5 Best Parks in Warwickshire

It might come as no surprise that the best parks in Warwickshire likely made an impression on the writings of its most famous poet. After all, Shakespeare’s birthplace has more than 1,200 acres of hills, meadows, woodlands, gardens, rivers and ponds to seek out. 

Ready to explore? Kick things off by reading this list of the best parks in Warwickshire, which provides chapter and verse on the brilliant adventures that await.

Coombe Country Park

Head to Coombe Abbey for countryside capers in 500 acres of parkland, gardens, woods, lakes, birdwatching, fisheries and nature trails, all developed across 1,000 years of history.  

A sizable portion of this area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because it’s so important to regional wildlife, while another section is on the English Heritage register of historic parks and gardens.

Whether you’re after a full family trek through woodland and alongside lakes, a serene stroll in elegant gardens or want to take in all the scenic and historic landscape, you’ll have a wide range of options to experience the best of Warwickshire wildlife.

For the curious, thirsty and hungry, there’s also a discovery centre, history room, info desk and café (and a handy car park too).

Find a campsite near Coombe Abbey.

 

Burton Dassett Hills Country Park

 

It’s the ‘hills’ part that attracts keen campers and hikers to this spot. Made up of 100 acres of pristine countryside, with gorgeous views from rugged ironstone hilltops, it’s a top choice for a full day’s ambling – among the best walks in Warwickshire, in fact. 

There’s also a small woodland at Fox Covert, an ancient beacon, quarry remains and the 12th-century All Saints Church at the village of Burton Dassett to explore.  

Pitch up around Burton Dassett.

Ryton Pools Country Park

Home to birds and wildlife aplenty, these 100 acres just outside Leamington Spa are a go-to for long walks through ancient woodland and around placid waters. 

Bring a picnic and you can spend hours soaking up some serious peace and quiet. And there are also ample chances for cyclists and anglers to wangle a day indulging in their hobbies here. 

Refreshments are readily available at the park’s visitor centre for fuelling up after adventures.

Choose a campsite in near Ryton Pools.

Jephson Gardens

If you fancy a park of the landscaped variety, roam alongside the River Leam and into the award-winning Jephson Gardens near the centre of Leamington Spa. Once voted ‘Best Park in Britain’, this elegant example of Victorian design is your chance to admire extensive floral displays and greenhouse exotica, along with fountains and memorials. You’ll soon recognise why the grounds have also gained a Green Flag and Green Heritage Award. 

While you’re in Leamington Spa, another of the many excellent things to do in Warwickshire is to sightsee some of the town’s grand Regency architecture via riverboat from the gardens.

Go camping near Leamington Spa.

Swift Valley Country Park and Nature Reserve

These 59 acres of coarse grassland, hedgerow, woodland, wetland and ancient ridge and furrow just north of Rugby are managed by the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust. 

Head on a pleasant stroll along the River Swift or its adjacent, long-disused canal and take in the peaceful surroundings. You can explore further in and around the pools and marshy floodplain for sightings of the reserve’s flourishing populations of kestrel, sparrowhawk, snipe, lapwing, coot and moorhen while you’re at it. 

 

Find a place for your tent near Swift Valley Nature Reserve.

Once you’ve savoured this rural county’s best bits, you’ll understand what The Bard was on about. Why not see for yourself? Here’s a list of the top campsites in Warwickshire to get you out there and pounding those tent pegs. 

And after all that countryside, you might also be curious about Warwickshire town-life. Check out our list of best Warwickshire towns here.