History Conservation Your guide to The area that is now Watermead is managed with wildlife and nature Watermead was once a sand conservation in mind. Over the years many and gravel pit. In the 1980s improvements to the park’s environment, Watermead the area was reclaimed and particularly the lakes and reed beds, have transformed into the country taken place. These changes have encouraged a Country park it is today. wide range of species to settle in the area. Over 200 species of bird have now been recorded here including bittern, osprey, cetti’s warbler, bearded tit, Park What to hobby and barn owl. See and Do At the centre of Watermead is the park’s main hub and car park. Here there are many picnic benches, nearby toilets and a level grass area, which is fantastic for recreational activities such as ball games and family picnics. The Reedbed Nature Reserve sits just north of the hub and provides peaceful Getting nature walks for wildlife lovers. Activities such as Around fishing are popular The park has been featured as part of the Connect2 on John Merrick’s project which is part funded by the National Lottery Lake and the Lily Fund grant. From this grant, existing paths and Pond, both of which cycle ways have been improved, and bridges at are just a short Thurmaston and Birstall locks replaced. walk from the park’s hub. A network of flat, well-surfaced paths provide accessible routes for the whole family on foot or Local organisations bicycles. These paths guide you around the park’s such as King many lakes and ponds, as well as the Grand Union Lear’s Model Boat Canal flowing alongside the park’s eastern edge. Club, Leicester Sail Boarding This access continues outside Watermead’s Club, Leicester boundary and can take you straight into the Triathlon Club and Newfoundland Dog Rescue Training heart of Leicester city via Watermead South, or clubs all use the lakes for monthly or weekly sessions. northwards into Syston and Cossington. How to Country Park Contact Us Get in Touch! For more information T: 0116 305 5000 Volunteers about this or any other E: countryparks@ A wide range of country parks, woodlands and other Country Park, including leics.gov.uk open spaces throughout the county are managed by car park charges, W: www.leics.gov.uk/ Leicestershire County Council. However, with over opening times, season countryparks 400 hectares of land to look after, tickets, events and group we need your help! visits, please contact us. Country Park volunteers Get are a diverse group of Involved! people who get together If you would like to get fit, help A52 on a regular basis to local wildlife, learn new skills carry out conservation and maybe make some new www.facebook.com/watermead friends, why not come along to tasks. our volunteer days? M1 Visitor A number of volunteer Get in touch to find out how! How to Find Us groups work throughout J24 A453 the county undertaking a J23a A607 Information A6 wide variety of practical tasks. A606 Watermead Country Park covers an area of 100 These include hedge laying, surveying, working on A42 hectares and comprises wetlands, grassland, Loughborough A6006 Melton heathlands, woodlands and grasslands, and generalAshby de la A512 J23 Mowbray meadows and marshland. Lying on the outskirts Zouch A46 estate management. M1 A6 of Leicester city, the park is a green oasis and A606 A42 Coalville A5110 A607 haven for wildlife. THE NATIONAL FOREST J22 A50 WE ARE The main entrance uses an automated pay on HERE entry access system. The machine only accepts M42 LEICESTERSHIREA447 A47 coins and doesn’t give change or issue tickets. Market J21a LEICESTER A444 Bosworth Alternatively, annual car parking season tickets, A47 J21 A563 Oadby Wigston which give you free parking at all Leicestershire M69 Blaby County Council Country Parks can be purchased. A6 Hinckley J2 We are located fiveA426 miles north of Leicester, near the villages Why walking is good for you A5199 ofJ1 Syston and Birstall. Walking is a great way to help beat stress, M69 M1 A5 improve your health, boost your immune The entrance, off Wanlip Road (LE7 1PD, grid Marketref SK 60721 11408), gives vehicular access to King Lear’sHarborough Lake and car park, system and burns calories, so try to keep Lutterworth A4304 John Merrick’s Lake J20and car park and the Reedbed Nature Reserve active 5 times a week for 30 minutes. and car park. M6 J19 M1 Watermead Country Park Reedbed Nature Reserve The Reedbed Nature Reserve, which covers 17 Sand Martin hectares (of which approximately 3 hectares is Norfolk Reed), is of natural history importance due to its abundant array of wildlife and is an excellent location for bird watching. There are 4 bird Kingfisher hides within the reserve which have wonderful views over habitats such as reedbed, woodland, marshland, meadows and open water, as well as a sand martin nesting wall. The reserve is open daily - for opening times please check the website. Dogs and cycling are not permitted within the reserve’s boundaries. Nature Reserve Boundary Crake Jurassic Play Trail Plover The trail, located around King Lear’s Lake, includes a rib cage climbing frame, a mini ‘henge’ and a plesiosaur play mound. The structures were designed with the help of local school children and reflect Watermead’s prehistoric past – mammoth remains were found at the site when the area was being quarried. The trail was Nature Reserve Key launched in 2010 and won the Children’s Play category in the Local Government Meadow News (LGN) 2011 Street Design Awards. Reed Play Trail locations Our Visitor Code Help us to keep the Country Park safe and enjoyable for all visitors by respecting our Visitor Code. Please: • Keep dogs under strict control at all times • Clean up after your dog and use the bins provided Routes for walkers and cyclists • Take your litter home, and recycle Explore the great network of paths within the Country Park, where possible taking in a wealth of landscapes, wildlife habitats and • Do not swim, or allow your dog to spectacular viewpoints. Try out one of the two, coloured, swim, in the lakes or ponds waymarked routes. For a longer route combine the two. • Only use the designated BBQ areas Walking Route Distance Surface • Do not light open fires Time • Do not pick flowers Red Route Hard surface 1 mile path, suitable 30 mins (1.5 km) for pushchairs/ wheelchairs Purple Route Hard surface 2 miles path, suitable 1 hour Watermead (3 km) for pushchairs/ Country Park South wheelchairs Follow the river southwards to reach Watermead Country Park (South), which is managed by Leicester City Council. The park links to walking and cycling routes that lead south connecting scenic and historic parks Portrait Bench and places of interest along Leicester City’s This bench, installed in 2011, depicts riverside. Overlooking the park’s two lakes two Bronze Age people and an Aurochs is the life-size woolly mammoth sculpture. (an extinct wild ox); remains of which If you have any enquiries please contact the were excavated at Watermead during Leicester City Council Parks Services help the reclamation. The bench is part of line on 0116 252 7003 or a national art initiative from Sustrans [email protected] to boost a series of new walking and cycling routes across the UK, and is funded through a lottery grant..