Brackmills Country Park — Attraction in Great Houghton

Visited today and I have to say it's nice enough, but nothing out of the ordinary. Had a good hour and a half walk, with barely ten-fifteen people in total. Quite a few of those were with dogs or on push bikes. The park is quite hilly, which creates a good workout. Having said all that, I'll probably will not return again (as I don't live in Northamptonshire and travelled especially to get to these woods). The reasons are 1. It's very muddy (much more than expected) as there was a broken pipe or something like that with water literally streaming out and no way to cross and continue on the footpath (unless you got your boots thoroughly wet). 2. There is a lot of noise pollution - at no point in the part can you get to a place where you are unable to hear the cars. The urban noise is omnipresent in the woods. 3. There is a random dead-end that looks overgrown, with quite a few graffiti (see one of the pictures I've attached). 4. There is what looks like a large pond in the middle of the lake, but no clear path to reach the edge...

Tucked in between big warehouses, Brackmills Park is a small haven of peace, greenery, trees and a lake in the midst of this industrial / commercial estate. Not very well signposted the free car park for approx. 20 cars is accessed via Salthouse Rd. Park itself is surprisingly big with a paved asphalt path laid in a circular pattern (approx. 1m) with wide grassy paths criss crossing it. Whilst the park is quite steep and hilly it is mostly featureless , with the exception of a small fishing lake at the centre with a steep descend to it. OK for an occasional visit of for those working and living in and around this area. Steep climbs may put off those pushing children's push chairs or walking...

A surprising oasis of nature on the edge of the Blackmills industrial area. A very pleasant half-hour walk round a lake on a tarmac path, uphill at first but manageable by most, including those with pushchairs. Watch for herons and a few other water birds on the lake. Grass paths through the woods away from the lake, especially on the south side of the park, tend to be rather muddy after rain but worth the effort if you...