RUDDINGTON COUNTRY PARK ......................... Click here for Site Map

Click here for Rushcliffe Country Park Web Site

Opened in 1993 the Park is just outside Ruddington on the A60 going towards Loughborough It was reclaimed from the Ruddington Ordnance Depot. Part of the site is being used for Employment purposes, which contributed to the creation of the rest of the park. The site is staffed by three Rangers. Besides it`s wildlife value the site also offers amenity areas, a children's playground, the Railway and Transport Heritage Museum, refreshments etc.

The Country Park is set within 85 hectares of wildflower meadows, grassland, plantations and amenity areas, served by a network of paths. One third of the park has been planted with trees incl 80% native species such as oaks, alders, field maple, birch and wild cherry. These young trees will become woodland of the future. The 2 hectare lake and reedbed provide an invaluable habitat for a diversity of aquatic species and an excellent site for wildfowl such as the resident mute swans, great crested grebes and varieties of ducks.

Other birds regularly seen in the park include skylarks, meadow pipits, finches, cuckoos, kestrels, sparrow hawks, reed buntings, reed warblers and sedge warblers. The best time to see mammals is at dawn or dusk, with plenty of foxes, stoats, hares, voles, hedgehogs, mice, shrews and various bats (there is a bat hibernation cave on the site).

The park is home to the Rushcliffe Barn Owl Project, whose aim is to reverse the decline of barn owls by providing nesting sites, as well as create and manage hunting habitats. The park being grassland and young plantations is well suited to this role. There are seven nest boxes each on top of a telegraph pole.

The areas of species rich grassland are principally located around the edge of the park and are also principally the result of the habitat creation scheme having been seeded with a range of species commonly found in the area. However some species such as Bee Orchid (and some hedgerows) have survived the transition and are doing well. The park management is now looking to reduce the amount of mowing carried out on these areas to create a rotation over several years.

In 1999 funding was obtained to dig a pond near the perimeter fence in a particular wet area, unfortunately a dry winter left this rather dry.

The Country Park is supported by an active Voluntary Group - Friends of Rushcliffe Country Park, who have carried out conservation work and raised funds for trails and leaflets. They meet the first Thursday each month 7.30 pm in the StPeters Rooms - contact the Rangers office for details.