Hemel Hempstead

Hemel Hempstead is a town in Hertfordshire with a population of around 80,000.

Understand

Old Town High Street

Developed after World War II as a new town, the town has existed as a settlement since the 8th century and has a picturesque old town and a fine Norman church. The new town centre is a planned shopping area with an indoor Mall called Marlowes Centre, an outdoor market and a Debenhams department store. There is extensive, though not free, town centre parking. The town has the only real snow indoor ski centre in the south east.

"Magic Roundabout"

Magic Roundabout Layout

Magic Roundabout in Hemel Hempstead

Officially named 🌍 The Plough and sometimes known as "Moor End Roundabout", a road roundabout made up of 6 small roundabouts arranged in a circle around a single large roundabout. Drivers either love or hate navigating it - in 2005 it was voted 2nd worst roundabout in the UK (the "worst" being it's sister roundabout in Swindon); yet by 2011 it was voted the best (in a different poll). Probably not something learner drivers look forward to at rush-hour!

Get in

By road

The town is served by the M1 and M25 motorways and the A41 and A414 trunk roads.

By train

It is 35 minutes away from London (Euston Station). Trains go about every 20 minutes to and from Hemel on Monday to Friday, and about every 30 minutes on weekends. Check the National Rail website or the Silverlink website before you go, as sometimes (especially on weekends) there is engineering work and trains are replaced by buses. Travelling is cheaper on weekdays after 09:30. Cheapest ticket for a single person is a Day Travelcard, which is around £14.- and gets you into London and is valid for all Underground lines all day.

By bus

There are coaches to and from London and other towns as well as various airports. National Express coaches go direct to Luton, Heathrow and Stansted airports. To go to/from Gatwick airport, best go by train; you will have to change once, in Watford. For London City airport, you will have to go to London by train, then take the Underground.

By air

The town is 11 miles from Luton Airport and 25 miles from Heathrow Airport.

By narrowboat

The Grand Union Canal passes close to the west of the town, and through the southern suburb of Apsley.

By bicycle

The town is on National Cycle Route 57 that runs from Welwyn Garden City in Hertfordshire to Farmington, Gloucestershire near Northleach.

Get around

There are local buses from the station to town centre and to the Jarman Park leisure complex; apart from that, everything in town is in walking distance.

It is worth noting all Hertfordshire buses offer an 'Explorer' ticket which permits a maximum of 2 adults, 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult with 3 children to unlimited travel for £7. It is often worth doing as it can save money even if you are on your own.

See

Old Town High Street

The Marlowes Shopping Precinct

The Old Town has quite a few period buildings, including, pubs, shops and the Old Town Hall, giving it the feel of a nineteenth century market town.

• 🌍 St Mary's. The Norman church was built from around 1140 and has an unusual 200 ft (61m) tall spire, added in the 12th century, and one of England's tallest.  
• The Grand Union canal. was the main trunk route from London to the Midlands 
• 🌍 Boxmoor meadows, London Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2RE, ☎ [phone]. a nature preserve to the south of the town.  
• Nickey Line (7 mile footpath & cycleway). Railway fans can see the occasional small landmark that hints at where The Nicky Line used to run, a dismantled railway that once connected Hemel LNWR main line to Harpenden Midland Railway.  
• 🌍 Frogmore Paper Mill (Paper Mill Museum), Fourdrinier Way, Apsley HP3 9RY, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Every Th & 1st Su of each month 11:00-16:00. Celebrates the 200 years when the town was a centre for paper manufacture. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Magic Roundabout. Hemel is famous (or perhaps notorious) for its "Magic Roundabout", an interchange where traffic from six routes meet in a series of mini roundabouts connected by a gyratory system. This can be best viewed from a window table at the café in Debenhams department store.  

Do

Wander north up the Grand Union Canal, pass a few locks, and after about 15 minutes you will come to a pub called "The Three Horseshoes". It dates back to the 16th century, and in summer you can enjoy your beer sitting outside by the canal.

Go south for a couple of locks and you come to Apsley Lock marina. This has a canal side pub called "The Papermill" as well as waterfront restaurants and cafés.

• 🌍 The Snow Centre (Indoor Snow/Ski Slope), St Albans Hill, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9NH (Close to Jarman Park), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Skiing, ski lessons, bar & restaurant (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Quasar (Futuristic Laser Game), 179 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BB, ☎ [phone]. Term time: M-Th 16:00-21:00. F16:00-22:30. Sa 10:00-22:30. Su 10:00-21:00; School & Bank Holidays: daily 10:00-21:00. £6.50/person/game. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 CineWorld, Jarman Square, Jarman Park, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4JW, ☎ [phone] (premium). (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Planet Ice (Ice Rink), Jarman Square, Jarmans Park, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4JS, ☎ [phone] (premium), e-mail: [e-mail]. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Sportspace (Leisure Centre), Park Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1JS, ☎ [phone] (head office). 25m swimming pool, hard courts, diving pit, fitness studio, outdoor pool, gym, café, squash court, badminton courts, free parking (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 XC (Extreme Sport Centre), Jarman Park, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4JS (Use postcode HP2 4JW in SatNavs), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 10:00-22:00. Skate/BMX park, climbing wall, indoor caving, high rope obstacle course (updated Jun 2017)

