Rufford Country Park

Run by Nottinghamshire County Council

Access

Map of Rufford Country Park showing the two car parks. There are two car parks, the larger one off the A614 and the other off the minor road between the A614 and Wellow. Car parking charge of £1-50 applies at weekends and holiday times, otherwise parking is free. Facilities include toilets, cafe, restaurant and shops. Attraction are the Abbey ruins, gallery and a ceramics centre. Footpaths are generally very good especially around the lake.

Habitat

Rufford is about 150 acres in size and has both mature woodland and younger plantations, grassland, a lake (see the adjacent photograph) and a cultivated garden area with sculptures. There is also a conservation area, with no public access, on the south-eastern side of the park.

The lake was created c. 1750 by damming a stream to provide power for the water mill. The buildings still exist on the north side of the lake.

Another feature is two wide rides which run towards the A614 bordered by an assortment of mature deciduous trees — see the photograph on the left. In the winter these are excellent for Siskins, Redpolls, Nuthatches and Marsh Tits.

Birds

Birds to be seen here are typical of East Midlands deciduous woods. Examples are Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches, all five species of Tits and a varied assortment of finches — including Greenfinches and Goldfinches. In the spring of 2006 a small flock of Hawfinches around the main car park gave the easiest views of that species in Nottinghamshire for a few years, being seen at the top of the taller trees and also very closely in the Yews by the main car park. Also present at that time was a near albino male Blackbird. In the summer Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers sing from every half–acre, with often large flocks of House Martins around the Abbey area buildings. In the winter small flocks of Siskin and Redpolls are to be seen in the wooded areas. There is a collection of feral wildfowl at the mill end of the lake. Goosanders often occur on the lake in winter. Water Voles are present in the conservation area and Rufford holds nine species of bat.

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