Bedfords Park Visitor Centre

Telephone: 01708 748646

Email: click here

Address: Broxhill Road, Havering-attte-Bower , Essex, RM4 1QH

Grid ref: TQ 520 922 (click for O/S map)

The Visitor Centre, opened in June 2003, is in the grounds of Bedfords Park, an historic parkland site owned and managed by London Borough of Havering. Built on the site of the former mansion, it commands superb views over much of east London and into Kent. It incorporates many sustainable features by reusing parts of the earlier building, incorporating high insulation and using modern roof design such as the suspended green stonecrop roof. There are many other exotic trees originally planted in the mansion gardens, such as cedar of Lebanon, holm oak, monkey-puzzle, giant redwood and yew. The Park has wonderful Wildflower Meadows, varied woodland, several ponds and a lake, as well as a captive herd of Red Deer. Bird highlights include all three species of Woodpecker, Nuthatch and Hobby. Wild deer are often seen (Fallow, Roe and Muntjac) and the meadows and ponds provide superb habitats for a variety of invertebrates including Butterflies, Dragonflies and Damselflies. Winter sees a large corvid roost, with hundreds of rooks, crows and jackdaws gathering near the deer pen. The centre has facilities for the disabled. 01708 748646

Bedfords Park Visitor Centre, Broxhill Road, Havering-atte-Bower, Romford, RM4 1QH. Vehicle entrance is off Broxhill Road, opposite the white water tower, just to the east of Havering-atte- Bower. The main footpath is in the south-west corner on Lower Bedfords Road. There are other footpath, bridleway and cycleway entrances off Lower Bedfords Road.

Open: Open six days per week at least 9 am to 5 pm. Closed Mondays, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, but open other Bank Holidays.

Booking essential for all except free events: phone 01708 748646