To enhance your visit to the National Forest why not take a look at the unique array of attractions on offer.
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FOOD & DRINK
Donisthorpe Woodland Park
Details
Location
Donisthorpe Woodland Park, Church Street, Donisthorpe, North West Leicestershire, DE12 7RH.
OS Grid Ref
SK317142
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Path Type
Stone-surfaced paths, woodland unsurfaced paths
Accessibility
Wheelchair users may need assistance in some places. Some routes are suitable for visitors with disabilities, but other routes have steep gradients. There is a wheelchair-friendly circular route around the park.
Site Owner
Leicestershire County Council
Website
Summary
Donisthorpe Woodland Park was created in 1996 by Leicestershire County Council on the former site of Donisthorpe Colliery, which was opened in 1857 and closed, 133 years later, in 1990. The colliery lagoons have been capped with clay and planted with new woodland (around 74,000 trees), in partnership with the National Forest, English Partnerships and the Forestry Commission.
From black to green, the site has been restored and now supports 20 hectares of beautiful mixed woodland, including pine, larch, oak, ash and cherry. A coppiced hazel wood provides bean and pea sticks for local gardeners. A brook flows through the site with mature willow woodland on its banks and the line of the Ashby Canal running along the edge of the park. The park includes a section of the three-mile long Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail that runs between Moira and Measham. The woodland park has several surfaced paths suitable for all abilities, meandering around this beautifully transformed site. Interpretation boards chart how the land has been restored to create a picturesque new landscape, for all to discover and enjoy.
Facilities
- Cycling
- Donisthorpe Woodland Centre refreshments
- Horse riding
- Information centre
- Picnic facilities
- Walking trails
Advance visit information
- Free car park off Moira Road, open daily from 9am to 4pm (Oct-Mar), from 9am to 7pm (Apr-Sep)
- Sustrans NCN route 63
Also at the same location
Why not explore the Forest on one of our circular trails? Each showcasing the variety of landscapes across the National Forest.
