Dedicated to protecting the environment on our doorstep by safeguarding NIDD GORGE and the wider area for people to visit and enjoy recreation in the countryside and provide educational facilities for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
This could enable Harrogate to be both the healthiest place to live in the UK as well as one of the happiest.
There are around 250 recognised accredited Country Parks in England and Wales attracting some 57 million visitors a year.
What is a Country Park?
The purpose of a country park is to provide a place that has a natural, rural atmosphere for visitors who do not necessarily want to go out into the wider countryside. Visitors can enjoy a public open space with an informal atmosphere, as opposed to a formal park such as Valley Gardens or RHS Harlow Carr. For this reason country parks are usually found close to or on the edge of built-up areas, and rarely in the wider countryside.
A country park usually has some more formal facilities, such as a car park, toilets, maybe a cafe or kiosk, paths and trails, and some information for visitors. Some have much more, with museums, visitor centres, educational facilities, historic buildings, farms, fishing, and other attractions.
Country Parks are accredited by Natural England and DEFRA.
Essential criteria:
- A least 10 hectares in size
- Defined by a clear boundary – marked on a map, whether it’s open or fenced in
- Accessible – less than 10 miles from a residential area
- Free to enter
- Inclusive and accessible to all
- Predominantly natural or semi-natural landscape, eg woodland, grassland, wetland or parkland with no more than 5% of the area built upon (excluding car parks)
- Signposted and easy to navigate – visitors should be shown where they can go and what they can do and directed along footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes
- Visibly staffed, eg litter collection and maintenance
- Available for public or educational events
- Near public toilets
- Informed by the local community – the public should have some influence over the management and development of the site
Desirable criteria:
- A visitor centre
- Play facilities
- Catering
- Bike and horse trails
- Art and sculpture
- Permanent staff presence during the day
- Detailed information available to visitors eg leaflets
- Brown and white touris directional signs and shown on an OS map
- Activities outside
- A green transport policy, eg buses, cycle and walking routes to the site
- Facilities for less able visitors eg easy trails/walks, seats and information available in accessible formats
- Planned for the management of biodiversity, geodiversity and preservation of historical environment
- Opportunities for practical community involvement, eg volunteering
- Promoted the health benefits of walking
- An outreach programme promoting your site to less represented sectors of the community
- A programme of events and guided walks, promoting healthy living and environmental awareness
