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Southwater Country Park

38 ha

📷 Patrick Roper · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

FamilyBirdsPicnic
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome38 ha

Getting here

51.02007, -0.34983

Open directionsv
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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

  • 🐦80+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Nightingale and Turtle Dove
  • ☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
  • ☕Southwater Country Park Cafe — makes this an easy full-day family visit without needing to pack food

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
CaféParking· PaidPlaygroundToilets

Best for

15 activities

Family friendly

playground, café, toilets; Urban park — family destination

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Nightingale, Turtle Dove, Raven +77 more · last seen 2025; Ancient woodland — owls, woodpeckers, warblers

Free

Picnic day out

café, toilets, car park; Urban park — open green space

Free

Ancient woodland

Ancient woodland — continuous woodland since before 1600

Free

Playgrounds

playground, toilets, café, parking

Free

Bluebell walks

Ancient woodland — native bluebell habitat

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

8 signed routes nearby · 10 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Knepp Wildland Blue RouteWalking route
Named route
Sussex Diamond WayWalking route97 km
Named routeLength 97 kmRegional walking route
Downs LinkWalking route59 km

A 37 mile shared route for walkers, horse riders and cyclists linking the North Downs Way with the South Downs Way

Named routeLength 59 kmRegional walking route
West Sussex Literary TrailWalking route
Named routeRegional walking route
Riverside WalkWalking route13 km

A circular walk around Horsham following the Chennels Brook, Horn Brook, Arun, and Boldings Brook

Named routeLength 13 kmRound tripLocal walking route
🚴

Cycling

26 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
Route 223Cycling route
Named routeRef 223National Cycle Network
Worthing Road to Horsham StationCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Pedlars WayCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Broadbridge Heath to HorshamCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
The Forest School & Millais School to Horsham StationCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
Horsham to WarnhamCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🐴

Horse riding

14 public paths nearby

Public paths
Stakers Lanebridleway · 398 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 398 mSurface fine_gravelPath type: unclassified
Downs Linkbridleway · 2.1 km
Public pathbridlewayLength 2.1 kmSurface compactedPath type: bridleway
Eames Viewbridleway · 199 m
Public pathbridlewayLength 199 mSurface pavedPath type: residential

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Lake in winter in Southwater Country Park

📷 Patrick Roper · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake in winter in Southwater Country Park

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Weather for this location

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️SOUTHWATERCountry park200 m→🌱Southwater Country ParkUrban park200 m→🌱Garden of RemembranceUrban park4.6 km→🌱St Mary's ChurchUrban park4.7 km→🌱Public Playing FieldUrban park600 m→✦SEDGWICK PARKHistoric site2.7 km→