Trails

If you enter through the main Wise Lane entrance, you can begin at the starting point of the Mayor’s Kilometre opposite the old Park Keepers house. Walking anticlockwise, this path takes you round the main grassed area past the tennis and basket-ball courts, a Zelkova tree (opposite the basket-ball court) and the lime trees that smell wonderful in summer, then turn to the left round the zigzag path, lined by goat willows on the left and the Queen’s 40^th Anniversary planting on the right, and on to the 500 year old oak tree before turning up the other side of the green, past an aspen, poplars, a ~300 year old turkey oak as you turn into the Wise Lane section and round to the start of the Mayor’s Kilometre. You will pass many other beautiful trees on your way.

If you walk down the path past the tennis and basket ball courts and continue straight on through the underpass, rather than following the zigzag path to the left, you reach the Flower Lane section of the Park with the George VI planting in the far NE corner, the Millennium tree plantations along the A1/A41 (one with taller trees closer to the road and the other with more bush-like growth a little further down the slope and separated from the first by a path that you can take. A little further on you will see the new Memorial Woodland on your left. Here, the three areas are planted with Crab apple, wild cherry, hawthorn, alder, goat willow and field maple – with a different mix of trees in each area according to the characteristics of the terrain. There are several benches here, alongside the path and around the central Hornbeam tree in the Memorial Woodland, where you can sit and enjoy the quiet of this part of the park.

There are 2 paths leading into the park from Daws Lane – one from the car park which takes you past two unusual oak trees – one tall and narrow (Quercus robur fastigiata) and the other a scarlet oak with beautiful autumn colouring – while the other path starts little further up the road away from the A41 and close to the Paulownia tree. These two paths take you past either side of the children’s playground area and on to the Park Café, Mill Hill Bowling Club, outdoor gym and table tennis table.

About 25 yards to the west of the Café, you will find the entrance to the Nature Reserve and Wild Flower Meadow. Here, surrounded by a selection of trees and shrubs to maximise biodiversity, is the flower meadow where at different times of year, you can see an impressive range of wild flowers including knapweed, buttercups, yarrow plantain and oxeye daisies. If you follow the path straight through it will take you to the A41 and the 113 bus stop. The path to the right will take you to the small Community Forest Nature Reserve.

Nearby is Arrandene Open Space and Featherstone Hill.  This comprises 25 hectares of woodland and open fields that has been designated a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation. If you feel like a 30-60 minute walk through this beautiful area, there is easy access across Wise Lane via either of the two pedestrian gates on that side of the Park.