Wynyard Woodland Park
Set on the site of a former railway, Wynyard Woodland Park provides great opportunities for walking and cycling whilst getting close to nature. The entire park is about 3 miles from one end to the other. The South is a stone's throw away from Thorpe Thewles and the North is located off the A689.
Wynyard Woodland Park (South)
Beautiful woodlands, footpath trails, cycle routes, a large play area, tea room, a programme of activities in the Station House and Planetarium and Observatory.
In the southern section there's a cafe in the former station house which also hosts a range of activities and events, and a large adventure play area nearby. The park is also home to Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory.
From the main car park and station house you can walk a short distance south to reach Stoney Field, with its woodlands and amazing Celestial Kitchen sculpture. Closer to the play area is the Arboretum Trail, where trees have been planted in the order in which it is thought they first started to grow in Britain. View the Stoney Field trail map.
If you head off in the opposite direction from the station house (going northwards along the main walkway) you reach Thorpe Wood, an ancient woodland of oak, ash and wych elm. A circular trail leads you through the wood, or you can carry on along the main walkway. If you take the time to stroll through the woods in the spring, at various times you will be rewarded by carpets of wood anemones, wild garlic and bluebells.
Following the walkway entering Thorpe Wood takes you through an old railway cutting, the banks of which are managed to promote wildflowers. These wildflower banks display a changing suite of flora as the spring turns to early and then late summer. Primroses, orchids, oxeye daisy, yarrow, birds foot trefoil, meadowsweet, great willowherb, rosebay willowherb and cow parsley are just a few of the flowers you can see throughout the growing season.
Continue further along the walkway to explore the northern part of the park.
See some more maps of the local trails in the area:
Love Exploring
Download the Love Exploring app to make your visit even more enjoyable. The app provides information about what to see in the park and can guide you around two trails in this section of the park.
News
Station House
A range of exciting activities are now on offer including:
- Introductory Willow Weaving Workshop - Looking for a creative and unique experience? Look no further than our Introductory Willow Weaving Workshops. Here, you can enjoy a relaxed and friendly atmosphere as you learn the basics of willow weaving, and you'll soon have your own handmade piece that you can take home. No experience needed.
- Funky Foresters - Outdoor sessions for children aged 18 months - 6 years to explore and engage with the natural environment whilst supporting their creative problem-solving, confidence and motor skills.
- Funky Foodies - A physical activity programme for early years. It's a fun session that's suitable for children age 18 months - 6 years which develops a child's fundamental movement skills. These skills are the building blocks a child needs to enable them to develop the skills needed for participation in a range of sport. Families will then participate in basic cooking skills to help teach simple, and healthy ways to create family meals.
Parkrun
Wynyard Woodland Parkrun has returned to the Borough with weekly events happening at Wynyard Woodland Park every Saturday morning.
Thorpe Thewles to Wynyard Woodland Park cycleway
Over the past few years work has been done to create a new cycle link from the A177 (near Thorpe Thewles) to the Station House. Funded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development the project also improved signage along the entire section of the cycleway from Stockton and through the park to the Borough boundary at the A689.
Accessibility
The park has accessible toilets, designated disabled parking and surfaced paths.
Facilities
Wynyard Woodland Park includes the following facilities:
- cycleway to the park
- cycleway in the park
- surfaced paths
- toilets (limited opening times)
- refreshments (limited opening times)
- play area
- Love exploring app
- cycle stands
- car park
- electric vehicle charging points
- Teesside Astronomical Science Centre runs Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory, with the assistance of Cleveland and Darlington Astronomical Society and Durham Astronomical Society.
Opening times
The opening times are as follows:
21 March to 21 October: 6:30am to 9pm
22 October to 20 March: 6:30am to 5pm
Wynyard Woodland Park (North)
Explore some of the Borough's largest woodlands in the northern part of this popular country park.
During the 1960s much of the deciduous woodland was felled and replaced with a commercial crop of pines, fir and spruce. As the woods changed ownership several times, this crop was never harvested, leaving a dense, dark, unnatural conifer forest. Once part of Wynyard Woodland Park most of the conifer was removed in two felling operations, the last of which was in the winter 2014/15. The woodland is now regenerating with native broadleaved trees and is being managed to promote this.
There are great crested newts on site, happily making use of the ponds that were created by Luftwaffe bombs that missed the railway line. Their habitat has been improved by creating many more ponds with the more usual JCB.
Nestled between Tilery and Brierley Woods and the Castle Eden Walkway is Pickard's Meadow. Part of the meadow is fenced, though you can access it through stiles. Trees are prevented from growing here by grazing cattle, so take care. The northern part of the meadow has regenerating trees which are being managed to allow a variety of species whilst maintaining open views and grassy areas for wildflowers.
Love Exploring
Download the Love Exploring app to make your visit even more enjoyable. The app provides information about what to see in the park and can guide you around two trails in this section of the park.
Accessibility
This section of the park does not have toilets or designated disabled parking. Paths are roughly surfaced and the main walkway does provide access to disabled toilets at the Station House (2½ miles south of the A689).
Facilities
- cycleway to the park
- cycleway in the park
- roughly surfaced paths
- Love exploring app
- car park or parking nearby
Opening times
The park is open at all times.
Location
Car park and main walkway (National Cycle Network Route 1) can be accessed from the A689, about 3 miles west of the junction with the A19, and 2¾ miles east of junction with A177 near Sedgefield.
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