Cotswold Water Park Tourist Information Guide

About the Cotswold Water Park

At 40 square miles the Cotswold Water Park is approximately the same size as the Island of Jersey. It is that part of the Upper Thames catchment in North Wiltshire & South Gloucestershire which has been subjected to over 50 years of sand & gravel extraction.

Cotswolds Water Park

The Cotswold Water Park lies to the south of Cirencester in the Upper Thames Valley, which contains rich sand and gravel deposits. These have been worked for 50 years to create 140 lakes - the largest man-made complex in Britain - some 50 per cent larger than the Norfolk Broads and stretching as far east as Lechlade. Beneath the gravel lies Oxford Clay of Jurassic Age, from which spectacular fossil finds have been recovered.

Back in 1967, it was designated the Cotswold Water Park by a Joint Committee formed from the four local authorities - Gloucestershire & Wiltshire County Councils, and Cotswold & North Wilts District Councils.

Today, 20,000 people live in the Park’s 14 main settlements. Many more reside just outside the boundary and are affected by its operations. 13,000 people work in 850 businesses, and more than 500,000 visit every year.

For families an ideal day out can be found at Keynes Country Park, with wonderful bathing beach, boat and cycle hire, high ropes adventure, watersports centre, lakeside café, walks, nature reserves, barbecues – please note that some of these have seasonal opening times. Keynes park is open all year round. There is an entrance charge but all proceeds go back into park improvements and maintenance.

The Cotswold Water Park provides activities for everyone from the novice to the expert. Water sports include sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, water-skiing, wake boarding, diving and angling. You can visit and have a go at one of the water sports centres or you can join one of the many clubs. During the school holidays these centres run courses and have-a-go sessions for children.

For land lovers there are many activities including horse riding, hiking, cycling, fishing, high ropes adventure, paintballing. With a huge variety of accommodation and places to eat, plus a wealth of delightful countryside villages nearby the Water Park makes an ideal destination all year round.

For further information:-

Tel: 01285 862962
Fax: 01285 860186
Email: info@waterpark.org
Website: http://www.waterpark.org

Cotswold Water ParkTourist Information Guide