Cosmeston Country Park

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Cosmeston offers a fine introduction to the countryside and is open all year round.

The park has been designed to enable people of all abilities to discover and enjoy the countryside found within the Vale of Glamorgan.  The country park has a variety of habitats covering over 100 hectares of land and water, with some areas designated a S.S.S.I (Site of Special Scientific Interest) protecting the rare and diverse plant and animal species.  The park opened to the public in 1978 and today Cosmeston Lakes Country Park is a haven for local wildlife.   Its flat, even paths are easily accessible to everyone and many people visit again and again.

The two flooded quarries have become the main lakes at Cosmeston. The 12 ha of open water attracts large flocks of waterfowl which include impressive numbers of mute swans, mallards and diving birds such as the great crested grebe.  The two former tip sites to the north were carefully landscaped to form meadows and open grassland.  The woodland, meadows and wetland habitats at Cosmeston Lakes are all sensitively managed.  On the western side are the Dovecot Fields which are separated by Sully Brook running through the middle.  It is here that the remains of a medieval dovecot can be seen.

In 2021 a fabulous new children's play area was completed alongside which you will find picnic benches and refreshments. Look out for the Curiosity Trail for kids and the totem listening point and match-finder game hidden in the woods.

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Recently, Cosmeston underwent a Visitor Gateway project funded by Brilliant Basics, which improved access and pathways to Cosmeston Lake and its jetty. This included adding a fabulous new seating and shelter, new road access and entrance, and resurfacing the jetty and slipway.

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Accessible Cosmeston

The car park is laid with tarmac with ramps to the cafe and toilets to include accessible changing facilities (only open during café hours). There is a further outside toilet block off the main carpark and a disabled toilet accessed via a radar key 24 hours

Access around the East Lake is via boardwalk, dust/gravel paths and tarmac paths which are wheelchair accessible, further afield there are some steep inclines and off the main path routes through fields which would not be suitable for wheelchairs

Access to the Medieval Village is along a wooden boardwalk and tarmac path which are all wheelchair accessible, once inside the Medieval Village there are fine gravel/dust pathways. Toilets are located at the main entrance.

If you have visited, we’d love to hear your feedback! Click here to fill out the Country Parks Visitor Survey

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