Hemel Hempstead: Water Gardens, History and Active Days

Hemel Hempstead combines landscaped water gardens, medieval architectural history and an unusually wide range of activities. Between the River Gade, open countryside and sporting facilities, you will find a variety of ideas for shared holiday days. When choosing a holiday apartment or holiday house, it is therefore worth deciding first what mix of experiences you want for your trip: culture and local history, walks and landscapes, or sporting activities.

Water Gardens and Special Local History

The Hemel Water Gardens are listed as Grade II because of their special historical significance. The Jellicoe Water Gardens offer a different character: they were designed by Geoffrey Jellicoe and surround the River Gade, which runs alongside Hemel Hempstead town centre. Different sources associate the creation of the gardens with the years 1957–1959 or 1962; for trip planning, their design as a distinctive place in its own right is the main point.

The Church of St Mary also reaches far back into history. It dates from around 1140–1180 and has a Latin-cross floor plan, a crossing tower and a 13th-century spire. For visitors interested in culture, it is therefore a concrete example of medieval ecclesiastical architecture. The Tile Mosaic Map is also part of the town’s more recent history. The mosaic mural was designed by Rowland Emett, painted by Phyllis Butler of Carter Tiles Ltd., and installed in 1960 on the south façade of the multi-storey Marlowes car park.

Landscape between Water, Chalk and Paths

The Box Moor Trust estate features a varied landscape of water meadows, chalk downland, woodland, pasture, chalk streams, former clay pits and recreational areas. Most of these areas are freely accessible. Depending on whether you prefer open meadows, woodland or waterscapes, this creates a different focus for your days in Hemel Hempstead.

Bunkers Park offers another opportunity for a break in the countryside. It covers 47.8 hectares and is criss-crossed by footpaths suitable for walking and running. The precise size makes the park a clearly defined part of the local area, while the designated footpaths make it easy to choose a walk or running route. This means you can also vary your stay when a cultural attraction or sporting facility is not on the programme every day.

Snow Centre and Sporting Options

Hemel Hempstead also offers an unusual winter sports attraction. The Snow Centre has a 160-metre main slope and provides skiing and snowboarding lessons for adults and children aged three and over. This age information can be important for families when planning a trip, especially when several generations are travelling together and a sporting activity is desired. The Snow Centre is 5 minutes from junction 8 of the M1 and 10 minutes from junction 20 of the M25; you can take these details into account when planning your journey.

The XC has a 60 × 14-metre climbing wall. XC also houses an indoor skatepark made of concrete and wood. In addition to the water gardens and parks, Hemel Hempstead therefore offers concrete options for visitors who would like to combine their stay with climbing or skating. The various activities do not necessarily suit the same daily itinerary: while the garden and landscape attractions allow for more leisurely exploration, the Snow Centre, climbing wall and skatepark each provide their own sporting focus.

The Right Base for Your Trip

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house in Hemel Hempstead, you can use these differences as a guide to your decision. Anyone who prefers historic sites and landscaped water features will plan differently from someone who wants to include the 160-metre slope, climbing or the skatepark. Box Moor Trust and Bunkers Park add to the options for walks and runs. Accommodation in Hemel Hempstead can therefore serve as a base for very different holiday days, without requiring you to commit to just one type of experience.

Further local pages for orientation: Waltham Cross, Elstree, Kings Langley, Markyate, Wadesmill, Hexton, Harpenden and Bishops Stortford.

For the main travel overview: Hertfordshire.