Outwoods, Leicestershire
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Loughborough
What it’s like
Ancient woodland walks, a natural play area and a bird feeding station, with bluebells in spring and free entry all year.
This is a proper woodland ramble rather than an attraction with a gift shop at the end. There's a natural children's play area built from logs and other bits of the woods rather than plastic, an easy access path with a bird feeding station along the way, and walking routes through ancient oak woodland that's actually being restored back to how it should look, with the conifers taken out gradually and native oaks planted or left to grow back on their own. If you time it for spring, the bluebells on the north side of the woodland are the bit people go out of their way for.
Entry is free, which is not something you can say for most wildlife spots, and you only pay for parking: £2 for the day, or £80 a year if you're the sort of family who'll be back most weekends, and that covers two cars. If £2 feels like a faff for change, there's free parking at Nanpantan Sports Ground instead, though obviously that means a longer walk in.
The café on site is run by Olivia's Coffee and Bakery and keeps sensible hours, 9 to 4 Monday to Saturday and a slightly later start on Sundays. Wheelchair users and anyone who doesn't fancy pushing a buggy over roots can book one of the free Tramper mobility scooters through the ranger service, which is a nice touch for somewhere this wild underfoot.
Because it's proper woodland and not a paved park, they're upfront that the whole place may shut in bad weather, so a howling storm is not the day to turn up. Otherwise it's the sort of walk you can stretch to fill an afternoon or cut short if little legs give out, and the bird feeding station gives you a natural stopping point either way.
Facilities
Need to know
- Parking
- £2 for the whole day, open 6am daily
- Food
- Café on site operated by Olivia's Coffee and Bakery, Mon-Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 10am-4pm
- Wheelchairs
- Free Tramper mobility scooters available 8am-4pm (book with ranger service on 07434 220170)
- Parking is £2 a day or £80 for an annual pass covering two cars
- Free Tramper mobility scooters need booking on 07434 220170
- The woodland is mid-way through a 10-year restoration project, so you'll see young oaks alongside older trees
- Café hours are shorter on Sundays, starting an hour later
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Getting in is free. Parking is £2 for the day, or £80 for an annual season ticket covering two cars, and there's also free parking at Nanpantan Sports Ground if you don't mind a longer walk in.
Do we need to book?
No booking needed to visit, you just turn up. The only thing you'd book ahead is a Tramper mobility scooter, through the ranger service.
Is it OK for a buggy or wheelchair?
There's an easy access path with a bird feeding station along it, and free Tramper mobility scooters are available between 8am and 4pm if the woodland paths look too rough.
What about food?
There's a café on site run by Olivia's Coffee and Bakery, open 9am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
Is it open in bad weather?
Mostly yes, but they say it may close during adverse weather conditions, so a stormy day is one to avoid.
When's the best time to visit?
Spring, if you want to catch the bluebell display on the north side of the woodland. It's ancient oak woodland year round, so a walk works any season.
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