Explore a lakeside country park featuring Dinosaur Island play area, watersports, scenic walking trails, and a family-friendly cafe with views across the water.

Southwater Country Park is a sprawling countryside destination perfect for families seeking outdoor adventures. The park features easy-going flat level paths around the lake, ideal for visitors of all ages and abilities, along with the Dinosaur Island children's play area where little adventurers can follow dinosaur footprints through an imaginative landscape. The natural conservation area known as The Quarry provides opportunities to spot wildlife including lizards, kingfishers and butterflies. The park offers a variety of activities to suit different interests. Visitors can enjoy watersports sessions on the lake including sailing, paddle-boarding and kayaking, or explore the beautiful Downs Link off-road trail adjacent to the park. The on-site Southwater Cafe and Visitor Centre serves food and drink throughout the day and provides essential facilities including toilets, making it an ideal base for a full day visit. Southwater Country Park is designed for families with young children and those with accessibility requirements. The flat terrain accommodates pushchairs and the cafe facilities cater to all visitors. Dogs are welcome in designated areas, and the park's combination of structured activities like Dinosaur Island and natural exploration opportunities makes it suitable for ages 0 and upwards. Located at Cripplegate Lane in Horsham, the park opens daily from 8am until dusk with ample parking available across three car parks.

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

☕ Food & Drink

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Michael Whittington

3 weeks ago

Great fun park with a lake you can walk around and make fun adventures on the trails also a wonderful cafe with the best ice cream flavours my kids had such fun it was hard to leave. Also a boating lake where you can hire a variety of boats to suit you the parking price are cheap and staff on site were wonderful

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No1 Services

a month ago

What a brilliant family spot. Great walks around the pond. Watching the swans and cygnet babies swimming around. Great functions and available all year round. And it's free folks. So why are you waiting? Get down there and enjoy yourself.

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Pete field

a month ago

a great park for the family. wide paths so the kids cam ride bikes, walk dogs. clean safe play area, beautiful shingle like beach into the lake where you can paddle. large grass bank sesting area for BBQ's remember to pay for parking thou via app.

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Charize Dayao

8 months ago

My partner and I definitely loved this walk it was peaceful. There were dinosaur trails for the kids, a small cafe and a great outdoor skating park. There’s also playgrounds for children and the walking trail is easy to follow There was a lake that had a variety of wildlife and we did see some people fishing there

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CGe0

a year ago

A very nice country park. Was pretty busy. Has a lovely cafe and clean tpilets and surroundings. A nice walk, a lot of picnic and a barbecue area, a small 'beach', and also a lot of activities fro children.

Reviews last updated: 6 October 2026