Rushcliffe Country Park has just received yet another Green Flag Award – its 18th one in a row. The accolade acknowledges Ruddington’s popular green space as still being one of the best parks in the country.
It’s been named among 2,227 other places in the UK that have received the award for 2024/25, which sets the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the UK and around the world.
Set in the countryside just south of our village, Ruddington’s country park consists of a diverse range of habitats for wildlife including woodlands, grasslands, a lake with a reed bed, wildflower meadows. It’s also home to a variety of different birds and at quieter times of the day badgers, foxes, hares and muntjac deer have been spotted. The park also boasts a network of over eight kilometres of footpaths and a dog agility course.
Recent investments in the park by Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) include a newly refurbished play area, visitor centre with a new lakeside café, a new outdoor shelter, electric vehicle charging points, pathway restoration work, refurbished toilets and ‘shade sails’. The skatepark and BMX track were also rebuilt and refurbished in 2021.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Wellbeing, ICT and Member Development Cllr Jonathan Wheeler says: “We’re thrilled to raise the Green Flag at Rushcliffe Country Park for the 18th consecutive year highlighting the park as a leading green space in the country. It’s a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication that takes place here week in and week out from our park rangers, Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park volunteer group and our Streetwise team who help to maintain the green space so that everyone can enjoy it. The park is among the jewels in the crown of the Borough and attracts over 300,000 visitors a year. There is so much to do at the park with a newly refurbished large children’s play area, BMX track and skatepark, outdoor gym, sensory trails and more!”
He adds: “There are also picnic benches across the site so friends and families can enjoy a lovely day out and have a bite to eat in a beautiful setting. Our excellent facilities also include the café Coffee and Cake by the Lake, visitor centre, bookable meeting venue and changing places toilets. Thank you to all our staff and the Friends volunteers who go above and beyond every year to build on its continued success and improve the park and facilities. The local volunteers have greatly contributed to the park over 20 years, as well as conservation work such as hedge laying and tree planting, they have created a number of educational trails and recreational activities around the park.”
Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park Chairperson Ann Towle is delighted: “We strive to develop and enhance Rushcliffe Country Park and raising the Green Flag at the park for a 18th year means a lot to us. The park has 85 hectares of wildflower meadows, grassland, conservation and landscaped areas and a two hectare lake. Conservation work is a priority, and we know visitors love exploring and watching the diversity of wildlife at the park.”
She adds: “Every Wednesday morning, we welcome park goers to the visitor centre, where we sell a selection of items including books, homemade jams and honey made from the park’s bees to raise funds for the park. The Friends are always delighted to see and chat to visitors there. Our door is always open to new volunteers, so if anyone would like to join and help to maintain the green flag status, please get in touch!”
You can contact the Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park by emailing countrypark@rushcliffe.gov.uk, phoning 0115 921 5865 or via the ‘Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park’ Facebook page.
Ruddington ramblers may be pleased to hear that Sharphill Wood between Ruddington and Edwalton has also been given a Green Flag Award for the second time in 2024/25. Accessible by foot from our village underneath the A52, this 10-hectare woodland site became a nature reserve in 2010 and is managed in partnership with Rushcliffe Borough Council, The Friends of Sharphill Wood and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust.
Each Green Flag Award is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities. Parks are said to be a vitally important part of this country’s green infrastructure, providing opportunities to improve physical and mental health even in the most built-up urban environments. It is estimated that active visits to parks in England result in £2billion of avoided costs of ill-health every year.
You can read more information about Ruddington’s Rushcliffe Country Park >>HERE<<.
