Area Guide: Oaklands, near Welwyn

Not to be confused with the identically-named area of St Albans, the village of Oaklands is close to Datchworth and Woolmer Green in the Welwyn Hatfield district.

Amenities

Oaklands has several small shops, including a post office, a florist, a hair salon and a butchers. There’s also a convenience store for everyday local grocery shopping, plus nearby pubs, doctors, dentists, churches and schools.

For main supermarkets and larger stores, services, leisure and entertainment, almost anything you could want is available in nearby Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield - or slightly further afield in St Albans, Harpenden, Luton or London.

Transport

The A1(M) is within minutes of Oaklands by car.

There is a comprehensive bus and taxi service, and several train stations are a handy distance away - running fast services to London and surrounding areas, as well as to the north of England. Train stations include Welwyn North, Knebworth, Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield. They are all a few minutes drive from Oaklands.

The major southern-based airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted) are easily reached by road.

Schools

Oaklands Primary School, Great North Road, serves younger children in this area. It was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in 2011. Voluntary aided St Michael’s Woolmer Green Church of England Primary School is also ‘good’, provides an education underpinned by Christian values and is under a mile away.

Sherrardswood School (an independent co-educational school for pupils aged between two and eighteen years), ‘outstanding’ preschool Tenterfield Nursery School, spacious well-resourced Welwyn St Mary’s Church of England Primary School and Digswell-based St John’s Church of England Primary School are all just over a mile away.

Food and drink

The North Star pub/restaurant in Great North Road, Welwyn, is a popular McMullen pub, offering daily changing seasonal specials, hand-selected fine wines, craft real ales, ethical coffee and Sunday roasts. There’s free Wi-Fi, parking aplenty and a private dining area too.

The Chequers Inn, in Woolmer Green, boasts delicious fresh food such as homemade pies, a full evening menu, a varied snack/lunch menu, and a great range of beers and real ales with a reasonably priced wine list.

The Wellington (commonly called ‘The Welly’) at Welwyn is a traditional inn with medieval architecture, individually styled bedrooms and contemporary design. They serve innovative modern award-winning food, impressive wines, specials which change regularly and free breakfast to overnight guests from a rustic, unpretentious setting.

For takeaway food, Mr Kans, Lucky Star and Ming Chee sell Chinese cuisine, try Ocean Star, Knebworth Fish & Chips and Lemon Plaice for a chippy tea or Raja Tandoori Cuisine and Mogul Indian Takeaway. Pizza fans might want to check out Downtown Pizza, Papa John’s or Pizza Express.

Sport and leisure

Facilities for sporting and leisure pursuits can be found close to Oaklands at Datchworth Sports Club, Knebworth Tennis Club, Knebworth Golf Club and Danesbury Park Golf Club.

Odyssey Health & Racquet Club in Old Knebworth Lane is a larger recreation centre and health club with spa a couple of miles from Oaklands. For the more adventurous, there’s RollerCity (with soft play for little ones) at Campus West, Welwyn Garden City.