Stanmore Common

I’ve driven past the edge of Stanmore Common on the way from Stanmore to Watford many times, but on the warm bright and sunny weekend I finally took the initiative to take the family for walk. It was a winner from the start.
The terrain is mildly hilly with a variety of trails depending upon your level of adventure. With three young children we kept mostly to the main paths with a few side diversions. The girls enjoyed chasing after a peacock butterfly, with its fabulous colour display. It seemed to glide across the grasses growing up to soak in the sun.
Wearing our sneakers, we were able to avoid most of the mud. However, considering it hadn’t rained in some time and still some areas were quite damp, a good pair of boots would certainly be appropriate. There are several small streams that run through the woods and heath with beautiful stone pebbles rounded through time.
On one large open grass area we let the children just run and play. What a joy it is to see them picking blades of grass, imagining and even talking to a bumblebee! Then in the distance we spotted a well located and still strong tree swing. We all gave it a go and laughed at ourselves.
If you are looking for a day out with the family and the opportunity to relax closer to nature without venturing too far from the city, consider Stanmore Common. We spent about 1 ½ hours slowly walking the trails. Next time we may bring our lunch and spread a picnic over a grassy area.