10 Country Parks Around the UK to Visit with Children
If you’re looking for fun family activities, a trip to a country park is a great idea. A country park is a lovely green space where you and the family can enjoy the great outdoors in a countryside environment, run free and recharge your batteries.
We have rounded up 10 of the best country parks worth visiting with children. Pack a pair of wellies and a waterproof jacket to make sure your little ones stay dry and warm whatever the weather.
We recommend that you and your little explorers plan your visit and don’t forget to check booking restrictions and available facilities before you go.
1) Lepe Country Park, Hampshire
Lepe Country Park is set within the New Forest National Park on the shores of the Solent with wonderful views across the Isle of Wight. There is plenty to do in the park with little ones – enjoy a seashore scavenger hunt together, go for a long countryside walk or explore the sensory cottage garden which features a bug hotel, wildflower garden and bog garden.
2) Ferry Meadows Country Park, Peterborough
Ideal for a family day out, Ferry Meadows is less than three miles from Peterborough and offers a number of things to keep the whole family entertained from watersports and fishing to boat rides around Overton Lake. There are three play areas suitable for all ages and plenty of pushchair friendly walking trails to be explored, including the tree detectives family trail, which will earn you a prize on your return to the visitor centre.
3) Rufford Abbey Country Park, Nottinghamshire
There's plenty to explore in this beautiful park set in the grounds of a 12th-century Cistercian monastery. Explore the Wilderness Woodland, home to a range of birds and animals or head down to the lake and look out for waterfowl. There is a great adventure play area along with an ice cream parlour and a café in the original Coach House so you can refuel in between.
4) South Norwood Country Park, London
This park is the perfect place for bird watchers, attracting a wide range throughout the year. It’s a wonderful nature reserve with over 120 acres of wetland and meadows, a real hidden gem located in the London Borough of Croydon. Take your explorers out for a long walk and look out for the Emperor Dragonfly (one of the largest in Britain) in the summer months on the Dragonfly Pond, also home to frogs, toads, newts and damselflies.
5) Tegg’s Nose Country Park, Cheshire
Tegg’s Nose is located on the western edge of the Peak District National Park. It’s a great place to recharge your batteries by exploring the great outdoors. Enjoy stunning views over the Cheshire Plain and if you’re lucky, you’ll see Liverpool’s cathedrals and Welsh hills beyond on a clear day. End the day with a trip to the Tegg’s Nose Tea Room for a good selection of tasty treats.
6) Upton Country Park, Dorset
Upton Country Park offers 160 acres of wonderful parkland to explore and enjoy. There is lots of space for children to run free and plenty of fun things to do for the whole family. Visit Spurrier’s Play Park with little ones, enjoy delicious refreshments from the Spurrier’s Kiosk or just enjoy the lovely meadows near the shoreline. From May to September the walled garden water feature bursts into life twice daily between 11am-1pm and from 2-5pm.
7) Coombe Abbey Country Park, Warwickshire
Visit Coombe Abbey Country Park, set in over 500 acres of beautiful gardens and woodland and have a stroll around its beautiful grounds. Enjoy a family woodland walk and feed the ducks and swans (food can be purchased at the visitor centre).
8) Mugdock Country Park, East Dunbartonshire & Stirling
Located 10 miles north of Glasgow, Mugdock Country Park is a wonderful spot, perfect for a family day out. There's a play area for children to enjoy and a number of trails to be explored on foot or on bikes.
9) Denham Country Park, Buckinghamshire
This lovely 69 acre park is a great place for a weekend family day out. With the rivers Colne and Misbourne flowing through the park, it is the perfect place to unwind and discover the surrounding countryside. The adventure playground and paddling beach are a must for families.