Cotgrave Country Park

What it’s like

Free pond dipping, nature trails and a summer Teddy Bears' Picnic in a park built on old colliery land near Nottingham.

There's pond dipping here, nature activity sheets to turn a walk into a proper hunt, and guided nature walks if you want someone else to point out what you're looking at. It's the sort of green space where you can just let the kids wander off the path a bit without anyone minding, and it costs nothing to get in.

Two events worth building a visit around: the Teddy Bears' Picnic and a Family Fun Day, both listed among what's on offer, so if you can time a trip to catch one of those it'll give the day a bit more shape than just a walk. Outside of those, it's a straightforward day out on foot, with outdoor play and enough space that toddlers and older kids can both find something to do.

Parking's free on Hollygate Lane, and there's a bus stop two minutes away at the corner of Harvest Drive and Yew Tree Road if you're coming without a car. One thing to know if you're driving: the car park has a height barrier, so it's no good for horse boxes or anything with roof-mounted bikes, park elsewhere and cycle in if that's you.

Facilities

Need to know

Parking

Free car park on Hollygate Lane

Getting there by bus or train

Bus service at corner of Harvest Drive and Yew Tree Road, 2 minutes from park

• Parking is free but has a height barrier, no good for horse boxes or roof-mounted bikes
• Bring your own picnic and gear, it's set up for a casual walk rather than a staffed attraction
• Three traffic-free cycling routes run through if you fancy bikes over boots
• Check when the Teddy Bears' Picnic or Family Fun Day are on if you want to build a trip around one

Plan your visit

Also on site

• "Happy to chat" bench

  outdoors

  A gold-painted bench installed to encourage conversations between strangers visiting the park.

• Orientation boards

  outdoors

  Eight boards located along popular walking routes, each describing a different feature of the park.

Areas to explore

• Den-building natural play areas

  outdoors

  Natural play areas in the woods where children can build dens, made safer by volunteers removing dead trees and heavy branches.

• Grantham Canal

  outdoors

  Historic canal passing through the middle of the park, maintained by Grantham Canal Society.

• Heron Lake

  outdoors

  Lake area within the park, home to herons and wildfowl.

• Waymarked routes

  outdoors

  Marked walking routes around the park.

• West Viewpoint

  outdoors

  A viewpoint offering a panorama over the park, featured on one of the orientation boards.

• Woodland wildflower meadows

  outdoors

  Grass and meadow areas seeded with wildflowers, improving year on year.

Featured in 2 Huddlepin lists

See all Country Parks & Nature Reserves in Nottingham · Things to do in Nottingham