Buy

• 🌍 Town Market, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BH. Th-Sa 08:00-16:00. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4TU. Pedestrianised Shopping Precint, It has a Debenham's department store, M&S, Primark, Wilkinsons, & TK Maxx. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Riverside, Riverside, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BT. Shopping Centre (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Adsa, Hillfield Rd, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4AA, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 07:00-23:00. Su 10:00-16:00. Supermarket (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Tesco, Jarman Way, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4JS, ☎ [phone]. M-F 06:00-00:00. Sa 06:00-22:00. Su 10:00-16:00. Supermarket ; Petrol & pharmacy (different hours). ATMs, Wi-Fi (updated Jun 2017)

Eat

• 🌍 K2 Balti House, 5 Two Waters Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9BZ, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Daily 12:00-14:30 (last orders 14:00) & 17:30-23:30 (last orders 23:00). Indian Restaurant & Take-away, one of the finest in the area (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The Dragon Garden, 119-121 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BB, ☎ [phone]. Chinese Cantonese Restaurant (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The Banana Leaf, 127-129 Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BB, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 12:00-15.00 & 18:00-22:00. F-Sa 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-23:00. Su 12:30-22:00. Thai Restaurant (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Paprikaa Spice Lounge, 16-18 Lawn Lane, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9HL, ☎ [phone]. M W-Su 17:30-23:00. Indian & Bangladeshi Restaurant & Take-away (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The Three Horseshoes, Winkwell, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2RZ, ☎ [phone]. Mon-Sat, 12:00 to 11:00; Sun, 12:00 to 10:30 ;. Moderately sized pub with restaurant, a good mix of menu items. Also have a specialist menu for gluten-free. The building dates back to the 16th century, and in summer there are outside seating, by the canal-side, letting the traveller see the boats that pass. (updated Apr 2018)

Drink

One pub to mention apart from the above "The Three Horseshoes" is the "Full House" in the town centre (on the corner of the Marlowes and Combe Street). Belonging to the Weatherspoon chain of pubs, it is situated in the building of the old cinema, and the decor is something to see!

Another canal side pub of note is "The Fisheries" in Boxmoor.

• 🌍 The Steam Coach, 86 St Johns Rd, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1NP, ☎ [phone]. Pub: M-Th 12p:00-23:00. F Sa 12:00-00:00. Su 12:00-23:00; Food: M-Th 12:00-15:00 & 18:00-21:00. F-Sa 12:00-21:00. Su 12:00-19:00. Pub & Food ; Celebrates a steam powered coach which a local inventor built and drove to London. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The Three Blackbirds, 194 St Johns Rd, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1NR, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-Th 12:00-23:00. F-Sa 12:00-00:00. Su 12:00-23:00. Pub & Food (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The Old Bell, 51 High St, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AF, ☎ [phone]. Pub: M-Th 11:00-23:00. F-Sa 12:00-00:30. Su 12:00-23:00; Food: Daily 12:00-22:00 last orders 21:45. Pub & Food; Parts built in 1615 but is on the site of even older inns. It contains some unusual French wallpaper dating back to 1821, which has been cleaned by the Victoria & Albert Museum. (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 The White Lion, 44 London Rd, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9SB, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. M-Th 15:00-23:00. F Sa 12:00-00:00. Su 12:00-23:00. Pub & Food ; Free Wi-Fi. Free parking nearby (updated Jun 2017)

Sleep

There are many guest houses, a few B&Bs (usually £25 upwards), and a few hotels. Here's a list of the hotels closest to town centre:

• 🌍 Travelodge, Wolsey Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP2 4TU, ☎ [phone] (premium). Check-in: 15:00 (12:00 costs £10), check-out: 12:00 (14:00 costs £10). Chargeable on-site parking (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Aubrey Park Hotel, Hemel Hempstead Rd, Redbourn, St Albans AL3 7AF, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Helipad. Free on-site parking (updated Jun 2017)
• 🌍 Express by Holiday Inn, Stationers Place, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead HP3 9RH, ☎ [phone] (premium), e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: from 14:00, check-out: by 12:00. from £53. 
• 🌍 Premier Inn (Hemel Hempstead Central), Moor End Rd, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BT, ☎ [phone] (premium). Free Wi-Fi. Restaurant from £39. (updated Jun 2017)

Connect

• 🌍 Post Office, 181-183 The Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead HP1 1BD. M-Sa 09:00-17:30. Su 10:30-14:30. (updated Jun 2017)

Go next

• Whipsnade Wild Animal Park is only 10 miles from here, near Dunstable.
• Warner Brothers Studio tour in Leavesden is 6 miles away, north Watford.
• St Albans
• High Wycombe
• Aylesbury

Routes through Hemel Hempstead

Milton Keynes ← Luton ←

N  S

→ Watford → London