Country parks and greenways

Summer is upon us, and Warwickshire’s ten country parks, greenways and nature reserves are bursting with life. Visitors are invited to experience a thriving array of diverse wildlife, secluded woodland walks, scenic lakeside paths, and exciting events hosted by the ranger team. 

Events for all 

Families can book onto a variety of events hosted by the Country Parks Education Rangers at Kingsbury Water Park, Ryton Pools Country Park, Hartshill Hayes Country Park and Burton Dassett Hills Country Park. Activities include den building; pond dipping; campfire cooking; arts and crafts - even making little boats and watching them set sail! These sessions are designed to help children learn new skills and build confidence while connecting with their outdoor environment – and have lots of fun too. Places can be booked via Eventbrite. 

A new programme of ‘Connecting with Nature’ events for people of all ages will also continue to take place at Ryton Pools and Burton Dassett, including free moth mornings, a macrame workshop, and a wild camp out for families. 

Photography competition 

Warwickshire Country Parks is calling on visitors to submit their best shots capturing the theme of ‘nature and wildlife’ for a competition to feature in the new Country Parks Calander. Further details can be found at bit.ly/parks-photos. 

Renowned beauty spots and hidden gems 

The ten Warwickshire country parks, greenways and nature reserves each have something special to offer to visitors looking for a summer day out. Kingsbury Water Park is home to thirty-three stunning lakes and pools teeming with wildlife. Families exploring the scenic 100 acres of Ryton Pools Country Park can enjoy surfaced paths throughout and a quirky Pirate Trail for little swashbucklers. Both sites offer a range of seasonal concessions, including much-loved miniature railways; opening hours can be found on the Echills Wood Railway (Kingsbury) and Ryton Pools Miniature Railway websites. 

Play areas can be found at Ryton Pools, Kingsbury, Hartshill Hayes and Pooley Country Park, with the latter also offering fascinating mining history to uncover, views over Coventry Canal, and hillside and woodland paths.  

Immerse yourself in the rolling hills of Burton Dassett in south Warwickshire or the ancient hillside woodlands of Hartshill Hayes in the north. For those fancying a cycle ride, why not try out Stratford, Kenilworth or Offchurch Greenway?  

Nature reserves Ufton Fields and Stockton Cutting recently returned to the Warwickshire Country Parks portfolio. Ufton Fields is a site of rich biodiversity filled with essential habitats and acts as host to some fascinating species including the rare Man Orchid (pictured right). Stockton Cutting, a smaller Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and former railway cutting, provides a rich limestone habitat perfect for nurturing populations of orchids, butterflies, birds and fungi. 

Stop off for a snack 

There has recently been some exciting developments in the food and drink available at the country parks, including the new Farmers Fayre Café (pictured left) at Ryton Pools Country Park, which serves a range of food and drinks made from high-quality local produce. 

And hot off the press from Pooley Country Park is news of the new Pit Stop Coffee Shop. Run by husband and wife team Oliver and Sarah, the venue is due to open in part on 20 July, with a full launch to follow on the completion of refurbishment works on the 10 August. 

The popular Old Barn Coffee Shop continues to operate at Kingsbury Water Park, alongside the characterful railway carriage-based Milcote Café and Bobby’s Café on The Stratford Greenway. 

Hartshill Hayes hosts a pop-up coffee and snack van at the weekends, and there are ice cream vans regularly available across multiple sites. 

Councillor Heather Timms, Portfolio Holder for Climate, Culture and Environment at Warwickshire County Council, shared: 

"Warwickshire County Council’s country parks are the perfect destinations for affordable and memorable summer days out. Spending time in nature offers countless benefits, from boosting mental and physical wellbeing to creating cherished family memories. I hope people from all walks of life will have the opportunity to enjoy the huge variety of events and experiences that are on offer over the summer and beyond." 

To stay up-to-date with news and events at Warwickshire’s country parks, sign up to the Warwickshire Country Parks newsletter.