Melton Country Park
Melton
Country Park is an area of open space some 137 acres (55.5
hectares) in size, just 10 minutes walk from the centre of Melton
Mowbray.
History of the Park
The park is centred around a dam
constructed to alleviate flooding problems in the town. Major
flooding of Scalford Brook in 1947, 1969 and 1975 seriously
affected industrial and residential properties in the town and
resulted in a detailed feasibility study being undertaken to
investigate the options available to alleviate the problem. As a
result of these investigations, it was decided to construct an
embankment to impound any flood waters from Scalford Brook. The dam
was built in 1989 – 1990, and the park was opened shortly after its
completion. The dam now forms the centrepiece of a large area of
informal and formal recreation areas, lakes and waterways, sports
facilities, play areas, picnic areas, footpaths, and cycle tracks.
Other facilities include a visitor centre and café, a bird hide,
and ample car parking.
The park is a valuable and
important habitat for many different species of flora and fauna,
including one of the largest colonies of Water Vole (Arvicola
terrestris) in Leicestershire. The park is extremely popular
with visitors from the Borough and further afield, and was recently
short listed, along with 25 other locations nationwide, as one of
the most romantic places in the country to have a picnic.
Location
Melton Country Park is
located to the north of Melton Mowbray town centre, in a
v-shaped space between Scalford Road and Thorpe Road. The
southern part of the park is easily accessible from the centre of
the town, and can be reached by following the blue signs from Snow
Hill. You can also access the park from Willow Drive, Redwood
Avenue, Wymondham Way and Doctors Lane. Car Parking is
available at Doctors Lane, Willow Drive, Redwood Avenue and
Wymondham Way. To view Melton Country Park on a map, please
click on the link below:
Click here to see a map of Melton Country Park.
Park Features
There are many feature of interest
in Melton Country Park, and if you would like to know more about
any of them, please click on the relevant link below:
The Old Railway Line
The old railway line between Melton
and Scalford was built between 1879 and 1880, and formed part of
the longer Great Northern and London North West Joint Railway. The
line closed in 1953, and the former railway line now forms a
footpath which leads into the centre of the park. Since its
closure, the railway line has been colonised by a wide variety of
animal and plant species. The railway appears to have a hedgerow
along either side of it, but this is actually a self set form of
scrubland habitat. Plants which can be found within this scrubland
include Bird's Foot Trefoil, Hope Trefoil, Clover, Colt's Foot, St
John's Wort, Ragwort and Toadflax. The hedges consist mainly of
Hawthorn trees with some Buckthorn, Bramble and Dog Rose growing in
between. At the bottom of the embankment, a totally different type
of ecosystem can be seen, with wetland plants such as Meadow Sweet
and Willow in evidence.
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Points of Historical Interest
The area around Melton has a long
and varied history of human habitation, and much evidence of this
can be found in the park. The countryside around Melton was formed
during the last Ice Age, roughly ten thousand years ago, and the
soil in the area is made up of clay deposits left behind from the
glaciers of that time. The first settlement in the area appears to
have been a pre-Roman farm or settlement surrounded by a defensive
ditch. At some time in the 2nd Century a Roman farmstead
was established here, and indeed Roman remains were found in the
vicinity of the present day Visitor Centre on an archaeological dig
in 1989 - 1991. Following Roman settlement of the area, Saxon
invaders developed the system of Ridge and Furrow agriculture,
which can still be seen in the picnic area in front of the visitor
centre, and in many of the fields in the surrounding areas. The
next big change in the landscape came with the Enclosure Act of
1760, which created the "traditional" landscape of fields and
hedges we can see today.
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Water and Wetland
The
building of the dam essentially created three stretches of open
water: a large, central lake upstream of the dam, a smaller
downstream lake below the dam, and a small upstream lake above the
weir. These lakes, apart from providing an attractive focal point,
also provide valuable habitats for plant and wildlife. All of the
plants that can be seen around the lakes are self-seeded, and
thrive in the wetland areas created by the lakes. The most striking
plant which can be seen around the banks is the rush species
Juncas, which dominates the waters edge. Other plants which can be
seen in the wetland areas include Water Forget-me-not, Watermint,
Figwort, Gipsywort, Brooklime, Reedmace (also known as Bullrush)
and great Willowherb.
The lakes and waterways of the park
also play host to a great variety of water birds. Common species to
be seen include the Tufted Duck, Mallard, Little Grebe, Great
Crested Grebe, Coot, Moorhen, Ruddy Duck, Mute Swan and the Grey
Heron. Less common, but also frequently seen are the Shoveler Duck,
Teal, Pochard, Wigeon, Greylag and Canada Goose. In the winter,
various different types of Gull can also be seen on the lakes.
As well as birds, the lakes and
ponds in the park are home to some species of newt, including the
Great Crested Newt, and the downstream lake has one of the largest
colonies of Water Vole (Arvicola terrestris) in
Leicestershire.
The wetland areas around the lakes
also provide a valuable habitat for other kinds of bird, including
Snipe and Reed Bunting. In the summer, Willow Warblers and other
small birds can be found in abundance in these wetlands. Wetland
habitats are often in short supply in other parts of the country,
so these wetland areas are particularly important.
