A Walk in the Park

If you're lucky enough to live in the historic Wool Town of Clare, then make the most of your daily exercise and enjoy the fresh air and sound of birdsong with a walk around Clare Castle Country Park. An early morning walk with nobody but you, maybe the dog, and the birds is a perfect way to create the headspace that we all so desperately need.

The benefits of being outdoors have never been a secret with the mental health charity, Mind, telling us how being amongst nature can reduce stress, improve your mood and help you to relax. The Park provides a haven for the community to wander about freely with plenty of space to keep yourself safe and take a breath of fresh air.

The ducks are still bobbing along the river and the swans are still sauntering along the paths, and as we move through the spring months you might even begin to spot a few cygnets or newly hatched coots darting between the reeds on the New Cut.

With 36 acres to explore and information about the Park’s heritage and history peppered across the site, there is still plenty to do and see during your visit. The nature trail, flanked by stunning chainsaw carvings of an otter and woodpecker, will enable you to learn about the importance of the habitat piles, the wildlife that thrives in waterways and the history of the mature trees that stand proudly throughout the Park grounds.

The self-led Town Trail will talk you through the rich history of Clare and let you marvel in the beautiful architecture of the town's listed buildings, Clare Walkers have also provided new self-led walks that begin in Clare Castle Country Park and take you on an adventure through the rolling countryside.

There's never been a better time to discover your surroundings, learn something about the area that you have lived in for a number of years and take notice of nature in a way that you might not have before. Tell your friends about the wildlife that you spot, the flowers that you see bloom and the benefits that you reap from your visit, now is the time to break out the bird spotting guide and dust off the walking boots as we make the most of the open spaces that we are able to exploit throughout Clare, Bury St Edmunds and beyond!