Thrybergh Country Park

Thrybergh Country Park is the perfect place to relax, unwind, take the family, and enjoy some of the most beautiful wildlife and countryside in South Yorkshire.

Events at Thrybergh Country Park

The park is kept in pristine condition by a dedicated team of rangers. It is a haven within the borough, unspoiled by litter or excessive noise. The park has friendly, modern visitors' centre, complete with full disabled access. The centre has refreshments, souvenirs and fishing tackle.

The beautiful country park and its reservoir is a sanctuary to hundreds of different species for you to enjoy. Come as an angler, a bird watcher, or just for the tranquillity and scenery of Rotherham's countryside.

Visit our famous Lakeside Café, whose warm, delicious homemade food has been the highlight of many winter walker's day. The café has refreshing drinks and cold ice-creams that have added an extra ray of sunshine to visitors in the summer!

History

Thrybergh reservoir was constructed in 1880 at a cost of £180,000. Its purpose was to supply the borough of Doncaster with water. However, throughout its history as a reservoir it never met the demands put on it. This was mainly because of leakage from the reservoir.

It has been estimated that up to 100,000 gallons of water were lost through the floor of the filter beds alone every day!

In the early 1940s, the reservoir was producing over 490,000 gallons per day, yet by the mid 1960s, the reservoir was only producing 350,000 gallons per day.

Because of this, the reservoir was no longer considered economical as a supply reservoir. So in September 1980 the Council bought the site for the token price of £1 and set about turning it into the beautiful park that it is today.

The Countryside Rangers

The rangers cover a range of work and they are the heart and soul of the park. The rangers are out in all weathers. They work to make the park the best place possible to enjoy Rotherham's pleasant countryside.

Their responsibilities include helping school children to understand the environment better with fun events such as tree planting, pond dipping and mini-beast hunting. The rangers give guided walks, produce information for visitors and manage the caravan site and fish stocks.

One of the important aspects of the rangers' work is wildlife conservation. They do this by managing the grassland, recording butterfly numbers, pond clearing, hedge planting, making bat boxes, and much more.

The rangers also patrol the park. Patrols check anglers' permits, rubbish bins and life belts. They also make sure people are behaving properly and they keep a watchful eye on the wildlife.

Rangers are not always at the park, they could be anywhere in your local countryside, so next time you're walking your dog look out for them!

Wildlife

With 170 species of wildflower and plants, 200 species of birds and 20 species of mammals in the area, Thrybergh is a nature lover's paradise.

During the winter the eastern footpath is closed to the public to protect the migrating birds from disturbance.

The reservoir itself is very open. This means it does not freeze readily during winter weather, so it provides a regular feeding and roosting site for many wintering Waterfowl and Gulls. Some birds come from as far away as Iceland and Siberia.

There are two bird hides at Thrybergh. The hides are open to the public all year round for shelter from cold winter weather or for shade from a hot sunny day.

Working with Schools

The habitats and surroundings of the park provide a rich resource for teaching. The rangers are trained and keen to encourage educational visits to the parks. The following facilities can be provided:

• Supervision for the visit
• Parking
• Toilets
• All equipment for ranger led activities
• Pre-visit consultations if required
• Multi-purpose room, subject to availability
• Site leaflets and information shop
• Good access for people with physical disabilities
• Loan of equipment to schools for self-run visits
• A fun day out!

Popular school group activities include:

• Pond Dipping (summer only) - Collecting and identifying pond creatures.
• Mini-Beast Hunt (spring and summer only) - Collecting and identifying creatures found in grasslands and on trees etc.
• Seasonal Walks (all year round) - exploring the changes that come about with the changing of the seasons.
  Environmental Games (all year round).
• Food Chain Game (all year round) - the class can build up their own food chain!
• Topic Walk (all year round) - the rangers can tailor make a walk to meet your specific curriculum topic needs, from wildlife in danger to water cycle.

It is always advisable to be prepared. Wear waterproofs in winter, and sun hats and sun screen in summer are recommended! Sensible footwear is a necessity. To book a school group or event, or for any further information, please contact us.

Recreational activities

The main recreational activities to take place at Thrybergh are walking and fly fishing. The park is also home to 'Float Tubing', a fun and effective way to fish. You can do this with your own Float Tube. 

Please visit the Environmental Agency website for more information about where to fish. The website also has national and regional byelaws for anglers.

The 24 pitch caravan site is the ideal location for people who wish to stay overnight in their caravan. The site can be in great demand at times so it is worth ringing up in advance and booking a pitch. The site no longer accepts tents. For details of prices please contact 01709 850353.

There is also a children's play area.

How to find us

Thrybergh Country Park is situated four miles north of Rotherham town centre on the A630 Doncaster Road. It is easily accessible by car or by bus. The Sheffield to Doncaster bus runs frequently past the park. For more information about bus times phone the Transport Executive at 01709 515151.

Thrybergh Country Park,
Doncaster Road,
Thrybergh,
Rotherham
South Yorkshire

Plan your journey to Thrybergh Country Park using Transport Direct