Pay & Display car park charges are shown below; machines accept coins and card payments including contactless, Apple and Android Pay, as well as parking apps RingGo, JustPark & PayByPhone.
Tariff from 21st October 2022
Weekend Early Bird*
£1.50
Up to 1 hour
£2.00
Up to 2 hours
£3.50
Up to 4 hours
£5.00
Over 4 hours
£6.50
*Weekend Early Bird - park until 10.45am. Applies to all tickets purchased before 9.45am.
Our striking new timber & Purbeck stone clad Welcome Centre, located in the main car park, is your ‘front door’ to the country park.
Completed in December 2022, this iconic building is designed with accessibility & sustainability in mind, and features a bio-diverse living meadow roof, planted up with 34 species of wildflowers. Visitors will find ‘what’s on’ information, a small gift shop and interactive child-friendly displays that bring the park’s history & landscapes to life. Facilities include toilets, accessible WC and baby changing area.
Cycling and Walking in the Country Park
Upton Country Park is the ideal place to visit for a leisurely stroll or cycle ride, along the shoreline and through the woodland with beautiful views over Poole Harbour an added bonus. Cycleways & footpaths are well marked on our Park Map.
We have cycle storage loops around the estate – at the back of the main Car Park, in the Stable Yard near the Tea Rooms, next to the Kiosk at the south face of Upton House, by Spurriers Play Park and in the Poole Road Car Park. We also have a Beryl bay in the main car park, offering visitors a fun option sustainable transport option to get to/from or to explore the Park by scooter or bike.
Please note – cyclists are requested not to exceed 5mph in the Park, and to dismount in the formal gardens and in the vicinity of the Tea Rooms, Walled Garden and Spurrier’s Play Park
Upton House Open Days
The House is open to the public on selected weekends & Bank Holidays between February to October. Free admission for the sale of books, souvenirs and gifts. For a small charge, guided tours of the ground floor rooms are offered with knowledgeable Volunteers from the Friends of Upton Country Park.
The Georgian splendour of the Grade II* listed House makes for a fabulous venue for any special occasion, from wedding ceremonies and receptions to business meetings and corporate away days [more here].
The Tea Rooms, open daily from 9.30
Whatever the weather, make sure you visit our Tea Rooms (well behaved dogs on leads also welcome); open daily for a refreshing hot or cold drink,handmade sandwiches, snacksand delicious cakes. Take a table inside, or venture out onto the Terrace to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Grade II* listed Walled Garden.
Our art gallery is situated upstairs, above the Tea Rooms, and is open from 10am most days* with closing time generally in line with the Tea Rooms. The Gallery is run on a voluntary basis by Poole & East Dorset Art Society (PEDAS) and shows work by local professional and non-professional artists throughout the year.
Admission is free and full disabled access is offered via a lift from the Tea Rooms. *Exhibitions change every 2-3 weeks, and the Gallery will be closed for changeover days. Check out what’s on now by visiting www.thegalleryupstairs.org.uk
Spurrier’s Play Park
Let your little ones explore, leap, climb and slide through the trees in our new adventure play park. Starting outside the Cabin (Education Centre) in the heart of the Country Park the natural timber play features meander down through the grass towards the woodlands bordering the shoreline meadows. A must for any child and all you young-at-heart grown ups!
Open every day (weather permitting) during school holidays and on weekends, 10.30am – 4.30pm, serving a selection of hot & cold drinks and light refreshments including Marshfield Farm ice cream. Located near Spurriers Play Park. Contactless card payment only. Please dispose of waste takeaway packaging & beverage cups responsibly!
The Friend’s Refreshment Kiosk
The Refreshment Kiosk can be found at the rear of Upton House and is run by volunteers from the Friends of Upton Country Park. The kiosk opens at weekends and school holidays, subject to volunteer availability and weather conditions, offering a selection of hot and cold drinks, ice creams and confectionery. Cash and contactless card payments accepted.
The Walled Garden
A beautifully landscaped Walled Garden with well managed beds & borders, and plenty of open space to enjoy a family picnic, time with friends, or simply soaking up some sun. The Tea Rooms terrace overlooks the Walled Garden.
The garden is open daily 9am – 6pm, unless booked out for a wedding or other private event (please join us on Facebook for regular updates).
The summer Splash Fountain!
Open May – end September! The Walled Garden water feature bursts into life twice a day throughout the summer, from 11am-1pm and from 2-5pm.
Join us on Facebook for news of unscheduled last-minute hot-weather or other ‘surprise’ splash-abouts!
Create @ Upton Country Park
Located in the Courtyard Barn opposite the Tea Rooms. Stop by and let your inner artist out – creative self-led activities for children (from 4 yrs) and adults. Painting & Colouring, Craft Kits, Sand Art, Build-Anywhere-Bear-Kits, Decopatch, Paint your own Pottery, Model Making, and more. Gift Vouchers available. Birthday parties & Corporate groups welcome.
Open for pre-bookable 2-hour sessions 10am-5pm on Fri, Sat & Sun during term-time; every day of the week during the holidays. No admission charge. Individually priced activities start at £5.95. Visit www.createatuptoncountrypark.com for details.
Upton Adventure Golf
Located next to the Education Centre, a British wildlife-themed 9 hole course packed with fun features, and suitable for all ages & abilities. Just £3 per person for the 1st round, play again for £2. Children aged 3 and under go free.
