Chorleywood circular walk

Route

Chorleywood Common is an ancient common, mentioned in the Domesday book. It is one of the largest areas of common land in south west Hertfordshire, covering an area of 80 hectares. Certain residents have jealously guarded common rights over the land and it was deeded to Chorleywood Urban District Council by the then Lord of the Manor. It is now owned by Chorleywood Parish Council. The common is subject to bylaws, copies of which are posted at various points around the common and the Common Management Plan. This gives full information on everything to do with the common.

Habitats

The common is a County Heritage Site because it supports three different unimproved grassland habitats – acid heath, neutral grass and chalk meadow, all of which are very important to a county that has lost over 90% of its natural grassland in this century. It has seven ponds, all of which have been recovered and restored by the parish council over the past ten years. There is also a considerable area of relatively new woodland. This variety of existing habitats on a single site is perhaps unique in Hertfordshire.

Recreation

Golf has been played on the common for over 100 years and the present layout dates from the 1930s. cricket is also a long standing activity and the present ground is shown on the 1860 Ordnance Survey map. Horse riding is only allowed on the permissive horse track. There are plenty of footpaths on the common and those on foot are free to explore as they please, however care should be taken when crossing the fairways.

Heath and acid grassland

Few areas of open heathland remain in Southern England. In the past heather, gorse and bracken were widespread on the common and were gathered by the commoners for fuel, fodder and animal bedding. The commoners have historic rights attached to their properties that permit them to graze animals and gather materials. When grazing ceased after World War II the heather had virtually disappeared. The parish council have since introduced a more sensitive mowing regime and heather, gorse and other grassland species are now flourishing.

Chalk meadow

In the south east corner of the common is an area that was ploughed during World War II, creating a chalk meadow. The parish council’s decision not to cut this area until late summer each year has resulted in the recovery of a herb rich meadow supporting a large number of wildflower species, including eyebright, lady’s bedstraw, greater knapweed, field scabious, wild thyme and many others. The meadow is at its best from late June to mid July, when the flowers also attract masses of butterflies and day flying moths.

The ponds

There are seven ponds on the common that have good areas of open water and support a healthy population of aquatic plants. Open water plants include the water crowfoot and the white water lily. Among the marginal species are several rarities such as the bogbean and greater spearwort. The ponds support a wide range of invertebrates, fish and amphibians.

Woodland

Oak/birch woodland has developed naturally on the acid soil areas since the 1930s. The parish council, together with the Forestry Commission, is implementing a Woodland Management Plan on the common. While one section of wood will be left to continue to develop naturally, other areas will be thinned and opened up to let in light and give selected trees space to grow. Woodland edges are being scalloped and graded back to create vistas.

Wildlife

Rabbits, squirrels and the little muntjak deer are common and foxes and badgers are frequent visitors. Smaller mammals such as hedgehogs and moles, woodmice, voles and shrews are present and bats can be seen feeding over the common in the evening. The birds are too many to list, but keep an eye out for the sparrowhawks that have been nesting there since 1991. the common lizard may be spotted sunning itself on bare patches in the acid grassland and the ponds are home to great crested, the palmate and the common newt, as well as frogs, toads, stickleback etc.

Rights of Way symbols you might see

	Yellow arrows indicate footpaths for pedestrian use only
	Blue arrows indicate bridleways for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrian use only
	Red arrows indicate Byways Open to All Traffic (BOAT) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles
	Black arrows indicate Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPP) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles

More about Rights of Way

Maps

This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Hertfordshire County Council 100019606 2004.

The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this web-site is provided by Hertfordshire County Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfill its public function to provide information relating to its activities, services and plans. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice where they wish to license Ordnance survey mapping for their own use.

See the Ordnance Survey site for more information.

This is is one of a series of walks through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) supported by the Chilterns Conference.

Please be considerate in the countryside - keep to footpaths, especially through crops, and leave farm gates as you find them.