Watermead Country Park (South) is managed by Leicester City Council and forms part of the Riverside Park which runs through the centre of the Leicester City.

On the edge of Leicester, just five miles from the City Centre, Watermead Country Park is a 140-hectare green oasis. It is a haven for wildlife and a peaceful stretch of countryside, easily accessible for many people. Most of the paths are surfaced making it an ideal site to visit for wheelchair and buggy users. The Park is developing one of the largest reedbed areas in the Midlands and five birdhides, including a 2-storey hide, provide great viewing spots for visitors.

The Country Park is nearly two miles long and as its name suggests it is a wetland area with over 12 lakes and smaller ponds. It is an ideal spot for walking, cycling, picnics, birdwatching, fishing or more active watersports. The largest area of water is King Lear's Lake, which is an excellent day ticket coarse fishing venue.

Running through the Park are the River Soar and Grand Union Canal which provide an essential corridor for wildlife as well as a route for pleasure boating and walking.

Location

£2.50 pay on entry machine. Please note exact money is needed.
Northern Entrance Car Parking, Wanlip Road, near Syston, (off the A46) (LE7 1PD), serves four parking areas: John Merrick's Lake, King Lear's Lake, Lily Pond and the Reedbed Nature Reserve.
Southern Entrance Car Parking, off Mill Lane can be reached from the A607 and Alderton Close, Thurmaston, just north of the ring road
For both park entrances follow the brown tourist signs on the surrounding roads.
Car Park Season Ticket Information
Bus Route: Arriva 6 (walking involved). Contact Traveline for further information
Location Map Map of the Country Park Permanent Orienteering Course

Features of Interest

There are over 12 lakes and smaller ponds.
River Soar and Grand Union Canal both run through the Park providing an essential corridor for wildlife as well as a route for pleasure boating and walking.
Active watersports - see Activities in the Park for more details
Fishing is permitted on John Merricks Lake, Lily Pond, King Lears Lake, and sections of the River Soar.
Most of the paths are surfaced making it wheelchair and buggy user-friendly.
The National Cycle Network passes through the park. The Sustrans Connect2 Project has recently improved much of this network
The Dinosaur Play Trail around King Lears Lake featuring; an earthmound, a rib-cage climbing frame, a henge-feature and stepping stones is great for children of all ages to explore.
With five bird hides, including a 2-storey hide, and the development of one of the largest reedbed areas in the Midlands, the Park is great for bird watching.

Open daily at the following times

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May-Aug	Sept	Oct	Nov	Dec
7am - 4pm	7am - 5pm	7am - 6pm	7am - 7pm	7am - 8pm	7am - 7pm	7am - 6pm (BST) 5pm	7am - 5pm	7am - 4pm

£2.50

nr John Merricks Lake

Contact Details

Tel: 0116 305 5000
Email: countryparks@leics.gov.uk
Address: The Rangers' Office, Fillingate, Wanlip, Leicester, LE7 4PF

Guided Walks and Events

Go to our Events Page

If you have attended a Leicestershire County Council Country Park event please complete an evaluation form and help us to make our future events better.

Fishing

Common Carp from John Merricks Lake 2008

Fishing
Season Tickets are available for County Council Country Parks and are valid at Watermead (North) as well as Market Bosworth Park and Snibston Country Park. Click here to download the application form (pdf document 368kb).

Running

For runners a 1.5km (0.93 mile) route on the surfaced path around King Lear's Lake is marked out with 100 metre intervals. The route is part of the Run in England 3-2-1 initiative, developed in partnership with Leicester-Shire & Rutland Sport and Charnwood Borough Council. The route opened on 4th June. Click here to see a location map for the 3-2-1 route (pdf document 749kb).

Access

There are 5½ miles (9 km) of surfaced tracks and paths around the park, ideally suited for users of wheelchair and mobility scooters as well as people with pushchairs. Some routes are also for cyclists. On the perimeter path there are some kissing gates where a RADAR key is required for mobility scooters to get through.

For residents of Charnwood RADAR keys are freely available from Charnwood Borough Council on presentation of a Blue Badge. The keys can be posted or collected from the Borough Council's offices in Loughborough. For further details telephone 01509 634905 . For RADAR keys in other areas contact your local District Council, or in Leicester, the City Council.

Conservation Volunteers

Volunteers constructing the Natural Play Area

Conservation volunteering is a great way to keep fit, meet people, learn new skills and to develop your knowledge of the countryside. No previous experience is necessary, just enthusiasm and a desire to get involved. All kit, relevant training and safety equipment will be provided. For more information have a look at the work programme for each of the three ranger teams.

Market Bosworth Country Park
- Mondays Western Diary (tel. 0116 305 5000)
Beacon Hill Country Park
- 2nd Sunday every month Beacon Diary (tel. 0116 305 5000)
Watermead Country Park
- 1st Thursday every month Watermead Diary (tel.0116 305 5000)

Please call for more details

Pre-history or Legend

Learn more about the history of Watermead; legends, bronze age finds, to more recent reclaimation and regeneration.

Youth and School Groups

School groups and other organisations are welcome to use the Country Park for educational or recreational visits. The Country Park Rangers will be happy to provide advice and assistance with such visits and charges.
Click here for contact details

Other Local Sites

Watermead Country Park (South) and Riverside Park - managed by Leicester City Council
Cossington Meadows - managed by Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust

If you have visited one of Leicestershire County Council's country parks recently, we'd love to hear your views to help us plan future improvements. Please complete our Country Parks Survey.

Page Last Updated: 18 July 2011