Open Weekends and School/Bank Holidays, 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm) – subject to weather conditions. No need to book, just swing by & play!
Lisa Marie’s Candle, Crystal & Wellbeing Emporium is located near to the Tea Rooms and Education Centre. See wonderfully scented candles being created and hand-poured in store, discover the very best local, natural products from Dorset makers and artists.
Winter opening hours: Wed, Thurs & Fri 10am-4pm, Sat & Sun 9am-4pm.
Regular workshops & courses in candle-making, magic, mindfulness & more held throughout the year. There’s something for all age groups! Visit www.rockandrose.one for a full listing or email an enquiry to Lisa Marie directly at rockandroserituals@gmail.com
The Front Lawn
As the only place in the Park designated for ball games, the large front lawn is the ideal spot for family sports and picnics, with children able to run around safely and let off some steam.
This space also plays host to large events, such as fairs, shows and music festivals.
Holes Bay Nature Park
The 286 hectare (707 acre)Holes Bay Nature Park stretches from Asda (opposite Poole Railway Station) to Upton Country Park and Hamworthy. It is one of the best places to enjoy the wildlife of Poole Harbour. The saltmarsh and intertidal mudflats are a haven for wetland birds and other wildlife. The area of Holes Bay north of the train line is part of the Country Park, a designated Nature Reserve and Bird Sensitive Area with no public access. There are excellent views across that area from The Lookout (see below).
A local group of volunteers undertake studies and record their observations within Holes Bay and Upton Country Park; their annual Birds, Wildlife and Ecology reports are available to download at our Holes Bay Nature Park page.
The Lookout
The Lookout is our new (2022) bird hide overlooking the salt marsh and intertidal mudflats of Holes Bay Nature Park. Used as both a roost and a feeding area our Bird Hide provides the perfect opportunity to spot the numerous species of wetland and other birds that can be found in Holes Bay all year round.
The Lookout is located on the Shoreline Path and is marked on our Park Map.
Giant Picture Frame
We worked with talented students from the Bournemouth and Poole College as part of their apprenticeship at Cobham Ltd, who designed & built a giant picture frame for us to celebrate the opening of the new meadow lands by the beautiful harbour shoreline.
So get creative and capture your perfect family photo. Please send your favourites to us at uptoncountrypark@bcpcouncil.gov.uk or tag us @uptoncountrypark on your Facebook posts. Have fun!
Pétanque
Our pétanque terrain (on the left of the driveway as you enter the Park from Poole Road) is open for players to use on a first-come-first-served and bring-your-own basis.
We are not currently in a position to be able to offer bookings, boule hire or Have-a-Go sessions.
Orienteering
Whether a beginner or not, have fun navigating your way around one of the largest public open spaces in Poole (OS: SY992930) with the Wessex Orienteering Club (WSX). Download the latest WSX course map and explore the short/accessible 2km or long 5km course routes, walking or running, progressing at your own pace.
Virtual Orienteering with MapRun
*NEW* Visit www.findyourwayvo.org.uk to download the free MapRun app for Android/iOS and to find full information with how-to guides about virtual orienteering; then get out into the Country Park with family & friends for some leisurely or competitive fun.
Join a Volunteer Group
Join us to learn new skills and meet new friends in a wonderful Country Park environment, whilst helping the Operations Team keep estate looking its best all year round!
Join our Gardening Group or get involved in practical conservation tasks such as hedge laying, pond management and coppicing. No special skills or knowledge required. Find out more here …
Visiting Upton Country Park with your dog
Dog Walking
For years people have enjoyed exercising their dogs across the many acres of open parkland, woodlands and meadowland at Upton Country Park. We even have a ‘dog walkers’ car park – 24 spaces, 2 hours free parking, off Poole Road (opposite Pony Drive); it gives direct access to the large new off-lead space created by the recent Park expansion.
As the Park grows in popularity and in size we have been working with the Dorset Dogs group to implement the ‘Paw Prints’ code. This system is recognised nationwide as a way of making it clear to dog walkers which areas are on or off lead, and which are dog-free. Look out for the symbols on your next visit!
Dogs welcome off lead
Dogs welcome on lead
Sorry, no dogs
DIY Dog Wash
Upton Country Park also boasts a self-service Dog Wash area, conveniently located at the new Welcome Centre in the main car park. This easy to use facility is ideal for washing your muddy pooches or simply giving your pampered pet a weekly treat. Warm water, natural products and a two speed dryer … leaving your car and home clean, and you ready to relax after “walkies”!
We now have two enclosed spaces for dogs; the Dog Training Area in the northern section of parkland, and the Dog Play Pen which can be found in the newest, southern section (see our latest Park Map).
Train your puppy in a secure fenced space, or just let your dog enjoy some off-lead time, secure in the knowledge it won’t run off. The surrounding areas are also designated as “off-lead” for when you and your dog feel more confident.
The Dog Training Area is also available to book for exclusive use by accredited dog trainers between May – October; from 7-8pm on weekdays and 11-12am on weekends, from £15 an hour. Please call 01202 127770 or email uptoncountrypark@bcpcouncil.gov.uk for bookings and further details.
Our art gallery is situated upstairs, above the Tea Rooms, and is open from 10am most days* with closing time generally in line with the Tea Rooms. The Gallery is run on a voluntary basis by Poole & East Dorset Art Society (PEDAS) and shows work by local professional and non-professional artists throughout the year.
