Woodside Playing Fields and Alban Wood
🏟 Playground & park · Woodside, Watford
Woodside Playing Fields and Alban Wood
Green Flag playing fields and woodland in Woodside with a children's playground, outdoor gym, toilets, an on-site leisure centre and extensive pitches.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 The playing fields and playground are open and free to access. Toilets are open dawn till dusk. · Free · No booking needed
📍 Location & directions
🗺️ Show map ▾
Address: Horseshoe Lane, Watford, WD25 7HH
Plus Code: 9C3XMJV4+XV
About Woodside Playing Fields and Alban Wood
Woodside Playing Fields and Alban Wood is a large, free green space on Horseshoe Lane in north Watford, holding a Green Flag Award and designated as a Local Nature Reserve and County Wildlife Site. It is one of the better equipped family sites in the borough. A children's playground sits alongside an outdoor gym, and the site benefits from public toilets that are open from dawn till dusk, which is not always the case at smaller parks. A seasonal ice cream van visits in summer. The playing fields are a major sports hub, with eight football pitches including a junior pitch, an artificial turf pitch, three grass cricket pitches, an artificial cricket wicket and practice nets, plus a table tennis table, all backed by changing rooms. An on-site leisure centre adds indoor facilities, and several local clubs are based here. Alban Wood provides woodland and wildlife habitat for quieter walks and exploration. A car park serves visitors. With its blend of play, extensive sport, woodland and the convenience of toilets and a leisure centre, Woodside is a strong all-round choice for families.
⭐ What makes this place special
- Outdoor gym
- Toilets (open dawn till dusk)
- Seasonal ice cream van
- Eight football pitches (one junior) with changing rooms
- Artificial turf pitch
- Table tennis table
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: True
- Toilets on site
🧒 Ages & play
- Children's playground
📍 Nearby places to play
- Garston Park · approx 0.6 miles · Garston
- Harebreaks Recreation Ground and Harebreaks Wood · approx 1.3 miles · Harebreaks
- Callowland Recreation Ground · approx 1.5 miles · Callowland
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Woodside Playing Fields free?
Yes, the playing fields and children's playground are free and open to the public.
Are there toilets?
Yes, there are public toilets on site, open from dawn till dusk.
Is there parking?
Yes, there is a car park, accessed from Horseshoe Lane, WD25 7HH.
What is there for children?
There is a children's playground and an outdoor gym, plus a seasonal ice cream van in summer and extensive sports pitches.
Is there a leisure centre?
Yes, there is a leisure centre on site, alongside the playing fields and Alban Wood woodland.