In 2001 Hinchingbrooke Country Park, managed by Huntingdonshire District Council, gained some high quality new facilities to help maintain its reputation as an excellent location for environmental education and countryside recreation. The Country Park is just over a mile west of Huntingdon and can be easily accessed from Godmanchester by car or by the bus services to Hinchingbrooke Hospital. The Country Park covers over 170 acres of meadows, lakes and woodlands – and there's far more to do there than walk the dog or let the kids run off some of their excess energy.

The new Countryside Centre is designed as a base for many of the activities offered at the Country Park as well as for promoting sustainability. It has three rooms of differing sizes and is primarily intended to cater for schools, youth clubs, play schemes and natural history organisations. However, the rooms can also be hired by local groups and businesses for meetings and conferences. As well as having a display area to promote recycling and environmental education the building itself puts the principles of sustainability into practice by being designed to minimise the need for energy and water use, including a 'grey water' system.

Next to the new Countryside Centre the Huntingdonshire Bee Keepers Association opened a new observation hide in May with the help of a Millennium grant. One bee hive is located outside the hide so that observers can remain unobtrusively inside the hide and watch the bees fly in and out of the external hive. A second hive, inside the observation hide, allows for really close up inspection of the bees activities. The Huntingdonshire Bee Keepers Association organise opportunities to find out more about the work of bees and get some hands on experience; contact the park for more information.

Several Rangers are employed at the Country Park whose valuable environmental experience can add greatly to your enjoyment of the Park whether you visit it as part of an organised activity or simply go by yourself for a pleasant afternoon and have an informative chat with one of them. The Visitors Centre has displays on many aspects of the Park and nearby countryside leisure opportunities with refreshments available at peak times. Now work on the Countryside Centre is completed the intention is to renovate the Visitors Centre too, to further improve the standard of facilities available to the public.

The Country Park has a number of low key facilities designed to help you gain more from your visit. A wooden sculptured bird hide overlooks the wildlife lake where you can quietly watch turns, coots, swans and tufted ducks. For those seeking more active pursuits a specially designed mountain bike course provides some good opportunities for testing your ability not to fall off into the mud! Barbecue stands and picnic facilities are available for those more interested in a gentle stroll and some al fresco sustenance.

Near the wildlife lake lies the Romano-British Farmstead. This provides a very appropriate setting for practical history lessons for both children and adults. Opportunities to learn about iron age construction methods, farming and cooking are available at certain times of the year. For those willing to get involved in some practical work in the Farmstead the Iron-age volunteers group meet there on the third Sunday of each month from 10am-1pm; new volunteers are always welcome, including older children as well as adults - no experience necessary! An open days often include activities such as demonstrations of spinning, basket making, cooking and round house construction.

Many environmental and natural history related activities are offered throughout the year ranging from pond dipping and minibeast hunting through to practical work on habitat management. The Country Park also provides a good base for people looking to improve their orienteering and survival skills. Special sessions are organised for different age groups so contact the rangers on 01480 388246.

The Country Park and visitor's centre are open every day of the week and access is free to all. Some paths are hard-surfaced and suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and all weathers. Others, particularly in the woodlands can be very muddy and wellies are strongly advised.

For more information on the park and activities available phone 01480 451568.

Clare Bond

© 2001 Godmanchester Community Association