Cotswold Country Park & Beach
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Closed until Mar 22, 2024

Cotswold Country Park & Beach

Cotswold Country Park & Beach
3
ParksWater SportsBoat RentalsStand Up PaddleboardingMiniature Golf
Temporarily closedClosed until Mar 22, 2024
About
Located within the Cotswold Water Park, minutes from Cirencester, the Cotswold Country Park & Beach is a wonderful day out for all to enjoy. AquaVenture - the inflatable assault course - Jump, splash, slide and bounce on the greatest activity to hit the Cotswolds. Head to the soft sandy inland beach with lifeguarded lagoon all summer long. Enjoy lakeside walks, delicious food from salads to hot dogs & beachside burgers, cakes & ice creams or hire a BBQ pitch and enjoy a picnic. The lake offers fun for all from swan pedalos to electric mini port boats. Paddle out on a kayak or stand up paddle board. There are plenty of activities on land too, from adventure playgrounds, mini golf and pedal go-karts - the perfect day out for all, we offer great party packages and team building events too!
Cirencester, England

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Travelers talk about
(9 reviews)

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.0
3.0 of 5 bubbles572 reviews
Excellent
142
Very good
118
Average
108
Poor
90
Terrible
114

babs5246
16 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Friends
We visited on the 23rd of August and we used the electric boats, row boat and aqua adventure inflatable.

Overall, we were massively underwhelmed by the whole experience. The facilities looked grubby and not cared for and the staff were unhelpful, miserable and rude. In fact at times it felt as though you were impacting on their socialising even though you were waiting to be served for things you had paid for. I’m not sure what is going on but this needs looking at, making guests feel like they are actually welcome is fundamental.

In terms of the activities the boats are allowed to operate in a very small part of the lake. Therefore, you are surrounded by other people doing other activities and it is not particularly leisurely or relaxing. Also, if you book one activity (kayaking, paddle boarding, boats) there isn’t much point booking one of the others as they are all in the same small section of the lake.

The beach area is very small and the day we visited there was a wasp nest by the steps leading down to it meaning that more than a few children got stung. Staff members who walked by and were seen to observe this didn’t seem too concerned or make any attempt to corner it off.

The park is smaller than I had imagined and there wasn’t much space to walk around and explore if that is what you are interested in. The parks are also adequate but not for slightly older children (above the age of 5/6)

At the end of the day we used the inflatable aqua adventure. Our children (aged 9 and 11) really enjoyed this. It wasn’t too cramped and they had plenty of time and space to explore it. I would agree with earlier comments though about it being a bit slimy and slippery. Again, something that is probably down to staff effort in maintaining it and cleaning it off now and then.

Overall, we wouldn’t return and wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone. If you just want to use the inflatable and are visiting for that purpose alone it may be worth it for you. If not I seriously wouldn’t bother.
Written August 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello babs5246, Thank you for your review. I m sorry you did not have the experience we would expect here at Cotswold Country Park and Beach. I will be investigating your comments accordingly. The boats, SUPs, kayaks etc operating in approx one third of the lake for safety reasons. The wasp nest was eradicated as soon as possible.
Written August 25, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KLS
Trowbridge, UK2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Would have had a fantastic day, kids enjoyed paddle boarding and thoroughly enjoyed 5 hours in and out of the lake in their inflatable , when suddenly at 3pm they kids were told they couldnt use their inflatable rings in the lake because they had a safety mesh bottom. 4 very upset kids who can't understand why they are suddenly not allowed to use their inflatable rings.
Staff when approached were rude and refused to help resolve situation offering to get someone to ring back ' when they have time'. They seem to make up rules as they go along here, been here on quite a few occasions and every time different staff seem to enforce different rules, but never consistent on different occasions and never available on website. Excellent day out spoiled yet again by the rude, arrogant, rule creating staff ☹
Written August 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, I apologise that you had a poor experience. Our rule for inflatables is at the discretion of the lifeguards, as it is dependant on the amount of guests in the water, and if it obscures their vision of the water, for the safety of all guests. This information is provided on our website. My colleague on the telephone was unable to get your details in order to contact you back regarding this issue, as the phone line went dead. If you would like to discuss this further, please email info@cotswoldcountryparkandbeach.com
Written August 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

AMJ
2 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021 • Family
Went for my son’s birthday & spent £60 for 4 kids on the inflatable obstacle course which they all enjoyed. Also spent £32 for 2 x cars & 7 of us to enter the park. Expected to be able to use our own paddle boards for the rest of the day but no - the only way you can paddle board is to spend a further £10 for 30 mins hire!!

