjoy access to more than 500 places with National Trust membership.
Hatfield Forest
Ancient royal hunting forest
Bush End Road, Takeley, Bishop's Stortford, Essex, CM22 6NE
Opening times for 28 February 2025
Asset Opening time Forest Dawn - Dusk Entrance car park 09:00 - 14:30 Elgins car park (Grass Car Park) Closed Shell house car park 09:00 - 14:30 Café 09:00 - 15:00 MTWTFSS27282930311234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272812OpenPartially openClosedCar Parking from 1st March 2025
Ticket type With Gift Aid Without Gift Aid Non-member Car £9.00 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Bookshop
Our second-hand books are found in the lake area hub
Dogs allowed
Dogs are welcome across the Forest. We ask you check out our Doggy Dos and Don'ts for further information, but please put your dog on a lead near our livestock, thank you.
Café
Our cafe has no indoor seating, but there's plenty of picnic tables in the lake area to enjoy your tasty treats.
Electric vehicle charging point
The closest electric charging points at in the M11 junction 8 services CM23 5QZ or Stansted airport CM24 1QJ
Car park
We have three car parks in the Forest. If you want to be close to the facilities head to the Shell House car park near the lake. If you're looking for a summer picnic and games you might like Elgins car park in the middle of the Forest on the other side of the lake. Or there's always the main entrance car park.
Toilet
Toilets are found next to the cafe in the lake area.
Blue Badge parking and drop-off point. Accessible toilet. Poor phone signal. Some uneven routes. Shell House accessible with assistance.
Accessible toilet
There is an accessible toilet in the lake area
Powered mobility vehicle available
There is a PMV available on request. Please contact us in advance at hatfieldforest@nationaltrust.org.uk to reserve it for your visit.
Designated parking
There are designated accessible parking spaces in the Shell House car park near the lake and in the main entrance car park
Seating available
Some of our picnic tables have wheelchair accessibility
Induction loop
Steps/uneven terrain
Some of the terrain in the wider Forest is uneven due to being muddy in the winter months and the yellow meadow ant hills.
Level access to food outlet
Wheelchairs available
Please contact us in advance at hatfieldforest@nationaltrust.org.uk to reserve it for your visit.
Level access/terrain
There are some boardwalks and it is possible to walk on the road through the Forest.
By road
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.
Parking: Parking charge: £8.00. Free parking for National Trust members, please remember your card. Follow the 'P' signs to two large grass car parks and a central access-friendly tarmacked car park near facilities. Exit Gate is locked at Dusk. Smaller Entrance Car Park is open until 4pm.
Sat Nav: Our 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.
On foot
Flitch Way footpath runs along nothern border of Hatfield Forest. Three Forests Way and Forest Way permissive paths pass through Hatfield Forest National Nature Reserve
By train
The nearest railway stations are Bishops Stortford (5 miles) and Stansted Airport station (3 miles). From there, take a bus, Arriva service 508, to The Green Man, Takeley Street.
By bus
The closest bus stop is The Green Man, Takeley Street, on the northern border of Hatfield Forest. This can be reached by Arriva bus service 508 which runs from Harlow, via Bishops Stortford to Stansted Airport bus station. Walk through the Forest approximately 1.5 miles (2.1 km) to visitor facilities. The bus stop at the Four Ashes, Takeley is served by a wider range of buses. The Forest can then be reached by walking along the Flitch Way (about 1 mile (1.5 km)).
Cycling
The Flitch Way (a disused railway track which is now a country park, National Route 16) runs from Braintree to Start Hill (near Bishop's Stortford). There are 2 entrances to Hatfield Forest off the Flitch Way, at the eastern and western ends, which bring you into the northern end of Hatfield Forest National Nature Reserve. You can leave your bike in the storage racks located in the main lakeside area
Bush End Road, Takeley, Bishop's Stortford, Essex, CM22 6NE
Planning your visit
Events at Hatfield Forest
Immerse yourself in nature at Hatfield Forest and take part in outdoor wellness activities, or experience the magic of an outdoor performance as the sun sets under the stars. Discover the exciting activities you can participate in during your visit to the forest.
