Explore free year-round recreation with playgrounds, BMX and skate facilities, sports courts, and wildlife-rich landscapes perfect for families of all ages.

Shinewater Park offers a comprehensive outdoor recreation destination combining purpose-built facilities within a scenic country park setting. Families can enjoy free access year-round to a well-equipped playground, dedicated BMX and skate area, all-weather sports court, and field for informal sports. The park features extensive footpaths and cycleways designed to be wheelchair accessible, making it welcoming for visitors of all abilities and ages. Beyond its recreation amenities, Shinewater Park showcases rich natural habitats particularly in the west and north areas. The park is home to diverse wildlife including reptile species such as grass snakes and slow worms, aquatic birds including snipe, gadwall, wigeon and pintail, and a good variety of bat species. This makes it an excellent location for nature observation and outdoor exploration. The park is easily accessible by multiple transport options including train via nearby Hampden Park station, frequent bus services, or car with adequate parking available in Larkspur Drive. Its central location makes it readily reachable from Eastbourne town centre and surrounding housing areas via a network of surfaced paths. The park was developed as part of the Golden Jubilee Way construction in the mid-1990s and has been jointly managed by East Sussex County Council and Eastbourne Borough Council since its creation.

Venue Details

What this place offers

Toilets

Public transport nearby

Accessible toilets

Free WiFi

Baby changing facilities

Food available

On-site parking

🐕Dog-friendly

Parking nearby

Pushchair friendly

K

Keith Holter

7 months ago

Can't get near the water easily, paths in a state no parking.only on the streets, one good point, the café.

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Ian Fry

2 years ago

Nice big park with tarmac/gravel paths around the perimeter of the lake. Great place to go for a walk or a run. Parkrun takes place here every Saturday.

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Candy Vaughan

3 years ago

This is a beautiful Park. I lead an health walk around it, throughout the year. It's great, as we watch the Goslings, Ducklings, Cygnets and Coots etc. all grow up. There are 104 different species of birds that either live or visit our lake during the year. This year we had a pair of Egyptian Geese, House Martins come during May to August. There are the Herons too. In the trees and bushes there are all the birds that you see in our gardens. It is a fantastic area for bio diversity and wildlife, including snakes and lizards. The two lakes are full of fish. And, of course, under our feet as we walk around, we have the remains of a Bronze Age port, apparently its the largest one in Europe, African spices were found in an archaeological dig.

J

James Eaton-Brown

5 years ago

Pros: excellent and diverse bird life on display, easy to get to, beautiful nature reserve. Cons: very muddy on the western path, traffic noise, BAD dog s**t problem (WHO ties poo bags to trees, and WHY?!), worse litter problem.

M

Melissa Lawrence

6 years ago

Gorgeous place right on my doorstep. Perfect for early morning walks with the dog

Reviews last updated: 7 October 2026