Vicar Water Country Park

Vicar Water Country Park can be found just to the south of Clipstone village, 5 kilometres from Mansfield in north Nottinghamshire. The 80ha park has been mainly formed on the site of former colliery spoil tips and lies in the shadow of the headstocks of Clipstone Colliery. Today the spoil tips have been transformed to heathland, woodland and grassland and offer spectacular views across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. At the centre of the park is Vicar Pond, a 2.5 hectare fishing lake that was created by the 5th Duke of Portland in the 1870's. In the past the lake has been used for boating and swimming but today it is a thriving coarse fishery. Recent improvements to the park have included the construction of a Visitor Centre, planting of large areas of woodland and heathland, the installation of a children's play area and the creation of a network of footpaths and cycleways. The Council's Countryside Ranger is based at Vicar Water and guided tours of the site are available as well as a regular programme of events and opportunities for community involvement. The Visitor Centre catering is carried out by Rumbles Catering Project, a registered Charity that provides training in catering and life skills for people with learning difficulties. Newark & Sherwood District Council seeks to manage and maintain the park to a high standard and in recognition of this the park has received a Green Flag award every year since 2000.