The Cotswolds area is famous for its quaint little villages and towns, whereas the Water Park is a lesser-known part of the area. The name makes it sound like an amusement park with lots of swimming pools and flumes, but it is actually a system of lakes which extend across several villages. However, there are lots of places there to watch nature, go walking and practice all kinds of watersports. There are also plenty of cafés and restaurants.
I'll tell you a bit about a few of my favourite places!
I really like visiting the Hoburne Cotswold holiday park. You can stay in a lakeside lodge or a trailer there, but its facilities are also open to the general public most of the year. A day pass costs £10 and gives you access to the gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, so it's great if you like sports. Last time I went, I visited the café after my workout and was pleased to see that there were plenty of vegan and allergy-friendly options there. The complex also has a restaurant, a children's play area, tennis courts and crazy golf!
When I was last at Hoburne Cotswold, I went for a walk around the lakeside area, which is something I hadn't done before, despite the fact that I've been going there for about twenty years! It's a really beautiful setting. The scenery of the lake and the lodges seems more like Canada and the United States than England, so for me, it's kind of feels like being abroad while being 10 minutes from home!
A café in the area that I like going to with my family is Jennie's Kitchen. The food and coffee there is really good and it has a pretty garden with lots of flowers. However, what I like best is the fact that there is a field of alpacas right next to the café! They bring a little touch of South America to the local area, which is nice for me, as I often miss being in Chile.
Another place I would recommend is the Cotswold Country Park, a park with two lakes where you can swim or do watersports. It even has a beach! There are also plenty of children's play areas and a high ropes course. In the summer, it's always really busy. However, in the winter, it's very quiet and is free to enter.
Last week, I went there with my dad and took some photos. I really liked all the wooden sculptures of animals around the park. We also saw interesting things like wicker parasols and a beach shack restaurant, which seemed like they belonged more in a hot country rather than England in the middle of winter!
A really nice place for a walk and for seeing wildlife like ducks and swans is Neigh Bridge lake. I have been going there with my family for many years.
The final place I will mention is South Cerney Outdoor, a great place for watersports. After the Rio Olympics in 2016, there was a programme throughout the UK where people could try new sports for free. I had the opportunity to try windsurfing at South Cerney Outdoor, which I loved. I would really like to do it again sometime in the future!
In conclusion, the Cotswold Water Park is definitely worth a visit, especially if you like nature. What I like about the area is that some of the places there are reminiscent of other parts of the world, so going there is kind of like going travelling, but close to home!
Edited on 12/01/2020 to add some alpaca photos taken on 10/01/2020!
I really like visiting the Hoburne Cotswold holiday park. You can stay in a lakeside lodge or a trailer there, but its facilities are also open to the general public most of the year. A day pass costs £10 and gives you access to the gym, swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, so it's great if you like sports. Last time I went, I visited the café after my workout and was pleased to see that there were plenty of vegan and allergy-friendly options there. The complex also has a restaurant, a children's play area, tennis courts and crazy golf!
When I was last at Hoburne Cotswold, I went for a walk around the lakeside area, which is something I hadn't done before, despite the fact that I've been going there for about twenty years! It's a really beautiful setting. The scenery of the lake and the lodges seems more like Canada and the United States than England, so for me, it's kind of feels like being abroad while being 10 minutes from home!
A café in the area that I like going to with my family is Jennie's Kitchen. The food and coffee there is really good and it has a pretty garden with lots of flowers. However, what I like best is the fact that there is a field of alpacas right next to the café! They bring a little touch of South America to the local area, which is nice for me, as I often miss being in Chile.
Another place I would recommend is the Cotswold Country Park, a park with two lakes where you can swim or do watersports. It even has a beach! There are also plenty of children's play areas and a high ropes course. In the summer, it's always really busy. However, in the winter, it's very quiet and is free to enter.
Last week, I went there with my dad and took some photos. I really liked all the wooden sculptures of animals around the park. We also saw interesting things like wicker parasols and a beach shack restaurant, which seemed like they belonged more in a hot country rather than England in the middle of winter!
A really nice place for a walk and for seeing wildlife like ducks and swans is Neigh Bridge lake. I have been going there with my family for many years.
The final place I will mention is South Cerney Outdoor, a great place for watersports. After the Rio Olympics in 2016, there was a programme throughout the UK where people could try new sports for free. I had the opportunity to try windsurfing at South Cerney Outdoor, which I loved. I would really like to do it again sometime in the future!
In conclusion, the Cotswold Water Park is definitely worth a visit, especially if you like nature. What I like about the area is that some of the places there are reminiscent of other parts of the world, so going there is kind of like going travelling, but close to home!
Edited on 12/01/2020 to add some alpaca photos taken on 10/01/2020!
