Bushey, Hertfordshire, WD23 1FJ
Merry Hill Wood
Broadleaf woodland
Place photograph
4.9
Wildland
1–2 hours
Time
Free
Cost
Peaceful
Feel
Why it's Wildland
4.9A 76-hectare patchwork of broadleaf woodland, orchard, stream and open meadow on the edge of Bushey, with a millennium cairn made from local puddingstone at its centre.
Merry Hill earns its place through variety rather than remoteness: woodland, orchard, stream and broad meadows share one large green space close to Bushey. The puddingstone cairn gives the open grassland a distinctive landmark, while the Woodland Trust records brown long-eared bats and green woodpeckers among its wildlife.
Peaceful
Find your way
Open mapBushey, Hertfordshire, WD23 1FJ
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The experience
Explore a broadleaf woodland landscape interspersed with orchard, stream and extensive meadows. Paths include a hard-surfaced Greenway and grassy routes; the terrain and conditions vary.
Things to do
Explore the woodland, orchard and meadow
Follow paths through the broadleaf woodland and open grassland, with an orchard and stream also part of this varied 76-hectare site.
Find the puddingstone cairn
Look for the cairn made from local puddingstone in the centre of the grassland. The Woodland Trust says it was erected to commemorate the new millennium.
Look and listen for woodland birds
The Woodland Trust identifies green woodpeckers among the wildlife at Merry Hill. Keep an eye and ear out while moving quietly through the woodland and grassland.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · 1–2 hours
Quick Escape: woodland and meadow
- 01
Enter from Merry Hill Road or Oxhey Lane.
- 02
Follow accessible paths where suitable, then explore a section of the grassy paths through the woodland and open meadows.
- 03
Look for the puddingstone cairn in the central grassland and return to your chosen entrance.
Half day · Half day
Make a half day of it
- 01
Use the Woodland Trust’s directions to reach the wood from the public car park on Kemp Place, or approach from one of the listed entrances.
- 02
Explore the Greenway and branch onto grassy paths through woodland and meadow, allowing extra time for muddy or slippery sections.
- 03
Pause at the central puddingstone cairn and look for woodland birds.
Verified history
The Woodland Trust describes a cairn of local puddingstone in the central grassland, erected to commemorate the new millennium. The supplied source gives no further historical account of the wood.
Hidden details
The puddingstone cairn — In the central grassland, look for a cairn made from local puddingstone and erected to mark the new millennium.
A woodland-and-meadow mix — Merry Hill is not just tree cover: the Woodland Trust describes large areas of grassland alongside woodland, an orchard and a stream.
When to go
· No specific time of day is verified. Choose a dry spell for grassy paths.
The supplied official source confirms woodland, orchard and extensive meadows, but gives no specific seasonal highlights or wildlife-viewing calendar.
Some grassy paths become seasonally muddy and slippery when wet.
What to look for
- 01
Find the puddingstone cairn in the central grassland. Watch and listen for green woodpeckers
- 02
the Woodland Trust also notes a colony of brown long-eared bats, though it does not specify a viewing location or time.
Best time to go
Spring to autumn for changing woodland and meadow scenery; visit in dry weather if you want to explore the grassy paths.
Choose a dry day if you want to explore the grassy paths, which can become muddy and slippery when wet. No specific seasonal wildlife-viewing period is verified.
How long to spend
1–2 hours
Perfect for
Walkers · Wildlife lovers · Photographers
Before you go
Address
Phone
Listed hours
- Monday: Open 24 hours
- Tuesday: Open 24 hours
- Wednesday: Open 24 hours
- Thursday: Open 24 hours
- Friday: Open 24 hours
- Saturday: Open 24 hours
- Sunday: Open 24 hours
Check before visiting.
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The Woodland Trust lists public access, with entrances from Merry Hill Road and Oxhey Lane, and paths linking with Carpenters Park and Attenborough Fields. The Greenway between the northern entrances is hard-surfaced and suitable for wheelchairs and buggies. Other grassy paths can be muddy or slippery; some sections have steps and footbridges. Check current conditions before visiting.
Check before visiting
Parking
The Woodland Trust describes a free public car park on Kemp Place, about 0.5 km from the wood. Its directions describe a walk to the wood from there; check the route and parking arrangements before setting out.
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Toilets
Public toilets, including baby-changing and disabled facilities, are listed at Bushey Museum, around 1.6 km from the wood. The source says they are open Thursday to Sunday, 11am–4pm; check before visiting.
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Food & drink
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The hard-surfaced Greenway between the two northern entrances is described as suitable for wheelchairs and buggies. Elsewhere, grassy paths may be muddy or slippery, and some sections have steps and footbridges. Check conditions and route suitability before visiting.
Check before visiting
Cost
Free
Water
Stream
Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Merry Hill Wood
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
