Park of the week

62. Composers Park

Composers Park (no apostrophe) in Elstree is another hidden gem. It was opened in 1999. Before this it was a patch of wasteland dotted with fly-tipped junk, but this was cleared and two thousand trees, donated by a security company, were planted by local schoolchildren and residents. 

The park is next to the Musician’s Estate, so-called because the names of the streets include Sullivan Way, Beethoven Road, and Delius Close - you get the idea. The name Composers Park was a winning competition entry by a pupil at a nearby primary school and it’s a good fit.

The space had originally been a grass meadow historically cut for hay and until recently sheep, cows and horses grazed it. Grazing has now stopped but the annual hay cut continues, to help keep the meadows open and the growth of trees and shrubs in check, and it allows wildflowers to thrive. The park now consists of wildflower meadows crossed with paths and hedgerows, mown grass areas, and there are benches. In the summer, the meadows are home to a variety of insects and birds. A new pond provides habitats for wetland wildlife such as smooth newts and common frogs. There’s a small stream, of which I couldn’t find the name. 

At the park’s centre is a children’s play area, with the usual swings and slide, but also natural wooden play equipment and animal sculptures. There is also a basketball hoop and a five-a-side pitch. There are no café or toilets.
There are entrances on Watford Way A411 and Sullivan Way, Elstree. There’s no car park and the Watford Way entrance is on a main road. Here, there’s a gate designed by a sculptor working in metal, inspired by the park, and inside the park are metal sculptures of insects that can be found there. It’s possible to park on Sullivan Way (we parked opposite Elgar Close, right by the other entrance). On some maps the location is named Elstree Hill Open Space, but that’s where Composer’s Park is, trust me.

Judith Field

Composers Park, Sullivan Way, Elstree, Borehamwood, WD6 3DG