Nowhere on the website does it inform you that you can’t use your own and nothing on the map/leaflet I was given in the cafe. We had a good day but you really should be able to launch your own paddle boards at a water park. Disappointing!
Written September 12, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello AndyMJ0171, thank you for your review. We are so pleased you all had a great time for your son's birthday. I am afraid we do not allow guests to use their own equipment on our lake, due to insurance policies. This is the general policy adopted by most businesses within the Cotswold Water Park. We hope to welcome you again next season.
Written September 13, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sophie
Wolverhampton, UK43 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
We booked a bbq area which we are so glad we did as our large family wouldn’t have been able to stick together as the beach part is relatively small although you can sit on the grass. We arrived at the park at 09:50 and there was already a queue to get in, by 10:15 the beach was pretty busy so getting here early is essential or you won’t get a good spot. We booked BBQ 3 which was a great spot with shade but from seeing all the areas we would book BBQ 4 next time (this area still had shade). There is a little shop and a cafe within walking distance however queues were a bit long. Toilets were close to the BBQ area too (everytime I went they were being cleaned which made me feel at ease!). Definitely pre book any extras like the paddle boards and pedalos in advance as we thought we could book on the same day as we were unsure on timings etc (it didn’t dampen our day but we would defo book when we go again!). I would also recommend taking some camping chairs with you, it had rained the night before so the wooden benches were damp. With booking a BBQ area you could park your car very close to the area rather than the normal car park so don’t worry about how much you’re packing as it’s right next to it. From the BBQ area there is a woodland walk that goes round the whole of the lake - perfect for pushing nap fighting toddlers to sleep! We will definitely come back, we had a fantastic day.
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you glad you enjoyed them, and had a lovely day!
Written August 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KSEH
22 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
We visited today (7 August 2020) and had to write about our positive experience straight away. We felt very safe throughout the whole day, even though the park must’ve been at near capacity (under current circumstances). We felt very reassured by the way that the park is managing social distancing. Admission was by pre-booking only which means the park was able to manage the number of visitors. For £16 per car we thought this was good value. On the site all staff were wearing masks (including lifeguards) and actively ensuring social distancing was met both on land and in the water. We had a lovely day, enjoyed swimming and picknicking. Thoroughly enjoyable day.
Written August 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your feedback! We are glad that you felt so safe and had a lovely day to top it off!
Written August 9, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Helena L
Malmesbury, UK879 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021 • Family
Visited on the May Bank Holiday with the intent of trying out the newly purchased Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP). It cost us £12 to enter; that was a family of 4 in a car, which we thought steep but decided to pay in order to access the lake.

While pumping up the SUP we were informed by a life guard that you are not permitted to launch your own craft in the lake. This is in the rules, he informed us, but was unable to confirm where that is written down or more importantly, where it is displayed.

