Hardwick Country Park Reviews Summary

Category: Country park

Address: Sedgefield, Stockton-on-Tees, TS21 2DN, United Kingdom

Phone: +443000261000

Rating: 4.7
based on 218 reviews.

Accessibility

Pros:

  • "Lovely for all families. Wheelchair & pushchair friendly."
  • "Most are tarmac paths suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs (some small slopes in places)."
  • "As a disabled scooter user the pathways where very good."
  • "Wheelchair, pram/pushchair friendly."
  • "The amenities are very clean and all are wheelchair accessible."
  • "Very beautiful walk around the grounds even In winter months trails are easy for all levels and pushchairs wheelchairs etc."
  • "Great place for all the family. Ideal for disabled people and families with young children."

Cons:

  • "Not very user friendly!"
  • "The least dog friendly country park we've ever been to - dogs have to be on the lead most of the time, not allowed in the cafe, only one poo bin that we could see."
  • "Play park OK but not the best for very small children, hard surfaces and rough textures offer little comfort that your little one will escape without some sort of injury."
  • "I don't like the kids play park it's not suitable for toddlers in my opinion."
  • "Only complaint is the dog offleash area, aside from being pretty small, there's a bench right next to the fence?"

Facilities

Pros:

  • "Lovely cafe with very good quality food. Indoor and outdoor seating area."
  • "There are public toilets available so in the nice weather its lovely to spend a bit more time in the park making use of the picnic tables."
  • "A smallish café with reasonable small meals, and children's play area."
  • "Good facilities, 50p for a bag of bird feed and a truly beautiful walk around the lake and monuments galore."
  • "The visitors centre is modern and well kept and the staff were friendly and helpful."
  • "The cafe is lovely and welcoming with everything very reasonably priced."
  • "There is a cafe shop, playground for kids, toilets, electric charging for cars."

Cons:

  • "There could do with being toilets at the far end of the park as it is a long way back if young children suddenly want the toilet."
  • "The gift shop isn't very good. It mainly has soft toys for children and not much else."
  • "Coffee shop run by local council needs to up its game on closing hours on a Sunday."
  • "Cafe nice enough but very small considering visitor numbers."
  • "The reason for not getting 5 stars is the coffee. Good coffee is everywhere now and I'm really into it. The coffee here was bad, i couldn't even drink it."
  • "Unfortunately on our visit whilst my dog's were going into the exercise area when another dog decided to attack mine and took a bite out of her."
  • "Visited end of sept 2022 for a quiet walk and loud pumping base music and some women on loud microphone possible dance class from Hardwick Hotel grounds."

Parking

Pros:

  • "No entry fee but there is a charge to park your car."
  • "Parking is a really affordable price."
  • "Very easy to find, plenty of parking spaces."
  • "Plenty of parking space although in good weather in summertime it does get extremely busy."
  • "Plenty of parking, it is chargeable so you need to take a few coins but it's reasonable."
  • "Plenty of car parking available, but can get busy."
  • "Got parked easily, though had to walk a bit further to pay for parking as nearest machine was out of order."

Cons:

  • "Don't think should have to pay for parking though, especially from Oct to March, winter months."
  • "Parking costs are far too high but that's the council for you."
  • "I rarely come here since the parking charges were introduced, as I feel it is ridiculously expensive just to walk the dog."
  • "Shame you have to pay for parking."
  • "Car parking charges are awful. Minimum £2 steep for what is offered particularly as it closes early."
  • "Then discovered minimum £2 parking charges."
  • "The council have now spoiled it by charging for parking."

Scenery and Wildlife

Pros:

  • "Following our walks around the different routes we always feel quite uplifted."
  • "The walk around the lake with various follies is excellent."
  • "Always well worth the visit because of it's beautiful scenery and walk around the lake."
  • "Beautiful features (buildings, statues, lakes, bridges etc) so many paths to take which are all well maintained and would be fine on a wet muddy day under foot."
  • "Feels more like a nature reserve than a park, so much wild life especially birds."
  • "This park is amazing and the walks around the lake are stunning."
  • "A beautifull place, especially now that its autumn with all the colours of the leaves."

Cons:

  • "But, there is goose poo everywhere!"
  • "Spoilt today by a couple with two terrier type dogs not on leads & the dogs frightened the bird life."
  • "Only downside was (of course) people with dogs not keeping them on a lead, one dog jumped in the lake after a duck."
  • "But then I visited this park today and it has totally been let go off and has just left to rot."
  • "Disappointed to see what this park has come to."

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