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Woodland
There are several large areas of
woodland in the Country Park, including formally and informally
planted areas, tree pens, and focal points such as the Oak Tree
Avenue and EU Tree Circle. The area of woodland close to the
visitor centre contains a newly created Woodland Walk.
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Footpaths/Cycle Paths
The Country Park is criss-crossed
by various footpaths, including, at the southern end of the park,
tarmac paths which are fully wheelchair accessible, and, in the
northern end of the park, access paths. Various public footpaths
also cross the park, including the Jubilee Way, a fifteen and a
half mile (24.9km) walk from Melton Mowbray into the picturesque
Vale of Belvoir. National Cycle Way 64, which runs from Market
Harborough in south Leicestershire to Lincoln, also crosses the
park at its southern end.
There are several short walks of
interest in the park, including a Wildlife Walk, a Woodland Walk,
the Oak Tree Avenue, and the newly created Walks for Health
scheme.
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Visitor Centre/Café
The current visitor centre was
built in 1991 and has undergone many changes in its short history.
It is currently used as a community cafe, and is
open seven days a week throughout the summer from 10am to
4pm and at varying times in the winter. A number of
exhibition boards are on display in the café which provide
information about the park and its flora and fauna, and there is a
large exhibition/meeting room attached to the Visitor Centre which
is regularly used as a meeting room for local voluntary
organisations. If you would like to book the exhibition/meeting
room, please contact the cafe directly by calling (01664)
480122.
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Grassland/Grassed Areas
The majority of the Country Park is
made up of grassland and grassed areas, which serve several
different purposes. At the southern end of the park, the grassed
areas are formally maintained and used for sports and formal
recreation, while the grassed areas towards the northern end of the
park are slightly wilder in appearance, and are designed for more
informal recreational use and for conservation purposes. The grass
at the northern end of the park is maintained in such a way so as
to encourage diversity, and plants which can be seen include
Buttercups, Thistles, Sorrel, Dandelion and Cow Parsley. These
types of environment are popular with birds such as the Skylark and
butterflies such as the Meadow Brown and Skipper.
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Hedgerows
There are over 3.4km of hedgerow in
the Country Park, most of which consist of hawthorn and blackthorn
bushes. Growing amongst these thorn hedgerows are other plant
species such as Dog Rose and Elder. Although there are very low
levels of light at the bottom of the hedges, several plants, such
as Ivy, Aerum Lilies, Brambles, Garlic Mustard and Violets thrive
in this environment, and provide a dramatic difference in the
variety of plant life found in the park.
The hedgerows form a vital
‘corridor’ for wildlife to use, and as such are one of the most
important wildlife habitats in the park. It is thought that as many
as thirty-two different species of birds use the hedgerows,
including Blackbirds, Sparrows, Blue Tits and Robins, and they also
provide a home for many small mammals such as mice and shrews.
Hedgerows are one of the most
valuable nature reserves in the country, and some have been proved
to be over 1000 years old. The oldest hedges are usually parish
boundaries and are often all that is left of the forest that once
covered the whole of the lowland British Isles.
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Play Areas
Several areas dedicated to formal
play can be found in the Country Park, including a small play area
next to the visitor centre, a large play area at the southern end
of the park, and scattered play equipment for more adventurous
play. For more information in the play areas in Melton Country
Park, and the other play areas in the town, please click on the
link below to be taken to the Play Areas section of this
website:
Click here
to be redirected to the Play Areas Page.
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Sports Facilities
Apart from the large grassed areas,
which provide ample opportunity for users to play spontaneous
sport, Melton Country Park has three designated football pitches,
and a small pavilion which provides changing facilities, showers
and toilets. These football pitches are well utilised by local
football teams, and provide a good source of revenue for the
Council.
The cost of hiring a pitch from 1st
April 2011 is £25.00 + VAT for a one-off booking, or £250.00
for a block booking for the season. This includes the use of the
pavilion, although teams are responsible for erecting and
dismantling the nets and flags (supplied). If you would like to
book a pitch, please contact the Customer Service centre on (01664)
502502.
The Country Park is also used as a
venue for large-scale local sporting events, such as cross country
races.
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Royal Bed
The Friends of Melton Country Park group, in
conjunction with the Melton In Bloom campaign, have recently
constructed a new flower bed at the bottom of the Oak Tree
Avenue.
The Brief
To formulate a design for an empty
bed at the Melton Country Park. The bed should fit in with the
natural surroundings, preferably using native species. There
should be a link to royalty, as the adjoining avenue of oaks
was planted in 1992, to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s fortieth
year of accession to the throne.
The Design
The design was Inspired
by ‘Flora Britannica’, by Richard Mabey. It was designed to give
year-round colour, form and interest as the Country Park is used
every day of the year; using a wide selection of British flora. The
plants chosen were predominantly native, with a few
naturalised species. In some cases a variety of the original
genus & species have been used where a better performance or
interest is required. It should blend into
the surrounding area and encourage wildlife through
nectar-rich wild flowers, fruit and berries. It is hoped that
some of the flowers will self-seed around the area.
