Walk Details
With 500 acres of beautiful gardens, woodland, lakeside walks, and bird hides, there’s plenty to explore at Coombe Abbey Park.
The park was designed and landscaped by Capability Brown and really does offer something for everyone.
There are some designated trails in the park that take in the different areas from the deer park to the woodland and lakeside.
The paths are accessible for all and great for little boots to explore.
This is about a 2 mile, circular walk that starts from the visitor centre. This is a full accessible walk. We head north, crossing the bridge over the lake and then take a left turn to follow the bank of the lake, Coombe Pool, for a while. Coombe Pool, one of the longest lakes ever designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. It’s over 1.5 miles in length. It was in 1771 that Brown swept away the formal gardens surrounding the house and dammed the Smite stream forming the lake which was intended to resemble a wide endless river, in his naturalist landscape style he planted clumps of trees creating carriage rides and vistas across the estate.
Here you are walking somewhere special – in fact it’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (an SSSI). SSSI’s are areas with special flowers, animals or landscape features that need to be protected. This particular part of Coombe Abbey Park is regionally important for wildlife – especially water birds such as shoveler ducks, herons and woodland birds such as the greater spotted woodpecker (maybe you can hear one?).
The bird hide offers the chance for you to pause for a moment or two, and enjoy the peace and quiet of this place whilst observing the birdlife here. Information inside will also tell you more about the birds of the area.
When you’re ready, we’re heading right, away from the lakeside and into the woodland where you may spot woodland bird species. Here a dense stand of sycamore trees have been cleared to make way for a greater diversity of native tree species such as willow, alder and hazel. In turn, these will attract a wider variety of birds and insects, helping with the biodiversity of this SSSI site. There’s also some bug hotels that you may see being used.
As we come through the woodland you’ll also come across the zip line, Go Ape and axe throwing if you’re looking for something more adventurous to do next! Otherwise, we follow the path back towards the lake, over the bridge and back to the visitor centre where we started.
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Nearest Train (or tube) Station(s):
Coventry (1.6 mile)
