Fir And Pond Woods

"This is widely thought to be the best remaining part of the ancient Enfield Chase with diverse woodland, meadow and wetland habitats which support an abundance of wildlife. The woods are rich in birdlife including woodpeckers, sparrowhawks, warblers and tits. At the southern end of Pond Wood there is an ancient meadow with woodland on three sides and Turkey Brook on the fourth. The meadow is rich in invertebrates, including butterflies, grasshoppers and large numbers of old ant hills." - Herts Wildlife Trust website

Not one for the rainiest months as it can get quite swampy, especially around the brook, but in summer it can be a lovely cool retreat as most of the walk is wooded. Parking is very close to the road however so be careful getting in and out of the car! There are three routes of different lengths to tackle depending on how much time you have, varying from 0.8 to 1.5 miles and these are marked with coloured posts along the way. It is worth printing the leaflet from Herts Wildlife Trust (although there are sometimes copies available to pick up from the information point) to take for a first visit as this has the routes laid out fairly clearly and has viewpoints marked on it. Unfortunately there are no dog bins provided that I'm aware of.

Off lead should be fine for most dogs, especially once you are clear of the entrance (it opens almost directly onto a national speed limit road, with only the small layby buffering it). There are some ponds and a brook but these are mostly concentrated at one end of the woods. The usual woodland wildlife such as squirrels are bound to be encountered; some of the adjacent fields are farmland and may have livestock in.