Visitor Information

With 180 lakes set over 42 square miles, the Cotswold Water Park offers lots of activities for everyone.

The activities section will help you find out what you can do where, but here are some other ways we can help answer your query.

The Cotswold Water Park is a large area, with lots of lakes and lots of different activities.

•Decide what it is you would like to do, ie Kayaking, Paddle Boarding, cycling, or just sitting by a lake with a picnic.
•Take a look at the wide range of activities available in the Cotswold Water Park, and choose one of the leisure providers – there are quite a few!
•Go to their own website to check opening times and prices, and see if you need to book ahead, as it can get busy in holiday times.
•If you are new to the area, call into the Visitor Centre and pick up a Leisure Map. This will tell you where you can do the various activities and how to get there.

 

Cotswold Water Park Visitor Centre

The first stop for many visitors is the Cotswold Water Park Visitor Centre, located next to The Old Boathouse in the grounds of the De Vere Hotel. The Visitor Centre has easy access from the main road and plenty of free parking.

Location: Spine Road, South Cerney GL7 5FP

Open from March to November, the Visitor Centre is manned by Cotswold Lakes Trust and Cotswold Canals Trust volunteers between 10am and 3pm during weekends and school holidays. Outside of those times, a mini-information point is also available at the Ashton Keynes Community Shop where you can pick up a free Leisure Map or purchase a Walks, Cycling or Nature Reserve guide.

 

Accessibility

As most of the area of the Cotswold Water Park is part of the countryside, there are the usual obstacles and issues, such as stiles, gates, and muddy footpaths. For wheelchair and mobility scooter users, the best option is to locate the bridlepaths and cycle routes ( Walks Guide Map 5) and to choose a route starting from one of the parking places such as Waterhay car park, the Gateway Centre or Neigh Bridge car park (parking charges apply – free for Cotswold Lakes Trust members) along the Spine Road.

In the Eastern section of the Cotswold Water Park, there are delightful places to sit alongside the River Thames, parking at Riverside Park in Lechlade. There is a charge for parking (free to Cotswold Lakes Trust members) , but please note that access into the town is restricted at present due to a narrow flight of steps. However, there are plans to replace the steps with a ramp in the future.

One of the best sites for people with limited mobility is Cotswold Country Park and Beach, with lakeside paths, toilets, cafe and beach area. Fully open from Easter to October.