Country Parks
Discover the countryside with its sheer variety of landscapes. Rockingham Forest is full of wildlife including rare dragonflies, damselflies, and of course, deer.
Ancient woodlands and limestone grasslands in the forest are rich in wild flowers. There are more than 500 miles of footpaths and bridleways within the boundaries of the Forest district and numerous leaflets will help guide you through some of the most outstanding scenery.
Country parks dominate the landscape in East Northamptonshire and offer something for all the family.
Barnwell Country Park sits in a peaceful backwater of the river Nene. Barnwell has much to offer the visitor which includes nature trails, waterside walks, bird hides, picnic and barbecue areas as well as a visitor centre and shop. The large woodland play area is a favourite with children of all ages while the fishing lakes attract anglers from all over the country.
Fermyn Woods Country Park is a gateway to the ancient Rockingham Forest and is the largest country park in the county at over 150 hectares, offering you the chance to really stretch your legs and get away from it all. The Skylark cafe and visitor centre is the ideal place to have a bit to eat and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee after a long walk. The play area is also a fantastic place to let the children run off some steam!
Wakerley Great Wood is an historic ancient woodland. A permanent orienteering course, all-ability woodland path, and a longer waymarked trail all leave from the car park. The woodland contains rich and diverse archaeological remains. The waymarked walk follows the medieval boundary of Wakerely Great Park - remnants of the 13th century deer park.
Fineshade Woods is an ancient mixed broadleaf and conifer woodland with waymarked walks and Caravan Club Site.
If you just want a quite walk around the woodland, try the waymarked Dales Wood trail, or make up your own route along the many tracks and rides. Visit Top Lodge, a centre celebrating woodland crafts and woodland birds and the Lodge cafe which provides seasonal local food.
Stanwick Lakes has something to appeal to everyone, from families to keen birdwatchers. For those who enjoy a country walk, Stanwick Lakes is ideal, a place of wide open spaces, tranquil waters and over 7 miles of footpaths / cycle paths. The central play area with its iconic bulrush entrance and sand and water play is always a favourite with children visiting the site. For the more energetic there is a full size assault course and an adventure trail.
Ditchford Lakes and Meadows is a mixture of gravel pits, grassland and scrub. Take a circular walk around the lakes, through the scrub at the far side of the reserve and back through the grassland. Look out for the breeding pair of Cetti's warblers.
Twywell Hills and Dales is a former quarry site which lies on the southern edge of the Rockingham Forest. Part of the park is now designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of its rich wildlife, especially pond life. A choice of trails including an orienteering route is available.
The 73 hectares of lakes, woodland, river bank, and scrub that make up Titchmarsh Nature Reserve are a result of gravel extraction. An ideal venue for bird watching, you can catch a glimpse of the Skylark or even the Kingfisher.
Glapthorn Cow Pastures is a site of Special Scienticif Interest because of its wildlife value. Take a circular walk around grassland, meadows, lakes and woodland to view the glorious wildflowers, bird and butterflies.
Pocket parks are natural areas of countryside which are owned, looked after and cherished by the local community for peaceful enjoyment, the protection of wildlife and to provide access for all. View the pocket parks website for further information on parks in East Northamptonshire.