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About
Hanningfield Waterside Park gives you everything and more. With retail and leisure facilities on offer such as Café on the water, gift shop, a play park, fishing, tackle shop, picnic areas, woodland walks, access to the Essex Wildlife Trust Visitor Centre and nature reserve, easy accessibility by road and free parking Hanningfield offers a great day out. The reservoir is one of the premier fisheries in the UK providing some of the best reservoir trout fishing by either bank or boat.
The play park is a fantastic area to let the kids run off some steam. With swings, slides, climbing frames and even a wooden fish, there is certainly plenty to keep them entertained for hours, while you enjoy a coffee and bite to eat from the cafe.
It's also a wonderful haven for nature and wildlife and is renowned for its nationally important populations of wildfowl, which can be viewed from the reservoirs four bird watching hides.
For a more relaxed atmosphere why not bring along family or friends for an enjoyable picnic whilst basking in some of the most picturesque and calming scenery in the country.
Book Tickets
Guide Prices
Free to park
Facilities
Accessibility
- Disabled toilets
Booking & Payment Details
- Credit cards accepted (no fee)
- Free Entry
Catering
- On-site catering
- On-site light refreshments
- Picnic site
Children
- Baby changing facilities
- Children welcome
COVID-19 Response
- 2m distancing in place
- Advance booking essential
- Clear signage
- Contactless payment possible
- COVID-19 measures in place
- COVID-19 refund and cancellation policy in place
- COVID-19 risk assessment completed
- COVID-19 staff training completed
- Currently closed
- Face mask essential (not provided)
- Face masks required for staff in public areas
- Floors clearly marked for social distancing
- Food available during COVID-19 restrictions - During the next National lockdown, although Cafe on the Water will be closed, we are offering a takeaway service from The Hide. We will be serving hot and cold drinks, cake, snacks and sandwiches, from 9am to 3pm, 7 days a week.
- Hand sanitizer available to visitors & staff
- Hygiene screens in place
- Open now
- Outside seating
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
- Socially distanced spaced seating
- Staff required to regularly wash hands
Groups
- Facilities for educational visits
- Facilities for groups
Meeting, Conference & Wedding Facilities
- Facilities for conferencing
- Facilities for corporate hospitality
- Grounds for outdoor activities
- Leisure facilities onsite
- Mobile phone coverage
Parking
- Free Parking
Property Facilities
- Dogs not accepted (except guidedogs)
- Gift shop
- Onsite Catering
- Public toilets
- Smoking not allowed
- WiFi or internet access
Target Markets
- Accepts groups
- Coach parties accepted
- Single sex groups welcomed
TripAdvisor
Map & Directions
Road Directions
From the A12 take the A1245 (Howe Green) turnoff. After 3 miles turn right at the Bell Public House into South Hanningfield Road. After 2 miles, turn right into Giffords Lane just after the Old Windmill Public House, the reservoir is to be found at the bottom of Giffords Lane. Sat Nav. CM3 8HX.The nearest railway station is Chelmsford, which is 9 miles away.
