Car Hire Harlow - Mini guide to Harlow

Harlow is a modern town set in attractive rolling countryside on the Hertfordshire/Essex borders, and is midway between London and Cambridge. Although largely an industrial town, it is home to nature trails, museums and many leisure activities.

A highlight of the town is Harlow Museum, located at Passmore House, a Georgian manor house set in its own idyllic gardens on Third Avenue. The museum has many roman and post-medieval artefacts. For bike enthusiasts, the Mark Hall Cycle Museum and Period Gardens cannot be missed. Located within Mark Hall Manor on Muksham Road just off First Avenue, the museum conveys the history of the bicycle from 1818 to the present day.

The Harvey Centre is Harlow’s main shopping complex with most recognisable high-street stores and is a good place to stop for a bite to eat during the day. Nearby, the Harlow Playhouse at Playhouse Square adds a cultural possibility to your agenda. The Playhouse has a regular schedule of modern and classic plays, dance, and live music events, and also has a cinema, which often shows European art-house movies.

Despite Harlow’s modern urban sprawl, it is located in some of the finest countryside and borders leafy Hertfordshire, which is worthwhile exploring. Nearby Lea Valley Park in is a 10,000 acre mosaic of countryside, heritage sites, and riverside trails along the River Lea stretching from Essex and Hertfordshire into the centre of London. A particularly interesting attraction a short drive from Harlow is the Cornmill Stream and Old River Lea Dragonfly Sanctuary at Waltham Abbey, Essex. North of Harlow, less than 30 minutes away on the M11 is the historic city of Cambridge, whose famous university dates back to the 13th century, with many buildings of diverse architectural styles distributed throughout the city centre.

Harlow is easily accessible from the M11 motorway, linking it with Heathrow Airport via the M25, as well as the nearer Stanstead and Luton Airports which operate daily flights from many European destinations. Trains depart twice hourly from London Liverpool station (duration 30 minutes).