Itchen Valley Country Park
The visitors' centre
TypeCountry park
LocationWest End, Hampshire, UK
Coordinates50°56′35″N 1°20′42″W / 50.943°N 1.345°W / 50.943; -1.345
Area440 acres (1.8 km2)
Operated byEastleigh Borough Council
StatusOpen all year

Itchen Valley Country Park is a country park in West End, Hampshire, England. As the name suggests, the River Itchen runs through the park, which covers 440 acres (1.8 km2).[1] The park has a number of walks and trails, including an off-road cycling track. There are a number of facilities for children, including a play area and a play trail. The Itchen Way footpath borders the park. The park was awarded the Green Flag award in 2009/10 and 2010/11.[2]

History

The site is on the opposite bank of the river to Southampton Airport, the runway of which is reputedly built over the remains of a Roman villa.[3]

The park was established when over 350 acres (1.4 km2) of the site were acquired by Eastleigh Borough Council in 1979.[4] The visitor centre was built in 1990.[1] In 2010 work started on a Go Ape adventure course in the park, which opened in Spring 2011.[5]

A free, weekly timed 5km parkrun is held at 9am every Saturday, having started on February 29, 2020.

Geography

The park contains a 250-acre (100 ha) water meadow nature reserve, 90 acres (36 ha) of ancient woodland (a third of which is classified as "semi-rural"), 60 acres (24 ha) of grazing land and a 40-acre (16 ha) recreation field.[4]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Itchen Valley Country Park.

References

  1. 1 2 Eastleigh Borough Council: Itchen Valley Country Park Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 April 2007
  2. ↑ "Green Flag awards". Eastleigh Borough Council website. Eastleigh Borough Council. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
  3. ↑ Itchen Locations: Roman Level Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 5 April 2007
  4. 1 2 Itchen Locations: Modern Level Accessed 5 April 2007
  5. ↑ "Go ahead for Go Ape". Eastleigh Borough Council website. Eastleigh Borough Council. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
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