Discover London Colney

When looking for hotels in London Colney, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your stay. Local points of interest range from aviation history and older buildings to lakes, birdwatching and cycle routes. This can help you decide whether you are more interested in a technical or historical exhibit, architectural history, or nature and cycling.

Architecture and the town's earlier history

The Church of St Peter is a parish church dating from 1825, designed by George Smith. Its east windows depict the Ascension. They were designed by the Dowager Marchioness of Waterford; Hughes made the windows in 1865. This brings together two points in time in one building: the construction of the church and the later design of its windows.

Telford's Bridge is also part of the town's history: the bridge in London Colney is Grade II listed. It is said to date from 1774, although it apparently was not built by Thomas Telford. The Green Dragon Public House was probably built in the early 17th century as an inn. The dates and attributions of these buildings vary in certainty: 1774 is given only as a possible year of construction for the bridge, while the inn's early origins are also described with some caution.

Aviation history at Salisbury Hall

The de Havilland Aircraft Museum is located at Salisbury Hall in London Colney. It displays the fuselage of the first de Havilland DH106 Comet 1A. The aircraft was the first of three airliners of this type built in Hatfield in 1953 for Air France. The museum therefore links a specific exhibit to a precisely identified production history: a particular year, place and airline.

When deciding which interests to prioritise during your stay, this offers a different perspective from the local history of bridges and buildings: the focus is an aircraft fuselage, with details about its model, place of manufacture and airline. This may be especially interesting if you are interested in the history of technology and transport.

Lakes and birdwatching

London Colney Nature Reserve has three lakes formed from former gravel extraction sites. A bird hide between Long Lake and Small Lake offers an unobstructed view of Small Lake. The reserve thus combines a lakeside landscape shaped by earlier land use with a specific vantage point for birdwatching.

When choosing a nature-related theme, you can distinguish between these two aspects: the formation of the lakes reflects the area's former use, while the bird hide is situated between two named lakes and faces Small Lake.

Cycle routes around London Colney

The Alban Way is a traffic-free route along a former railway line and can be used by several groups of users. A cycle route runs from London Colney via Hill End Lane to the Alban Way, the cycle path between St Albans and Hatfield. It passes through Highfield Park, which has several useful cycle paths. Both the former railway line and the route via Hill End Lane and the park are therefore relevant when finding your way by bike.

If you plan to cycle, check the current route before setting out: conditions may change. This can help you choose accommodation based on your actual interests, whether you would rather focus on architectural history, aviation, nature or a cycle route.

Discover more destinations: Little Gaddesden, Saint Albans, Tewin, Wigginton, Berkhamsted, Wadesmill, Markyate, Hatfield

See the broader travel overview: Hertfordshire.