This review of Coombe Abbey Country Park came about thanks to you guys! I put a post out asking for recommendations of places we should visit next and this came up quite a few times. What a doozie it is! If you’ve got any more recommendations for me just pop me a message on Facebook / Instagram or pop me an email
Coombe Abbey
Coombe Abbey Country Park is basically the grounds of Coombe Abbey itself. They’ve got quite a good site map on their website. It’s used for weddings and we stumbled across someone having their photos taken in the middle of the park. Not sure I’d want the world and their wife nosing around my wedding photos if I’d paid all that money, but that’s just me! They also do hotel stays and afternoon teas if you’re interested.
Things to do
There’s a playground, loads of walks, plenty of green space to play in, lakes to walk around and feed the ducks, an arboretum, wildflower meadow and more formal gardens, punting, goApe (affiliate link) and more. We decided to do the Heron’s way walk which was 2 miles of mostly flat path.
The playground was quite good with a decent play-frame. There’s also another playground hidden in the woods called the climbing forest (which I stupidly thought was an area of the forest!). I thought this would be quite cool so we checked it out. Sadly a big part of it is broken but there was still enough of it to play on. There’s also a nice shallow part of the stream for the kids to play in if the weather is good.
I know that we only skimmed the surface and there’s lots more to explore here. I suppose that’s a good enough reason to come back to Coombe Abbey Country Park and update my review! There’s tons to do and you can easily spend a whole day here. In fact you could spend the whole day here and never lose site of your car if you wanted to!
Hermit’s Hollow
I very nearly messed up! I saw Hermit’s Hollow on the map and followed the signs. We’d spotted it from across the stream and I’d convinced the kids to come away by telling them we’d be able to go to the playground. As soon as we get around the corner I see a sign saying it’s £3.95 per child. Considering I knew Biggest Child wouldn’t be up for it, and we were half way through the session anyway it was a hell no from me. You can get the latest prices on their website.
Woods and lakes
This is really a “stick to the paths” kind of woodland, even though we quite often like to go for a little explore. That said there is an area that’s good for den building. Not much tree climbing, but not all woods are tree climbing woods. There are also several lakes and streams that go through the park. There’s a few points where the steams are shallow enough to paddle in, although the water was a bit grim wherever blockages had made the surface a bit stagnant.
The only thing I will say about Herons Way is that you literally cannot see the woods (or lake) for the trees along most of the second half of the route. I thought we’d get some lovely lakeside views but it was just the odd little glimpse. Damn you nature for getting in the way of viewing nature! There is a nice view of a massive factory though!
This review of Coombe Valley Country Park is based on our experiences at the time of our visit. Things can change over time, including the facilities available. If you have any specific requirements such as access it’s always best to check with the site directly before visiting. If anything I’ve said in this review is no longer accurate then please do let me know. Thank you.
Our Coombe Valley Country Park review
This was a lovely little find / recommendation. Well, little is the wrong word but you know what I mean. Itsl certainly has a more “genteel” feel than other country parks like Black Park or Irchester Country Park, but that’s because of the abbey.
There’s a good variety of activities to do here, mostly free. Some areas do need a bit of TLC however.
Admission cost
Free
Parking / How to get there
Parking – tons of on-site parking. Even on a nice day in the summer holidays, arriving at lunchtime, we had plenty of space to park.
Address – Brinklow Road, Coventry CV3 2AB
Toilets
On-site including a changing places facility and baby change
Food
Cafe and kiosks on site. Picnics allowed.
What else is there to do nearby?
Kenilworth Castle isn’t a million miles away. There’s also the amazing Warwick Castle which is always a great day out.
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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