Nature on your doorstep
Chelmsford is full of green spaces waiting to be explored.
Here are some of our favourites, from big parks to quiet nature reserves. Tap Get directions on any of them to find your way there.
This map is a simple guide and not to scale. Use the directions links below to find each place.
574 acres of historic parkland around Hylands House, with open meadows, woodland and ponds.
Look for: ancient trees, ducks on the ponds and wildflowers in summer.Get directions →One of the oldest parks in Chelmsford, opened in 1894 right next to the city centre, with a lake, a café and a nature reserve.
Look for: ducks, geese and swans on the lake.Get directions →A peaceful park that links up with Tower Gardens and West Park, making a lovely longer walk.
Look for: big old trees and the river running alongside.Get directions →A historic park, opened in 1930, and home to Chelmsford Museum.
Look for: flower beds full of bees and butterflies.Get directions →A wilder space of heath and woodland, valued for its wildlife.
Look for: gorse, butterflies and birds in the bushes.Get directions →Riverside meadows and paths along the River Chelmer, just north of the city centre.
Look for: dragonflies, ducks and wildflowers by the water.Get directions →A short drive east of the city, with woodland, lakes and open grass to explore.
Look for: fallen leaves, conkers and pond life.Get directions →An Essex Wildlife Trust nature reserve beside the River Chelmer, between Broomfield and Little Waltham, with wildflower meadows and wet woodland.
Look for: dragonflies over the river and, if you are very lucky, a kingfisher or a water vole.Get directions →A big, open recreation ground in Beaulieu Park, with sports pitches and a play area, and plenty of space to run.
Look for: birds swooping over the grass, and daisies and clover underfoot.Get directions →In the heart of Beaulieu, with a play area, a sensory garden and a mix of neat and wild planting.
Look for: scents and textures in the sensory garden, and bees on the flowers.Get directions →40 hectares of farmland turned back into historic parkland, with wide meadows full of wildlife.
Look for: deer, brown hares and kestrels hovering overhead.Get directions →A 40-acre park in Springfield, beside the River Chelmer, with a children's play area and paths leading straight into the Chelmer Valley Nature Reserve.
Look for: the seasons changing along the riverside, and ducks on the river.Get directions →