So you pay £12 to park the car and use a child’s play park and some wooden benches. Everything to do with the water, so using boats, kayaks and SUPs has to be hired, at additional cost. Disappointing. We departed feeling totally ripped off. We live locally but will never be going back and could never recommend the place to anyone.
Written May 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good afternoon, our current admission charge (off peak) of £12.00 gives access to the park, lake, beach, swimming lagoon and children's playparks The admission is charged per car - max 5 persons, giving a cost of £2.40 per person maximum occupancy or £3.00 per person in your circumstances. This is valid all day from 10.00hrs to 1700hrs. I'm sorry that you feel disappointed, especially regarding using your own SUP. We do not offer the option of using your own SUP or kayak or boat anywhere on our website or social media forums. In fact, we clearly state that you can hire our own SUPs or kayaks. There are many businesses within the Cotswold Water Park that do offer this option.
Written May 5, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Littlesunshinex
52 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Family
I visited on 22 July 2020. I had pre booed my entry the week before, when I arrived I had to look around for over 40 minutes to try and find somewhere safe to sit as the park was completely overcrowded. They had allowed more people in that should have. When we finally found a safe spot we soon found out why it had a 2 foot hole covered with surrounding grass which my 7 year old fell into and cut her foot. Soon there were people surrounding us !!! We had to leave after only an hour as there was no social distancing measures in place. The park allowed over crowing simple as that. They also think it’s acceptable to change £5.00 for a portion of cheesy chips !!!! Completely ridiculous and I shall be reporting them to the local authorities for allowing the park to be over crowded with no social distancing measures enforced.
Written July 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review us. We are being very strict with our capacity, and have reduced it to 30%. Only allowing 350 cars, closing all of our permissive paths and issuing wrist bands on the gate to help to manage our capacity. We have never reached full capacity of individuals. We have had spot inspections from HSE and the local Covid task force from police, who have both commended us for all of our measures and how we have followed and adapted to Government guidelines. Please be assured that I have passed your feedback regarding the hole to our Site Team who will review. We hope that a staff member was able to provide any necessary first aid you may have needed. Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of the local wildlife, so our local rabbits and squirrels can wreak havoc with holes that our site team don't always pick up on, thank you for bringing it to our attention. We apologise that you found the food prices to be expensive, please be assured that I have passed your comments to the Catering team to look into.
Written July 25, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Gemma D
Cheltenham, UK2 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020 • Family
We went there for the advertised dog beach. Ask the man letting people in if the dog beach was still there and he said yes and you can get in with them.
Paid £10.90 for parking, went to the dog beach only for who I guess was management to come up and say they don't have a dog beach anymore and nobody is allowed in the water unless on the beach where no dogs are allowed.

Absolutely do not recommend if going with dogs!!!
Written June 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mrso1980
Manchester, UK347 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
Visited on a lovely warm day in August. You have to pre book or you won’t get in!! £16 per car - this includes access to the beach area, kids playground and parking all day.
It opens from 10am so we got there for opening time, already a good few in but plenty of space left. They have capped capacity due to the current situation.
Once we had unpacked the car a very friendly member of staff was on hand to explain where everything was and where to go.
There are a number of activities available but again these have to be pre booked.
We found a good spot and stayed the whole day.
You can take a picnic in with you or you can purchase from the onsite cafe. You can go back and forward to your car easily throughout the day if you need to. There is also an ice cream hut that sells the most amazing ice cream. £20 for 7 ice creams which we thought was great value for what you got.
The social distancing was fine and we were really impressed with the cleanliness of the toilets and public areas. We also observed a team sanitising the children’s play equipment.
Lifeguards are on duty at the beach area.
Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. Really good value for money!
Written August 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, glad that you had a good experience :)
Written August 30, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Richard P
4 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Bit of a heads up to people looking to hire boats, pedalos, kayaks etc, they do not disinfect the life jackets between use. That means you are coming into contact with a huge amount of other peoples sweat. We booked a pedalo and realised this. They refused to give us a refund, even though I advised them I had had open heart surgery 11 weeks ago. In these times, I’m not sure they are doing enough. Would highly recommend Lake 86 though for water sport hire. They disinfect all life jackets between use and are far cheaper than this place.

To update my review, the matter has now been reported to the local council, who will be looking at the lack of infection control.
Written August 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Leisure and Hospitality businesses during the pandemic have done some astounding work in remaining COVID Secure whilst delivering memory making experiences. All businesses operating must follow COVID Secure procedures. We allow the opinion of G8835AFrichardp to continue to share misinformation with the general public of our procedures as is G8835AFrichardp's right, however, G8835AFrichardp could be incorrect and could be pushing another venue as the aim of this review. For the reader of this review, we ask you to exercise caution when reading reviews of this nature.
Written September 1, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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Cotswold Country Park & Beach - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)