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Hatfield Forest
Discover what there is to do for families at Hatfield Forest, including spaces to explore and activities to keep kids entertained.
Article
Accessibility at Hatfield Forest
Hatfield Forest is a woodland property with only limited hard surfaces in the central lakeside area. This is next to the main car park, with designated parking spaces. The central area has a visitor hub, an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities and an accessible outdoor cafe. Beyond this central area, the ground can be uneven and rough and gets very muddy and waterlogged in winter.
Article
Visiting Hatfield Forest with your dog
Hatfield Forest is a two pawprint rated place. It's a perfect place for walking your dog, with 1,000 acres of woodland and open grassland to explore, trees to sniff and grass to roll around in. Professional dog walkers will need a National Trust license to walk a maximum of 4 dogs, up to three times a day.
Groups and Learning at Hatfield Forest
We are delighted that you can now book facilitated school visit with our delivery partners, the Wilderness Foundation, so head to their website to find out more. If you'd like to book a self-led visit, please email hatfieldforest@nationaltrust.org.uk.
PDF
Highlights
Lake Area
Jacob Houblon commissioned Capability Brown to design this 18th-century pleasure ground with lakes and open picnic areas.
Shell House
This ornate Georgian pavilion was built for entertainment in the 1750s and the shell decorations were designed by 15-year-old Laetitia Houblon.
Forest Café
With views of the lake, serving a variety of lunches, snacks, savouries, sweet treats, hot and cold drinks. Outdoor seating only.
Visitor Hub
Located within the Lake Area, with property information, second-hand books and seasonal activities.
Ancient woodland
Traditionally managed coppice woodland and historic rides featuring rare wildlife and the wild fallow deer herd.
Wood pasture
A working landscape of grass plains, seasonally grazed by cattle and with an important population of veteran trees and associated wildlife.
Archaeology
Portingbury Hills and The Warren are visible manmade earthworks made up of banks and ditches, and both of historic significance.
Spotlight events
Article
Get closer to nature
Embrace the serene beauty of Hatfield Forest through transformative experiences designed to deepen your connection with nature. Engage in Breathwork in the Forest to enhance emotional resilience and manage stress through calming techniques. Immerse yourself in the therapeutic practice of Forest Bathing, allowing the Forest's atmosphere to rejuvenate your mind and body for better health and happiness. Combine breathwork and journaling to relax, release and restore with Breathe & Journal. Learn how words and mindfulness merge to nurture your soul and unleash your imagination with Creative Writing for Mindfulness.
Things to see and do
Article
Family-friendly things to do at Hatfield Forest
Discover what there is to do for families at Hatfield Forest, including spaces to explore and activities to keep kids entertained.
Article
Things to see and do at Hatfield Forest
Visit a royal medieval hunting ground with mighty ancient oaks, fallow deer and wildlife aplenty. Enjoy a walk followed by a treat from the Forest Café in the beautiful surroundings of the Georgian lake and Shell House.
Article
Deer at Hatfield Forest
Hatfield Forest is home to an established population of both fallow and muntjac deer. Visit the coppices to see how many you can find.
Outdoor activities
Activity
Outdoor activities at Hatfield Forest
Discover a range of outdoor activities at Hatfield Forest in Essex. From short to long walks, running routes, horse riding and fishing, there's something for everyone.
Top trails
Trail
Hatfield Forest walk
An easy 1.7-mile circular walk through the ancient woodlands at Hatfield Forest, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserve.
Trail
Hatfield Forest and Flitch Way walk
Enjoy the splendour of a medieval hunting forest, passing through ancient trees on the Hatfield Forest and Flitch Way walk.
Trail
Takeley to Wall Wood circular walk
Explore the idyllic Essex countryside with this 9.5-mile (15.3km) walk from the old railway station in Takeley to the ancient Wall Wood, and back again.
