Type Country park Status Open all year | Area 60 acres (240,000 m) Phone +44 23 8061 7882 | |
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Location Eastleigh, Hampshire, UK Operated by Eastleigh Borough Council Address Wide Ln, Eastleigh SO50 5PD, UK Hours Closed now Saturday9AM–5PMSunday9AM–5PMMonday9AM–5PMTuesday9AM–5PMWednesday9AM–5PMThursday9AM–5PMFriday9AM–5PM Similar Itchen Valley Country P, Royal Victoria Country P, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens, Southampton Common, Staunton Country Park | ||
No 7 sandy river at eastleigh lakeside steam railway
Lakeside Country Park is a country park just south of the town of Eastleigh in Hampshire. The park covers 60 acres and is home to the Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway.
Contents
- No 7 sandy river at eastleigh lakeside steam railway
- Lakeside country park
- Eastleigh Lakeside Railway
- Water sports centre
- References
The park is on the site of old gravel workings, with lakes formed from gravel pits. As well as the lakes themselves, the park boasts meadows and some young woodland.
The park is bounded by the Eastleigh urban area to the north, the A335 road to the east, the boundary between Eastleigh and Southampton to the south, and Monks Brook to the west.
Lakeside country park
Eastleigh Lakeside Railway
A dual gauge 10 1⁄4 in (260 mm) / 7 1⁄4 in (184 mm) light railway was established in the park in 1992, originally as a temporary layout. A more permanent track was laid down in 1993, as the railway company was granted a three-year lease. Five years later, a longer lease was negotiated and construction began on the two stations, Eastleigh Parkway and Monks Brook. They were opened in 1999, although further work on the layout itself was carried out in 2000. A tunnel was added in 2003, and Eastleigh Parkway station was extended in 2005 with the addition of a café and shop.
Water sports centre
In 2014 funding was approved towards the replacement of the current lakeside buildings with two new buildings with improved toilets and changing facilities, storage, offices and a multi-purpose function room. The estimated cost of the scheme is £2.5 million, of which £1 million had been allocated from the New Homes Bonus and £371,000 from the Eastleigh Local Area Committee. The new buildings were completed in late 2016.
Open Water Swimming has been run from the venue since at least 2010, and, as of 2016, is currently operated by HOWL Multisports.