Taking advantage of the beautiful sunshine I ventured out to Holme Pierrepont Country Park recently to explore an area I hadn’t been to since I was a child. The park is home to the National Watersports Centre and British Canoeing and where many years ago I went on a school trip to try out kayaking. There are several walks around the site and I started by doing one that went through the woods but even though we haven’t had rain for a while it was surprisingly boggy so I recalibrated and went for a less muddy walk around the regatta lake instead.
The parkland is around 270 acres so plenty to explore though I only explored a tiny section of that. The Regatta Lake which I walked around is 2,000 metres long and features a six lane rowing course. It had very wide paths that were comfortable to walk around and cycle, dogs are also allowed here though be mindful at the moment that the lake has green algae in it so make sure they don’t actually go in the water.
The area was quite quiet with only a handful of other people around and the occasional goose and duck.
The park was built in the early 70s on a former gravel works. If you walk around the site anti-clockwise as I did you will see the lanes for the athletes…
…and also come across this wooden bridge. Crossing over it lets you view the canoe slalom course.
If you carry on across the bridge and up the pathway you then come up to the River Trent – turn left and you can admire the canal boats for a few minutes before going back into the Holme Pierrepont site on the left, over another bridge which gives you a closer look at the slalom course.
You can then rejoin the route around the regatta lake and make your way back to the beginning. It’s a lovely walk and there’s lots more to explore there and nearby. There’s an outdoor adventure area with children’s play park and mini golf and a sky trail with an on site cafe. There’s also a 19-acre campsite nearby where you can pitch a tent/park your caravan or stay in the accommodation provided depending on your budget.
The practicalities:
There is of course a car park at the site (for a fee) but if like me you don’t drive the bus you want from Nottingham City Centre is the Green 11C. None of the other Green 11 routes go as far as the Watersports Centre so make sure you get on the right one! They depart every hour and take about 20 minutes or so depending on traffic etc. The bus stops directly outside the entrance and the stop back into the city centre is just on the other side of the road. As of writing the last bus leaves at 15.58 so pay attention to timings! If you do miss the last one it’s a long trek to the next bus stop so you may need to call a taxi.
There is a cafe inside the centre (which I didn’t use, having brought food and drink with me) and also toilets (which I did use, very clean!)
Visiting the park for a walk is of course free.
Louise Jayne's Blog 