The River Lostock at Lower Kem Milll
Cuerden Valley Park was set up in 1986
by the Commission for New Towns and handed over to
Cuerden Valley Park Trust to manage
for the benefit of all in 1992. The Park is open 7 days a week,
365 days a year, and welcomes everyone.
The park has
approximately 650 acres of parkland, woodland, meadows,
a lake, ponds and gardens maintained to a high standard by dedicated
staff and volunteers. Our education programme and conservation
work are highly praised, whilst the recent restoration
of Victorian features in the park have been highly commended
by the likes of the Heritage Lottery Fund, our
woodlands are FSC registered for sustainable
management and we have achieved Green Flag status
since 2009.
Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre is located on Berkeley Drive,
Bamber Bridge. It is a shared facility for
Cuerden Valley Park Trust and the Wildlife Trust for
Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside. At the
Visitor Centre, there is information about the Park
and forthcoming events, trail leaflets and an interactive
3-D map. A board for "recent wildlife sightings on the
Park" is maintained in the foyer.
Toilets are available at the Visitor Centre
between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday and 12pm - 4pm
on Sunday. The Barn has been
constructed from recycled materials, where possible,
including recycled bricks, floorboards and office furniture.
The central heating system is run on woodchip
from trees felled or coppiced on Cuerden Valley Park.
Woodland products such as woodchip, firewood logs
and barbecue charcoal can be ordered by telephoning the
Park Office.
Visitors can take advantage of 10 miles of footpaths
on the Park. There is a bridleway, a cycleway (part
of Lancashire County Council's route 55) and a
lake.
Click here for a map
showing the cycle routes through Cuerden Valley Park.
There is an abundance of nature and wildlife. We
have everything from rare great crested newts to dragonflies, damselflies, green woodpeckers
and roe deer. If you would like to receive our
wildlife reports then join the
Friends of Cuerden Valley Park.
The northern part of the Park was laid out in the
early nineteenth century as parkland for Cuerden Hall.
A recent project has seen the restoration of some of
these features, such as the walled orchard, the Pinetum
and American garden, the ice house and the cinder path,
originally built to keep locals from viewing the
estate etc.
At the southern end of the Park is found the remains
of Lower Kem Mill, a bleach and dye works. Work has
been
undertaken to excavate, consolidate and interpret
the remains. This work is ongoing and if you would
like to take part in this and other projects then
become a Conservation
Volunteer.
Fishing is permitted in two areas of the Park.
See below.
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Disabled Access
The track from Town Brow to the lake is over fairly
level ground. Many other paths are over sloping ground
and some have steps. The kissing gates are designed
to allow wheelchairs through. Please contact the
Park Office for more information, telephone
01772 324436.
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Fishing
Fishing is permitted on the lake or on the pond in
Cock Cabin Wood. The lake is stocked with coarse fish
(carp, tench, bream, perch, pike and roach).
Permits are available in advance from Gone Fishing NW
on Station Road
in Bamber Bridge or on the bank from the Rangers.
Bring your own tackle. Keys for gate access can be
arranged for physically disabled anglers only, please contact the Park
Office on 01772 324436.
Prices for permits are:
Day permit - £3.00 in advance or £4.00 on the
day
24-hour permit - £4.50 in advance or £6.00 on
the day
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Dogs
on the Park
Dogs and responsible
owners are welcome on the Park. It was voted one of
the top twenty dog walking places in 2009. There a
certain rules that we ask you to follow when brining
your dogs to the Park.
* Dogs must be
kept under control at all times, though they do
not necessarily need to be on a lead.
* Owners must
clean up after their dogs, whether they mess on
the path, the grass or in the woodlands.
* Be aware that
not everyone who uses the park is a dog lover
and they may be afraid of dogs, especially
children.
Please enjoy your
time on the park with your well behaved and loveable
dog, but do not allow it to be a nuisance to other
park users and animals who also have a right to
enjoy the beauty and peace of the Cuerden Valley.
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