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• Managing Organisation:

  Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust

• Contact:

  Dominic Acland

• Telephone:

  01803 606 035 
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Information about this open space

Voted as Torbay’s ‘Best Tourism Experience 2004’; Cockington Country Park contains 186 hectares of walled gardens, lakes, watermeadows, woodland, farmland and a network of footpaths and horse-riding routes.  Cockington Court lies at the heart of the estate where there are nine demonstration craft studios ranging from glassblowing to pottery.  The park hosts over 150 events each year and includes an Organic Kitchen Garden and Community Garden, and ‘Ark’ play area for disabled and non-disabled children.  With lottery funding, Warren Barn, a Victorian out-building opened as a residential camping barn and activity centre for schools in 2007.    The formal parkland around Cockington Court is now much used and hosts a wide variety of activities (eg cricket, walking, nature-watching, family leisure) as well as acting as the home for events such as open-air Shakespeare.  The rural estate around is now easily accessible with a network of footpaths and horse-riding routes and these are extensively used by local people in particular.  An Educational Centre, Visitor Centre and Craft Centre are the three focal points for visitors enhanced by a new residential centre and attractive walled gardens.  The village of Cockington, a traditional tourist attraction, is enhanced by the increasing quality of management of the park and its regeneration has helped maintain businesses in the village.  350,000 people a year visit Cockington and it is Torbay’s single most popular tourist attraction as well as being an important asset for local people.