To link the theme of
royalty to the avenue of oaks beyond, a native box in the
shape of a crown was planted, surrounded with wild flowers, which
will be viewed from ground level at the front of the bed; or better
still, from the top of the bridge. Looking from the opposite
direction, coming down the avenue, the curve of the bridge will be
echoed in the form of two arches grown from native hornbeams.
Hopefully, the planting and features may inspire park users to use
similar native/wild planting ideas in their own gardens, thus
helping conservation.
Plants Used
Trees/Shrubs
- Hornbeams; Hollies; Wayfaring tree; Guelder rose; Box;
Dogwoods; Pheasant bush; Hazel; Junipers;
Buddleias; Shrubby potentillas.
Roses/Climbers
- Field rose; Burnet rose; Golden
hop; Tufted vetch; Ivy.
Wild
flowers/Herbs/Other - Ox-eye daisy; Greater knap-weed;
Musk mallow; Field scabious; Lady’s mantle; Bloody cranesbill;
Field cranesbill; Wood cranesbill; Meadow cranesbill; Chives;
Round-headed leek; Harebell; Pasque flower; Heartsease;
Dead-nettles; Self-heal; violet; Sweet violet; Sweet
cicely; White umbellifers; Dark mullein; Kidney vetch;
Goldenrod; Stinking hellebore; Lungwort; Orpine; Bugle: Common
daisy; Nettle-leaved bellflower; Blue bells; Salad burnet; Autumn
hawkbit; Wood sage; Bulbous buttercup; Forget-me-not; Daffodil;
Snowdrop; Winter aconite; Primroses; Granny’s bonnet; Hyssop;
Jacob’s ladder; Periwinkle; Wild strawberries; Stinging nettles and
a variety of native grasses and ferns.
These plants have been
chosen for their suitability to the soil and aspect, because they
have particularly attractive flowers and/or attraction to bees
and butterflies. A high percentage of these plants
are perennials, which reduces the need
for maintenance.
The wonderful designs have been
produced by Marie Walters, who volunteers in the Melton in
Bloom Group. A more detailed picture of the design can be seen
here.
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Sensory Garden
There is a small sensory garden
between the Visitor Centre and the Woodland Walk. The Sensory
Garden is currently going through a process of major
regeneration. The existing layout has been used as the basis of the
design, with a raised bed as the centrepiece.
Brief
To re-design the sensory garden area, with the
promise of some sponsorship for the project from a building company
working on a new housing development in the area.
The Site
Following a site visit by the designer, Marie
Walters, it was decided that the new design would try to re-use as
many of the good existing plants as possible. Several trees were
overshadowing the area and these have been removed. Many of the
shrubs have been pruned back and unwanted/poor items taken out.
The Design
A quiet and sheltered area, designed
principally to appeal to the five senses: Sight, Smell, Touch,
Taste and Hearing.
Features - the existing main
layout has been preserved, i.e. beds on all four sides, with two
archways into the area. A stone circle, picnic bench and three
trees have been kept in their original positions. The central
area is to be raised, on three separate levels, and bordered with
small round wooden stakes, which will come from pruning work being
carried out in the Park. Other new features will include a tree
seat, a rack of hollow pipes, wind chime and spiral and possibly a
stone marker, etched and with wording in Braille.
Planting - Some of the more
mature shrubs have been left in situ in the outer beds, whilst
other items have been moved to new positions. There will be a
complete re-planting of the central area.
The garden will appeal to the five senses in the following
way:
SIGHT – as much visual leaf
and flower variety as possible, ranging from evergreens, shrubs,
climbers, dwarf conifers, perennials, grasses, ferns, bulbs and
annuals. Year-round interest, with several plants clipped or
naturally growing in geometric shapes to complement the geometric
ground-plan.
SMELL – Many scented shrubs
and bulbs. Climbers such as roses, honeysuckle and jasmine.
Aromatic foliage.
TOUCH – A large range of leaf
textures – smooth, velvet, rough, woolly, prickly, wispy, hairy.
Herbs to touch for release of scent.
TASTE – Part of the central
area devoted to plants that have edible leaves and/or flowers.
These include a bay tree grown as a cone, a selection of herbs and
some more unusual flowers not normally known as being edible.
SOUND – Rustling plants, and
those that will attract bees to provide buzzing and birds for their
song. The nearby stream will lend the sound of running water and
the wind chimes will add to the relaxed atmosphere. The pipes will
vary in length to provide a variety of sounds when a stick is run
across them.
As with the Royal Bed, the design
has kindly been completed by Marie Walters, in conjunction
with the Friends of Melton Country Park group. To view the plan for
the Sensory Garden, please click here.
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Allotments
Two small areas of the park have
been made into allotments: Redwood Avenue (15 plots) and Doctors
Lane (56 plots), which are rented out to interested tenants. These
allotments provide valuable revenue for the Council, and are
becoming increasingly popular with local residents. There is not
currently an Allotment User Group. For more information on Redwood
Avenue Allotments and the other allotments available for rent in
the town, please click on the link below to be taken to the
Allotments section of this website:
Click here
to be redirected to the Allotments page.
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