Tucked just inside the M25, the Aquadrome Local Nature Reserve in Rickmansworth is open every day of the year and at all times, with the car park available until 9pm. What’s really great is that parking is free, which is quite rare nowadays. The park consists of a woodland area and two lakes, Batchworth and Bury, which were formed when the area was dug for gravel during the building of the original Wembley Stadium. Batchworth is the lake to your right (if coming from the car park) and Bury is the large lake to your left.
As you enter the aquadrome, if you turn left, there is a small sectioned area that is great for picnics with kids and is dog-free. This gated and fenced area is large enough for multiple families and means children can run around without your worrying where they are going or if they are going to stumble into something unsavoury in the grass.
Throughout the park, there are lots of variations to walk and loops to circle. In the summer you can watch boats and windsurfers glide the lake or, for those with older children, you could join in the fun and take lessons. For babies and toddlers, though, you may want to stick to the bouncy castle slide and identifying plants.
If you turn right when entering the park, you can circle another lake or go slightly out of the aquadrome and end up in the playground (which can be seen if driving from Rickmansworth train station). This playground gets very busy so come early to avoid the crowds.
Food is served from 9am until 5pm at the Café in the Park (which is where you’ll also find the toilet facilities). What’s more, this café hosts birthday parties, meetings and even cookery classes in the evenings.
If you enjoy cycling and your children are old enough to join you, there is a special route, named Route 61, that runs all through the woodlands and towards the canal. There are a range of nature activities put on in the park; upcoming events include a Welly Walk on the 12th of April from 10am to noon, Dawn Chorus (if you’re an early riser, or your children force you to be) on the 8th of May from 5am to 7:30am, and a Bat Walk on the 24th of May from 8:45pm to 10:15pm. And on the 21st and 22nd of May, you can check out the Rickmansworth Festival—‘celebrating canals, the community and the environment’—which draws colourful canal boats from across the country.
For more info, visit the Rickmansworth Aquadrome website, the Three Rivers District Council’s events page, and the Rickmansworth Festival website.
