Before this review, the last time I visited Stockgrove Country Park I only had one child. So quite a while ago. In fact it was before all the fancy work was done up at Rushmere to make their visitor centre what it is today and Stockgrove seemed the better option. These days families tend to pick the “main” site and this little country park tends to be quieter as a result. The smaller car park helps with that as well! Quite often you’ll see it referred to as the Stockgrove entrance to Rushmere Country Park, which feels a little bit mean.
Generally there’s three main parts to Stockgrove Country Park. There’s Baker’s Wood, which is a site of special scientific interest, the lakeside walk and more general woodland/heath. There’s also a nice little picnic area by the main car park.
The lakeside walk
I think the lakeside walk at Stockgrove Country Park is where most people tend to spend a lot of their time. Mainly because it’s so beautiful! It’s also a really accessible route, and quite short so even the littlest of legs could manage it.
To get there you have to go along a little boardwalk and there’s various bridges dotted around which the kids will like plonking across. There’s a terrifying number of squirrels everywhere, exceptionally friendly ones at that don’t care about the humans kicking around.
If you’ve got kids with you, make sure you have a look around the Nature Discovery Area at the far end of the lake. It’s set up for them to explore all things nature. RIght up our street. When I visited Stockgrove country park it was full to the brim with frog spawn!
Bakers Wood
Have you seen the film Epic? I think it should have been set here! This is an awesome woodland. It was very early spring when I visited Stockgrove country park so there weren’t any leaves on the trees. Instead the wood was full of spindly, eerie trees and boggart homes!
You can’t really explore the woods that much though. There’s signs up at the entrances saying that you cannot go off the paths of build dens etc because the site is so important. I’m not sure how the kids would feel about that! They do like to have a good old wander.
The rest of the site
I think I might have found my favourite picnic spot in Bedfordshire! At the bottom of the lake there’s a path up into the woods and you can see a wooden bench. This has got some lovely views and it’s so peaceful up there. Plus there’s a great area nearby that the kids can play in!
Walk along the right-hand side of the picnic area and follow the pink Woodpecker trail. Along the way you’ll find the sundial (which actually works) and explore the woodland (one that the kids can actually explore). This route actually includes part of Rushmere itself, including the option to divert and do the Oak Wood sculpture trail. There’s also a little play bridge randomly along the way. One tip though – if you’re following the woodpecker trail you’re probably better off walking anti-clockwise rather than clockwise. I did it the “wrong” way and had to climb a mountain up to the Giants’ Chair on the main path at Rushmere!
Our Stockgrove Country Park Review
This isn’t so much a review of a newly found gem, Stockgrove Country Park is more a hidden corner of a familiar gem! Because the car park is so small (about 40 cars I reckon) Stockgrove Country Park tends to be quieter than Rushmere. I think the nature pond area is awesome and something quite different from what’s up the hill! If you can’t park at Stockgrove then actually it’s not that far to walk. And it’s definitely worth the walk!
Admission cost
Free
Parking / How to get there
Parking – Limited parking on-site. Chargeable. 1-3 hours will cost you £4. Over 3 hours will cost you £6. All prices are correct at the time this review of Stockwood Country Park was published/updated. Visit their website for the latest prices.
Address – Brickhill Road, Heath and Reach, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire LU7 0BA
Toilets
On-site
Food
Cafe on-site. Picnics allowed.
What else is there to do nearby?
Rushmere Country Park is of course the nearest, but within Leighton Buzzard itself you’ll also find the children’s trail and Parson’s recreation ground, beach & splash park.
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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