Make a Splash |
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Splash & Play
Abbey Park, Evesham
What’s there: children’s play area and water-play fountains, skatepark, model boating pool, riverside picnic spots.
Get there: A44 from Worcester; parking at the adjacent multi storey car park, access from Monks Walk or on the Crown meadows the other side of the Rowing club access from Abbey Road.
Abbey Park, Pershore
What’s there: open grass areas, damp meadow area, picnic benches and seating, skatepark, children’s play area and water-play fountains.
Get there: A44 from Worcester; access from the north end of Abbey road;
parking available at the park.
Brinton Park, Sutton Road, Kidderminster.
Other entrances on Park Lane and Stourport Road.
What’s there: paddling pool, sensory garden, lawns, skatepark and games area, tennis court, playground.
Get there: limited parking; bus: 293 from Worcester Crowngate Bus Station (every 2 hours).
Droitwich Spa Salt Lido, Lido Park
off Worcester Road, Droitwich Spa,
01905 799342; www.droitwichsaltlido.info
What’s there: adventure playground, kiddie playground, parkland, heated brine lido and water-play complex.
Get there: follow the Droitwich Road into Droitwich Spa town and the park is well signposted off Worcester Road;
Parking: yes.
Bus: 144 from Worcester Crowngate bus centre to Victoria Square (every 20mins).
Ghulevelt Park, Barbourne Road, Worcester.
What’s there: duck pond, paddling pool, playground, river, parkland, shops nearby.
Get there: Parking: adjoining streets, limited. Bus: W1, 144 from Worcester centre.
Northwood Lane, Bewdley Riverside
Wribbenhall side
What’s there: children’s play area and
paddling pool
Get there: lots of parking.
The Riverside, Stourport-on-Severn
What’s there: baby fairground, amusement park, playground, paddling pool, refreshments, parklands.
Get there: coming from Worcester, follow signs for Stourport-on-Severn and then Riverside & Parking.
Parking: yes. Bus: 293 (every 2hrs) from Worcester Crowngate bus station.
City Dipping
Quayhead Fountain
Worcester.
What’s there: large walkthrough fountain, riverside, swans, nearby café, next to St Andrew’s Gardens.
Get there: easy walk from town centre, off Deansway; parking.
Comments: great fun for the kids with great shoots of water that go off at unpredictable times and heights.
Hop Market
Worcester.
What’s there: a small decorative fountain.
Get there: easy walk from town centre, where the High Street meets Foregate Street.
Comments: not a play fountain, but if you’re schlepping through town with the kids, a bench by the fountain the courtyard’s a nice place to cool off and nobody will mind if the odd finger or toe gets wet.
Indoor Swimming Pools
Worcester Citizens’ Swimming Pool
Weir Lane, Worcester, WR2 4AY. 01905 421089
Worcester Swimming Pool & Fitness Centre
Sansome Walk, Worcester , WR1 1NU. 01905 20241
Droitwich Leisure Centre
Briar Mill, Droitwich Spa, Worcs, WR9 0RZ. 01905 771212
Evesham Leisure Centre
Davies Road, Evesham, Worcs, WR11 1YZ. 01386 444212
Pershore Leisure Centre
King Georges Way, Pershore, Worcs, WR10 1QU. 01386 552346
Chessgrove Swim
Ditchford Bank Road, Hanbury, Bromsgrove, Worcs, B60 4HS. 01527 821978
Most pools will have holiday programmes so call up and find out what’s on!
Water Sports
Aztec Water Sports Lake
Salters Lane, Lower Moor, Pershore, WR10 2PD. 01386 860013; www.aztecwatersports.com
Windsurfing, canoeing and sailing courses for all levels! And from any age, if accompanied by an adult; 8+ years if solo.
Holiday programmes available.
Hydro Extreme Action Sports Park
Worcester Road, Holt, Worcester, WR6 6NH, 01905 620044 or 0780 7282865;
www.hydroextreme.com Holiday programmes available (8-16yrs).
Youth Afloat
Arrow Valley Countryside Centre, Battens Drive, South Moons Moat, Redditch, Worcs, B98 0LJ. 01527 464025; www.youthafloat.info; booking essential.
