Vicar Water Country Park

Vicar Water Country Park has had a fascinating and varied history before becoming a 78 hectare, Green Flag award winning green space. In the Middle Ages the Vicar Water stream was known as Warmebroke - "Warm Brook" before becoming Vicar Water. Vicar Water was dammed in 1870 by the 5th Duke of Portland creating Vicar Pond for use as a fishery to supply the lakes at Welbeck Abbey. In the early 1900's Vicar Pond was used for boating and swimming by soldiers posted at the nearby Clipstone Camp. In 1912, the 6th Duke of Portland leased the area around Vicar Pond known as Anne Bower Hill to the Bolsover Colliery Company and coal was reached in 1922 after a break due to the First World War. In 1976 coal ceased to be tipped around the immediate area around Vicar Pond and 10 hectares of woodland was planted. In 1982 Vicar Water Country Park officially opened with Newark and Sherwood District Council officially taking over ownership in 1992. The park doubled in size in 1999 after more reclamation work was undertaken on further areas of spoil tipping. In 2000 the Visitor Center opened and the park received its first Green Flag award, which it has received every year since. In more recent times the park has become an officially accredited Country Park through Natural England and provides a host of recreational activities including fishing, cycling, dog walking, wildlife watching, model boat sailing, and horse riding. There are 3 waymarked trails available free of charge from the visitor centre where there is also toilets and Rumbles café to purchase refreshments.