Therfield Heath is a public open space and
nature reserveA nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
on the chalk escarpment just north of
TherfieldTherfield is both a small village of approximately 4,761 acres and a civil parish which sits upon the chalk range, three miles southwest of Royston, and six miles northeast of Baldock) and within the English county of Hertfordshire.-Ancient history:The name Therfield is a variation of Tharfield...
,
HertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
; since it lies south-west of the town of
RoystonRoyston is a town and civil parish in the District of North Hertfordshire and county of Hertfordshire in England.It is situated on the Greenwich Meridian, which brushes the towns western boundary, and at the northernmost apex of the county on the same latitude of towns such as Milton Keynes and...
it is also known locally as Royston Heath. It has a testing racetrack for horses on its slopes and is a popular spot with dog walkers and
birdwatchersBirdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
. The Heath is a
commonCommon land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
on which sheep are still regularly grazed.
The site offers very good views towards the north, over the valley of the
CamThe River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
as far as Cambridge. The Heath is a
golf courseA golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
but nevertheless provides some fine walking. At the foot of the heath sits the thriving Heath Sports Club (HSC), with facilities including a gym, squash courts, bar and bistro. The HSC is home also home to Royston Hockey Club, Royston Rugby Club & Royston Runners amongst others.
The highest point of the Heath is
Therfield Hill. This top reaches 168 m (551 ft), the highest point for twelve miles in every direction with a
relative heightIn topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
of about 72 m. The top is crowned by a
water towerA water tower or elevated water tower is a large elevated drinking water storage container constructed to hold a water supply at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system....
.