Ryton Pools Country Park facts for kids
Ryton Pools Country Park is a lovely green space located about one mile (1.6 km) southwest of the village of Ryton on Dunsmore in Warwickshire, England. This park is quite large, covering about 100 acres (0.4 square kilometers). It has four main ponds, with the biggest one being around 10 acres (40,000 square meters) in size.
Park rangers work hard to look after all the different plants and animals that live here. They also make sure the paths and buildings are well-maintained. Warwickshire County Council manages the park, which is split between the Rugby and Warwick areas. The parts of the park with the ponds are mostly flat, making it easy for everyone to explore, including those using wheelchairs.
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How Ryton Pools Country Park Started
For many years, until 1965, the land where Ryton Pools Country Park now stands was just a collection of fields. Then, it was bought and used as a landfill site. This means it became a place where rubbish from nearby towns like Leamington Spa, Rugby, and Coventry was buried.
Rubbish was dumped here for 27 years, until 1992. After that, work began to turn part of the site into the country park you see today. This included filling the old rubbish pits with water to create the ponds. The park officially opened in 1996, and over 2,500 trees and shrubs were planted to make it green and beautiful.
In the late 1990s, the rest of the landfill site was filled in. More ponds were created, and some portable metal buildings were brought in to serve as information centers. These were later replaced in 2002 by nicer, more permanent wooden buildings, though the metal ones are still used for other purposes.
Things to Do at the Park
Ryton Pools Country Park has specific opening times that change with the seasons. However, you can still walk into the park outside these hours if you want to explore on foot. There are two car parks, and there's a flat fee of £3.50 to park your vehicle. Getting to the park by public transport is quite limited.
The park offers many fun things to do:
- A visitor center with a cafe and a gift shop.
- Two play areas for children of different ages.
- A bird hide where you can quietly watch birds and other wildlife.
- Miles of paths, some paved and some unpaved, perfect for walking.
- Places for fishing.
- A miniature railway run by the Coventry Model Engineering Society.
Miniature Railway Fun
The miniature railway is about 610 meters (2,000 feet) long. It runs for the public every Sunday afternoon from 1 PM to 4 PM, starting at Easter and continuing until the end of September. A train ride costs £1 per person and lasts about 6 minutes. The trains are pulled by either a steam or diesel engine. Remember, the trains only run if the weather is good!
Activities and Events
The park also organizes special events, especially for children. These can include:
- Birthday parties.
- Spotting birds of prey.
- A "creepy crawly club" to learn about insects.
- Building nest boxes for birds.
- "Prams in the park" walks for parents with babies.
Making Electricity from Rubbish
Did you know that the park helps make electricity? There's a special generator in the park that uses methane gas. This methane comes from the old rubbish that was buried when the area was a landfill.
In just one year, this generator makes enough electricity to power as many as 18 secondary schools or about 2,000 homes! This electricity is sent to the National Grid, which supplies power across the UK. You can learn more about this project inside the generator building, where you can even see the generators working. This information is especially designed for school children to learn about renewable energy.
Ryton Wood: A Special Forest
Right next to Ryton Pools Country Park is Ryton Wood. This is a 94-hectare (232-acre) oak forest. It's a very important natural area, so it's been named a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Warwickshire Wildlife Trust owns and looks after Ryton Wood, and it's also open for everyone to visit and enjoy.