A great organisation that provides on-the-water fun for a nominal cost, Youth Afloat carries out a wide range of activities including dinghy sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, bellboating, raft building, orienteering, archery, mountain biking, and team building activities.
Holiday programmes available (8+).
Wild Water
With rivers meandering in all directions you can always go and explore your own patch of splash – even if only to sit by it. Please accept responsibility for yourself and your family when exploring the outdoors: you are at the mercy of the elements (and land regulations!).
Our pick of the wilderness:
Gullet Quarry, Castlemorton
What’s there:
this used to be a very popular place to swim (for adults) although there has been some controversy due to accidents over the years. It is very deep and the sides steep, slippy and rocky. Nevertheless it’s a beautiful waterside wilderness for a picnic.
Get there:
on the road map, look for Hollybush, between the roads B4208 and A438. From the B4208 which runs through Castlemorton Common, turn off opposite the Plume of Feathers or the Robin Hood (pubs) and head west up to the Malvern hills. Best to go opposite the Plume and just keep going straight up that road until it forks and the car park is just 200yds up, from the right hand fork. If you come from the A438, you head north and when that track forks, take the left hand fork and you come to the back car park of the lake.
Comments: explore the terrain with older children only
Further Afield
Sandford Parks Lido
Keynsham Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7PU. www.sandfordparkslido.org.uk
What’s there: heated children’s pool with slide, paddling pool, heated 50m pool with slide, free play equipment, table tennis and basketball.
Get there: behind Cheltenham General Hospital; parking for over 150 cars; trains leave hourly (approx) and take 25m.
Comments: Amazing new re-furb – open from August 11th. For opening times and prices check the website.
Cirencester Open Air Swimming Pool
Riverside Walk, Thomas Street, Cirencester. 01285 653947; www.cirenopenair.co.uk
What’s there: 28m pool filled with local spring water, heated to an average of 27°C (80°F), children’s paddling pool, hot showers, tuck shop
Get there: parking in Cirencester town.
Chipping Norton Lido
Fox Close, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, OX7 5BZ. 01608 643188; www.chippylido.co.uk
What’s there: 25m pool of crystal clear water with a slide at the deep, heated to 27°C, separate toddler pool, café, lawns.
Get there: take the A44 from Evesham
Waterworld
Festival Park, Etruria, Hanley, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 5PU
01782 205747; www.waterworld2000.co.uk
What’s there:
with umpteen different pools, waterslides, flumes, wave machines, white-water rapids and rollercoaster rides this park is WET! During the summer months the outside pool is transformed into a Caribbean beach, where you can swim, laze and take it easy.
Get there:
10 minutes from Junction 15 or 16 of the M6, join the A500 from the M6 and then follow the signs for the A53 to Leek. Signposted from the A53.
For further information
What you oughta by the water… as advised by www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk
Natural lakes and their shores may be enticing, but they are not always open to the public. Any right of access to the land surrounding a lake does not necessarily give you right of access to the water or any rights to swim, fish or launch a boat.
Reservoirs and their surrounding land belong to water companies, British Waterways or private industries. There are no general public rights, but there may be some permissive access to their shores.
Rivers, as well as the land adjacent to them, are the property of the landowner. Even if a right of way exists beside a river, this does not give you the right to fish.
Canal towpaths are legally part of the canal and so many are owned by British Waterways. Some towpaths are public rights of way and are usually accessible
(on a permissive basis) to the public.
Large public paddling pools are open May to September on Tettenhall Green and East Park, nr Wolverhampton. Lifeguards are in attendance at busy times.
Wild Over Waterways offers games, activities and information all about canals and waterways.
provides ideas for waterside enjoyment all over the UK including walks, pubs and boats.
www.worcesterrivercruises.co.uk
37 The Tything, Worcester, WR1 1JL
01905 611060;
Day trips from South Quay with family packages.
Dribbles of Information
There’s a small stream in Race Field at Woodgreen and a duck pond at Duck Meadow at Hanford West.
For detailed bus information call 0871 200 2233.
Do check lidos and pools for opening times, prices and more detailed directions.
