What's here? at Coombes Valley
Available on site
Open daily, 9am-9pm (or dusk if earlier).
25 spaces - 2 Blue Badge spaces.
All spaces on firm, rolled gravel. Accessible parking spaces available next to the Information Centre.
No lighting in car park. No height restriction barrier. No overnight parking or camping.
No coaches.
Bicycle racks available.
Please be respectful of other visitor access, our team and our neighbours by not parking on the road, verges or in gateways, as it causes an obstruction for residents and emergency services.
Our toilets and accessible toilet are open during our opening hours.
They are located in a separate block just next to the visitor centre.
Baby changing facilities are available in the accessible toilet.
Toilets open daily. They are located in a separate block just next to the visitor centre.
Our visitor centre is open daily April - October, closed November - March (the rest of the site is open as normal year round).
Level and step-free throughout. Tiled floor. Manual double doors opening both ways. Good lighting.
During visitor centre open season (April - October) we have refreshments available in the visitor centre.
Closed November - March. The nearest hot food is in Cheddleton, 2 miles (3km) away.
Our picnic areas are located next to the car park and we have a number of other benches around the reserve.
Please help keep this place safe and special for wildlife and people by taking your litter home with you.
We run an exciting programme of guided walks and other events throughout the year.
Our wildlife viewpoints are a great place to spot the special wildlife here and offer outstanding views throughout Coombes Valley.
We have placed eight benches around key areas of the reserve. Dragonflies and bulrushes are carved into one bench and give you a quiet place to look over the pond, a buzzard-shaped seat offers fantastic views over the valley and a chance to see soaring raptors, and a special story-telling bench in the woodland has carvings of beetles and other bugs.
There is a level access outdoor viewing platform with benches next to the information centre overlooking the nearest meadow and a feeding station. Other viewpoints accessed from trail network.
Our nature reserve has three nature trails available to help you explore this amazing landscape and the wildlife that calls it home.
The natural play trail. This is our shortest route (0.8km long), accessible to pushchairs, with lots of activities for families along the way including a canopy walkway, den building, fairy house village, mud kitchen and much more.
The Valley Woodland loop (2.6km long) takes you through meadows and woodland past Clough Meadow Cottage.
The woodcock trail is our longest loop (5.2km long) and takes you into the heart of the reserve into the wilder woodland habitat. Largely unsurfaced paths, with changes in gradient and some very steep sections. Steps (some without handrails) and narrow footbridges on public footpaths. Muddy during wet weather. Eight benches with back rests on trails.
Our play areas are open daily and very popular with families.
We have Canopy walkway, Den building, Fairy house village, Mud kitchen and Story telling circle
Not available on site
Largely unsurfaced paths, with changes in gradient and some very steep sections. Steps (some without handrails) and narrow footbridges on public footpaths.
Largely unsurfaced paths, with changes in gradient and some very steep sections. Steps (some without handrails) and narrow footbridges on public footpaths. Muddy during wet weather. Eight benches with back rests on trails.
BBQs are a fire risk, endangering other people and the precious wildlife and habitats here. They are not permitted here at any time.
Restrictions
Sorry, dogs are not permitted on the nature reserve (except assistance dogs), due to the sensitive wildlife and habitats here.
Assistance dogs are welcome in all parts of the reserve.