Cirencester Park

Sean Meek

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

Cirencester Park is a superb example of a forest-style garden, which was laid out in the 1700s and occupies 3,000 acres branching out from Cirencester. It is famous for its polo ground, the oldest in the UK, which was founded in 1894. Although the park is privately owned, it is open to the public free of charge, by kind permission of the owner, Lord Bathurst. After a short walk through the town to the park's grand entrance, the walk is entirely within its grounds. It can easily be tackled with a wheelchair or buggy; the paths are of excellent quality throughout and there are no stiles at all.

As the walk is on privately owned land, there are a few restrictions which need to be observed. Dogs should not be taken on this walk, as it ventures into parts of the park in which dogs are not allowed. Picnics should also not be taken into the park; there are plenty of places to eat in Cirencester before or after the walk. The park is open every day from 8am to 5pm and the walk needs to be completed within these hours. There is a charge to enter parts of the park when polo matches are being played: most Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from May to September and also for the Cotswold Show, which is the first weekend of July every year.

The walk can be linked with Walk 4621, which explores the town of Cirencester.

England - South West England - Gloucestershire - Cotswolds