Retirement properties in Hertfordshire
County at a glance - Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire begins where London starts to loosen its grip. All within one short stretch you’ll find a cathedral city, busy towns and open country in between. Pegasus has one community here, Leyton Road, in Harpenden.
Harpenden is an ideal home base. An evening out might be a play or a film at the Eric Morecambe Centre. And for the days out in London, the Thameslink platform is ready and waiting. When you fancy a change of scene, St Albans is close by, with its markets and its museum. Further out, two very different days in the country are waiting: the woodland paths of Heartwood, and the old trees and chalk downland of Ashridge.
Why retire in Hertfordshire?
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London stays part of your life. Thameslink trains from Harpenden run into St Pancras, Farringdon, Blackfriars and London Bridge, so lunch with an old friend in town is still very much on the cards.
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Woodland nearby, and grander walks when you want them. Heartwood Forest near Sandridge suits a morning stroll. The Ashridge Estate near Berkhamsted is the sort of day out you plan around the weather.
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There’s usually a market on somewhere. Harpenden’s farmers’ market comes round once a month, and St Albans adds its own on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There’s nearly always a stall worth a browse.
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Culture close to home. The Eric Morecambe Centre in Harpenden runs theatre, music, comedy and film. St Albans Museum and Gallery keeps changing its exhibitions, so there’s always a reason to go back.
Retirement living in Hertfordshire
In Harpenden, the paths through Rothamsted Park run between the leisure centre and the Eric Morecambe Centre. So an afternoon can start with lengths in the pool and end in a seat as the house lights go down, hair still a little damp, with nothing but a walk across the park in between.
Every outing has its own way out of town. For London, you just step onto a Thameslink train. The Nickey Line, an old railway turned path, carries walkers and cyclists towards Redbourn without a car in sight. And for the rest of the county, a look at the map the night before helps you make the very most of it.
Things to do in Hertfordshire
A market, a wood, a theatre and a grand estate. Four places worth getting to know.
St Albans Town Centre
Browse the bustling market on St Peter’s Street on a Wednesday or Saturday, explore the historic St Albans Cathedral, and visit the St Albans Museum & Gallery for ever-changing exhibitions.
Heartwood Forest, Sandridge
Follow the waymarked walks through Heartwood Forest near Sandridge, where the woodland opens out into grassland before closing in again.
Eric Morecambe Centre, Harpenden
Book a seat at the Eric Morecambe Centre in Harpenden for theatre, music, comedy or a film. All the hush of the house lights going down, without the trip into the West End.
Ashridge Estate, Berkhamsted
Plan a day at the Ashridge Estate near Berkhamsted, where ancient trees give way to chalk downland and the paths run on for miles. Save it for a clear, bright morning, or visit during Christmas to experience its magical winter light trail and illuminations.