Therfield Heath is a great place to go for a walk, but please remember that lots of other people are using the site too.

Footpaths on the Heath and leading to the wider countryside: Please be mindful of where the site ends and private land begins, so you do not inadvertently trespass. The extent of the common land of Therfield Heath is shown in green on the map below.

Purple lines on the map below show the public footpaths that cross the site and that you can use to walk further afield.

The definitive map of local footpaths can be found here or see the map below. You can use this google map with your location settings to make sure you are on the right path.

Golf: Because the site is also home to a golf course, please be aware of golfers and flying golf balls they can cause serious injury. If you are walking across the course, please demonstrate common courtesy by checking for golfers playing before doing so and not unnecessarily holding up play – if a golfer is about to play, please just wait for them to do so before crossing the fairway.

Nature: Most of the site is a designated nature reserve and it is home to an assortment of insects, birds and wild flowers, several of which are very rare and need protection. In all cases, this is because of habitat loss. Please therefore be respectful to nature while visiting the site. The best way to do this is to stick to the paths at all times of year – this will ensure you do not inadvertently trample a rare wild flower or disturb a nesting bird.

Nesting birds: During the period from the end of March to August, species of bird such as Skylarks and Meadow Pipits nest on the ground all across the site. Please do your best not to disturb them by keeping to paths and if you have any dogs with you, keeping them with you on the paths.

Flowers: There are numerous types of flower on the site that are deemed ‘threatened’. Some examples are the pasqueflower, wild candytuft and bastard toadflax. While the pasqueflower is a showy, purple flower that is hard to miss, its buds are quite well disguised and can easily be inadvertently trampled and destroyed if you aren’t careful where you tread.

Advice regarding Ticks and Lyme Disease: Please read this government advice about Lyme disease. Ticks may be present wherever there are deer, including on the heath and greens, and especially in areas of long grass.