Parks and Countryside

Horsham Park

When was the last time you visited some of the beautiful parks and open spaces across the Horsham District? They include some of the best scenery the South Downs and High Weald has to offer.

Countryside Services and Parks Services look after over 400 hectares of Open Space and maintain five significant Countryside sites including Southwater Country Park, Warnham Local Nature Reserve and Leechpool and Owlbeech Woods. Chesworth Farm is a 90 acre paradise of wild grassland and ancient hedgerow where you can see the District’s most colourful wildflower displays. Entry to all but Warnham Nature Reserve is free.

Horsham District Council has produced a draft Green Space Strategy for 2013-2023 and is seeking your views on the draft recommendations.

Please click on the links in the blue box on the right for more details.

Parks Services manages and maintains Horsham Park and the Riverside Walk. We also provide bedding schemes, hanging baskets, landscape schemes, tree management and grounds maintenance, play area management, open space event booking and liaison with community groups.We also provide educational services to schools and clubs as well as running a year round calendar of countryside events and activities for all ages.

Countryside Activities
Walking, cycling and horse riding are all very popular activities in the Horsham District due to the extensive network of footpaths, cycle paths and bridleways as well as some excellent national and regional trails. Look out for free guided walking routes on offer from Horsham District Council as well as a range of on and off-road cycling routes. 

Blooming Springtime!
Springtime is a great time to come and see the wild plants and animals of Horsham spring into life! There are lots of places in Horsham to see Nature in Action this Spring: Leechpool Woods is one of the best places in Horsham to see Bluebell displays during May, with carpets of the tiny wild flowers blooming and spreading their perfume – now includes a unique Sculpture Trail. Park off Harwood Road, next to South Holmes play area. Walk into nearby Owlbeech Woods and you enter a heathland world for rare species – on a Summer evening you can hear the endangered Nightjar churring its eerie song.

Warnham Nature Reserve is on Warnham Road in Horsham, just off the A24, and is home to the stunning Millpond and its wetland wildlife. It has also been home to a flock of very rare birds – Waxwings. Driven to Horsham by a berry shortage in their Scandinavian homeland they have enjoyed feasting on the hedgerow fruits on the Reserve.

Southwater Country Park is well-known for its watersports, fishing and countryside walks but has also just been designated a Site of Nature Conservation Interest because of its important habitats and rare butteflies and dragonflies. It also boasts an amazing display of Orchids during June. Visit the Park just off the A24, with 3 car parks around the site.

For further details about the sites listed above as well as play areas and recreation grounds, allotments and our In Bloom successes please click on the links in the blue box on the right, or contact Leisure Services on: Tel: (01403) 215263, Email: parks@horsham.gov.uk.

For those who love Gardens, we have some magnificent examples that are open to the Public, including those at Parham House, a glorious Elizabethan Manor, and the delightful Tudor St Mary's House and Gardens.  Visit our Gardens and Vineyards page under Places to Visit for more details.

Volunteering:  If you are interested in natural conservation or enhancing your local open space we can offer you some interesting volunteer opportunities. Contact Horsham District Council Leisure Services via the above contacts.

Your Views Count
If you have any comments, concerns or suggestions on how we can improve our services to you across our Parks and Countryside sites, or would like further details about any of the leisure activities made available by Horsham District Council Leisure Services, please contact us on Tel: (01403) 215263 or email: leisure@horsham.gov.uk. We'd like to hear from you.