Scroll to the bottom for maps.
LOCATION
Watford is in Hertfordshire, England, close to the border with London.
Immediate suburbs: Croxley, Nascot Wood, Oxhey, Hollywell, Bushey, Garston.
A 10 to 15 minute drive: Rickmansworth, Kings Langley, Leavesden, Northwood.
About a 20mn drive: Radlett, St Albans, Hemel Hempstead, Hatch End, Pinner.
However, from London on a fast road (A41 or M1) and in light traffic it’s only twenty minutes all the way from Hendon and Mill Hill.
SIZE
Cassiobury Park covers 190 acres (including its nature reserves). Adjoining the park (just the other side of a golf course) is Whippendell Wood (165 acres). If you add the two smaller woods adjoining Whippendell Wood, plus the golf course and the woodland alongside the canal, you have over 500 acres of publicly-accessible countryside. For the sake of this website my directions concern only Cassiobury Park and my walk is through Cassiobury Park and Whippendell wood.
THIS WEBSITE
This site was originally created in 2013 to promote my book, Cassiobury Walks (30 walks from Cassiobury Park). In August 2026 the website was hacked and destroyed – so this is a brand new website.
As of now (November 2026) it is not entirely rebuilt, I have yet to make many tweaks (and to finish the directions for the walk!). It should be complete by Christmas.
MAPS
Scroll to bottom for detailed maps of the park itself, and of the surrounding area with car parks.
Google (best for aerial views and Streetview). Can be switched from ‘Driving’ to ‘Walking’ but not good for countryside.
Waze. I find Waze navigation more accurate than Google, but for driving only, it can’t se set to ‘walking’ (get the app.)
Streetmap (best for roads, no navigation). If you just want to look at a map with the clearest detail (whether driving or walking) this is by far the best – though roads only, not paths in the countryside.
What3Words (best for very precise locations, especially in areas with no roads). At its best it gives locations to the nearest 10ft (can be 30-40ft if the GPS signal is poor). The centre of the park is solve.tribes.cities (you need to keep scrolling out until you can see the whole park). Covers everywhere – if you are stranded on cliffs or in remote mountains, the emergency services can find you from a What3Words reference! Get the app.
Ordnance Survey (best for countryside). These are the most detailed maps, all other maps (except Google and Openstreetmap) are based on Ordnance Survey. You can get these maps for free on your phone (get the app.) though to zoom down to individual-house resolution you need the paid version. I also recommend their paper map, OS Explorer 173 (London North), it covers all of Cassiobury Park and Whippendell Wood.
Openstreetmap gives as much detail as the paid version of Ordnance Survey but is entirely free. It is not, however, entirely accurate. For instance, “Cassiobury Park Station” is clearly marked in the park, but this is the station for the miniature railway. However, if you find Ordnance Survey ‘too complicated’ in its detail, Openstreetmap is the one to go for.
Any map that lets you enter a very precise location, the centre of the park is at:
Grid reference TQ 09533 96850
Lat. / Long: 51˚ 93’ 70” N. and 00˚ 25’ 01” S
THE BOOK
Cassiobury Walks is now out of print. The print-run was 500 and, to my amazement, All 500 sold out quite quickly. Dozens of people have since been asking when I’ll write another book of walks. I do not have such a book planned…maybe when I retire from my day job.
If you wish to hunt around for a second hand copy, details are:
Title: Cassiobury Walks
Author: Raffi Katz
Publisher: Quickest (2013)
ISBN 978-0-9512095-4-7
Format: softback, 104 pages, 12X17cm
LINKS
Attractions in the park (Watford Council): does not include the dozens of ‘events’. Doesn’t include the weekly Parkrun.
Calendar of events in Watford and Attractions in Watford (Watford Council).
Fireworks display in the park (on the nearest Saturday to Guy Fawkes night) https://www.watfordactually.com/annual-events-lineup/cassiobury-fireworks
South West Hertfordshire Archaeological Society offer guided walks around the park.
Herts & Middlesex Wildlife trust offer nature walks including around the park and wood.
Tickets for events (Eventbrite) including Cassiobury Park.
Friends of Cassiobury Park is the local group who work on behalf of the park (including working parties that help manage the nature reserves. The volunteers also do litter-picking – many visitors do not put their rubbish in the bins!
Buses (intalink.org). It will take you a few minutes to work out how to navigate this site but all the information is there, including timetables and live information about when your bus will arrive.
Trains (TFL journey-planner): Watford Underground Station is closest to the park (London Underground Metropolitan Line); or you’re coming by National Rail or London Overground and/or want to visit the town centre, go to Watford Junction Station.
CONTACT
raffi[at]cassiobury-walks.co.uk