Trail
Hatfield Forest tree walk
Discover a 1000-year-old maple tree, a mighty cedar, and Capability Brown's parkland plan on this gentle circular stroll around the historic Hatfield Forest, suitable for the whole family.
Trail
Capability Brown walk at Hatfield Forest
Discover how the Houblon family turned Hatfield Forest into a Georgian pleasure ground with the help of the famous 18th-century landscaper Capability Brown on this circular trail around the lake.
Trail
Hatfield Forest buttercup walk
In May and June, the plains at Hatfield Forest are turned into a sea of gold by over 300 million buttercups. It's the perfect time to enjoy this 3.4-mile walk.
Eating and shopping
Article
Eating and Shopping at Hatfield Forest
The café at Hatfield Forest has views across the lake. You can also buy venison and firewood from the Estate Office when in season.
Upcoming events
Event
Breathwork in the Forest
A relaxing breathwork class, designed to calm the nervous system, clear tension from within and provide space to connect back to the mind, body and soul.
Event
Breathe & Journal
Perfect for anyone that wants to work on their mind, body and soul by layering up healing modalities. We will combine breathwork and journaling to relax, release and restore.
Event
Forest Bathing
Shinrin Yoku, or Forest Bathing, is the Japanese practice of spending time in a woodland environment to improve health and wellbeing through gentle activities that reawaken the senses and our connection to nature.
Event
Creative writing for mindfulness
Learn how words and mindfulness merge to nurture your soul and unleash your imagination.
Event
Twelfth Night by The Lord Chamberlains Men
Join The Lord Chamberlain’s Men for Shakespeare’s greatest romantic comedy, Twelfth Night. With a history stretching back to William Shakespeare’s original company, they present this joyous play as he first saw it – in the open air.
Event
The Wind in the Willows presented by Illyria
Multiple award-winning Illyria celebrates Kenneth Grahame’s timeless tale of friendship, laughter, the longing for home and the lure of adventure.
Event
HMS Pinafore presented by Illyria
Full to the gunwales with sharp dialogue and catchy tunes, this timeless comic opera is performed outdoors by a cast of 6 outstanding performers on a spectacular nautical set, using Sullivan’s full score.
About Hatfield Forest
Hatfield Forest National Nature Reserve is the best surviving example in Britain of an almost complete Royal Hunting Forest. It has seen many owners, from Kings to commoners. No other Forest on earth evokes the atmosphere of a medieval hunting Forest so completely.
Hatfield Forest is a managed landscape, which has been created by centuries of human intervention. The traditional woodland management techniques of coppicing, pollarding and grazing are continued today. It 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.
Whether you want somewhere for the children to run off energy or a place for quiet reflection, you will find your own special place in Hatfield Forest.
In the winter, to reduce damage to the Forest, car parking is limited to the hard standing area only. The car parks will be closed when they reach capacity.
History
Article
History of Hatfield Forest
Find out about some of Hatfield Forest's rich and varied history, including how the original royal hunting forest was created and then, later, how Lancelot 'Capability' Brown left his mark.
Article
The history of the people at Hatfield Forest
A number of individuals and families have played a prominent part in the history of Hatfield Forest. Read more about these people and how they helped form the place we see today.
Our work
A Common Way at Hatfield Forest
In 2024 Essex Cultural Diversity Project and the National Trust invited proposals for a creative project to mark the 100th anniversary of the gifting of Hatfield Forest to the National Trust, which would celebrate this unique and vulnerable ancient site, and help articulate the importance of philanthropy, acts of kindness and calls to action that enthuse and inspire us to all care for the environment and our communities. Kirsty and Wayward’s project, A Common Way looked to extend Hatfield Forest’s hundred-year-old act of care and community into today’s local landscape, harnessing the power of queer ecofeminism, an ideology that aims to break binaries and acknowledge the diversity of the natural world and humanity’s connection with it.
Article
Our work at Hatfield Forest
Learn about how the team at Hatfield Forest continue to look after this special place for everyone, for ever.
Support us
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Hatfield Forest.