Itchen Valley Country Park

About

Itchen Valley's 440 acres of beautiful water meadows, woodland and meadows been recognised by the award of a Green Flag for the past eleven years.

The park itself opens around 6am and is locked at 6.30pm in the Winter and 8.30pm in the summer (please check the sign by the front gate when entering the park). As you drive in you will notice our Woodland Cafe on the left. This is open from 10.30am to 4.30pm (Saturdays 9am - 4.30pm) every day of the year except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. A selection of cakes, hot drinks, ice cream, baguettes and hot food is available. Dogs on lead are welcome in the cafe.

There are many trails to follow around the park through a mixture of forest and field. Picnic benches are available near the cafe and on the large field at the end of the drive, BBQs and a party room are available to hire through the website and there are two play areas. A variety of events are also on offer from outdoor theatre to Mental Health Walks and Craft sessions - details of which can be found on our website.

Normal parking charges apply but there are seasonal parking permits available through The Ringo system that operates onsite.

Play Areas
For children we have a play area suitable for under nines which is situated directly behind the visitor centre and a larger, adventure style play area for fourteen years and under which can be found on High Hill Field.

Connecting the two is the Play Trail (suitable for pushchairs), which is made up of a series of animal sculptures (designed by local sculptor, Andy Frost) for children to play on.

Events
There are regular activities provided for children so keep on Itchen Valley Country Park's website

Trails
If you want the freedom of moving at your own pace but having a focus there are a variety of self-led trails including the Ollie Owl Trail, brass-rubbing trail, orienteering course, Nature Detectives trail and our two mile Totem Trail. For more details talk to our Information Assistant. You can buy a Trail Guide from the visitor centre for 60p, or download a copy yourself.

Orienteering
We have two permanent orienteering courses for the more adventurous to try. The short course is 1.3km in length and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, whilst the long course is 3.5km in length and takes approximately one hour 20 minutes to complete. Each course is designed so that you don't need a compass, although if you have one, you are more than welcome to use it! Orienteering packs (including full instructions) are available from the Visitor Centre at £1.

Go Ape! 
The UK’s No.1 Tree Top Adventure is at Itchen Valley Country Park. Take to the trees and speed down zip slides. They’re part of an exciting course of rope bridges, Tarzan swings and crossings; all set high above the forest floor.

Go Ape offers two to three hours of tree top fun. It’s a great way to get outdoors and have some fun. We take one lush, green forest and a healthy dollop of breathtaking scenery; blend with a smattering of tree-top high wires, tricky crossings (using ladders, walkways, bridges and tunnels made of wood, rope and super-strong wire) and wind-in-your-face zip wires; and finish off with a liberal dose of people in search of their inner Tarzan.

Treetop Junior
The Treetop Junior course was launched in 2016 and has so far proven very popular with all ages. The course is aimed at the 6 - 12 age bracket, but anyone over 1m (3ft 3") in height can take part.

Dogs are welcome at Itchen Valley Country Park and may be let off the lead on all parts of High Hill Field (the large recreation field at the top of the main driveway).