Rushmere Country Park is a large park and woodland near Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. There is so much to do here; the visitor centre, playground areas, pond, woodlands, sculpture trails and fairy doors. There’s also what my boys lovingly refer to as the pit! This review of Rushmere Country Park focuses on the walks starting around the main visitor centre. There is also a car park near Stockgrove Lake that you can use as a starting point. It has been quite a few years since I’ve been down that way though. Have a look at the map on their website for lots of walks.
There used to be a couple of playground areas near the visitor centre, one for older kids and one for younger children. The one for older kids has now gone – possibly because the slide was so fast it was lethal! The play area for under 6’s is still near the cafe.
Being a woodland there is lots of wildlife – we got to spot some lizards and the resident (nesting) Herons. During the spring they have Heron watch set up with cameras to watch all the nests. There’s also someone on hand with binoculars and telescopes to help you spot the birds before they fly off. It’s pretty cool!
Getting around Rushmere Country Park
Access around the woodland is really good – there’s not much bracken around so it’s pretty clear between trees. Even if you go off path, it’s easy to get a pushchair around. Alongside the main accessible path is a network of rhododendron bushes. Not only are the beautiful when in flower, they make an awesome secret path for kids to scramble through, whilst you wander along from the safety of a proper path! If you look carefully you might even find some hidden secrets in here!
This is where you’ll find the main sculpture trail and the fairy doors. You’ll find a giant chair (great for photos), a spider and some other wizards dotted around. On our most recent visit to Rushmere Country Park to update this review quite a few of the doors had gone though. There is a new little fairy village that had popped up near the meadow though! Throughout the woods you’ll find various wooden sculptures (particularly seats!) and the massive gates above.
Maps are available from the visitor centre as well as the website. There are so many trails for varying abilities and some fantastic trees for climbing. The main accessible path is a relatively short, circular route. The large meadow is perfect for picnics and next to some particularly good trees for climbing!!
Whilst Rushmere Country Park is popular, it’s significantly quieter than places such as Wendover Woods (read the review here). There are certain bits of Rushmere that are VERY popular, and can even feel overcrowded at times. This is particularly around the accessible path. It doesn’t take too long to get away from the crowds though. Previously we’ve parked in the overflow car park and explored Lords Hill. We barely saw anyone else.
The secret sculpture trail at Oak Wood
OK, so it’s not actually secret, but the sculpture trail at Oak Wood is significantly less well known that it’s original counterpart. It’s also not marked on the main leaflet which is surprising. You can find the route here. Walk along the accessible path past the giant chair and up to the path for the Wild Things gate. Instead of turning left to go up to the gate keep walking into the clearing ahead of you. This is Oak Wood. Turn left and down the hill and you’ll be walking along the Oak Wood sculpture trail. Then just follow the green bug posts.
Although this is a lovely little sculpture trail there are a few things you need to know. It can get VERY muddy in places in this area, and there might be horse poop as well. It’s a circular route but no-matter which direction you go there’s an uphill and a downhill walk involved. It can be quite uneven under foot. As well as the sculptures there’s lots of dens and beautifully carved benches around. The little negatives mean it’s a LOT quieter than other parts of the woods, which is no bad thing!
The Pit
Some of you will already know about The Pit, but if you’ve never ventured off the accessible path at Rushmere Country Park you’ll have no idea about his little gem, and the boys’ favourite bit of the entire woods. It’s a relatively short, but quite steep valley (possibly an old quarry pit?) that I reckon is about 30/40 feet below ground level in places. It’s got steep sides, bits to slide down, great bits for scrambling up and is just generally nature play heaven! On today’s visit the kids were playing in this one bit for over an hour until someone (me) decided that it was time for a trip to the loo and some lunch. It’s hard to show how steep it is in a photo, but trust me on most sides it is STEEP. You can get into quite easily from the Wild Things gate end though.
If you don’t know how to get to the pit, follow the accessible path all the way round. Turn left at the giant’s chair, past the spider. Continue walking until you come to this chair. If you sit in the chair then the pit is hidden, but directly in front of you. Just don’t fall into the bog first.
What’s on for families at Rushmere Country Park
As if the woodland, sculpture trails, perilous pit, tree climbing and fairy doors weren’t enough, there’s plenty of family friendly activities at Rushmere Country Park. They regularly have trails and events going on throughout the year, particularly during the school holidays . One of my favourite is the woodland animal yarn-bombing that happens each year. There are loads of knitted animals dotted all over the place and some of them are amazing.
In addition to the regular sculptures there’s often guest appearances as part of the seasonal trails at Rushmere Country Park. During the Christmas 2019 trail these guys popped up;
Cycling at Rushmere Country Park – Ridge Riders
There are a few cycling tracks at Rushmere Country Park and there’s also the Ridge Riders Downhill Zone. There’s only a few paths that you’re allowed to cycle on without purchasing a cycling pass, including the pump track. If you want to do the really cool stuff though, you’ll need a pass. Find out more here.
Admission cost
Free. There’s usually a small charge for trails and events.
Parking / How to get there
Parking charges at Rushmere Country Park changed in 2021. You now have to pay before you leave, either via the app or machine. They use flowbird. Up to 20 mins, free. 20-60 mins, £2. 1-3 hours £4. 3+ hours, £6
Address – Rushmere Country Park, Linslade Road, Heath and Reach, Bedfordshire LU7 0EB
Toilets
Within the visitor centre, including baby change. There’s also toilets at the other entrance.
Food
Cafe and kiosk on site. Picnics welcome. BBQs are not allowed anywhere on site.
Our Rushmere Country Park Review
It’s a lovely woodland walk, even Hubby says it’s his favourite. The little sculptures along the way add interest too. There’s a lot more to explore in the wider park as well. It’s quite easy to get around, even with a pushchair for the most part.
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
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