Parks and countryside service updates
Visiting local parks and countryside
During the national lockdown you must stay at home to protect our borough, the NHS and to save lives.
You may only leave your home for essential reasons, one of which is for your once per day exercise. Under the new restrictions you are required to stay local.
You may visit local parks and open spaces:
- by yourself
- with the people you live with
- with your support bubble
- when on your own, with 1 person from another household
You must not leave home for recreation or leisure such as a picnic or a social meeting.
Please stay at least 2 metres away from others and sanitise your hands, to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Find out what you can and can't do during lockdown on GOV.UK.
Bins
Please be considerate of other park users and put litter or bagged dog waste in the bins provided. If bins are full or unavailable, please take your waste home with you.
Car parks
To support our car parks remaining open during lockdown we ask that you:
- do not travel from outside the borough to visit our parks and open spaces
- only leave cars parked in a marked bay, where these are clearly marked
- keep 2 metres away from others when getting into and out of your car and keep dogs on leads
Please note that:
- Horseshoe Lake car park is closed every night, between the hours of 7pm until 7am
- Westmorland Park car park closes daily at 4pm until the following morning
These temporary closures are to prevent groups gathering in the car park when it gets dark, which leads to increased amounts of antisocial activity and is also against social distancing guidelines.
View The Look Out Discovery Centre car park opening hours.
Cycling in Swinley Forest
Cyclists in Swinley Forest are encouraged to ride within their limits.
Please be considerate of pedestrians, as any accidents will cause extra strain on our local NHS resources at this difficult time.
Dogs
Dog walkers should always keep their dogs on a lead. This is to avoid them chasing each other which could result in owners breaking social distancing guidelines to separate them.
Outdoor recreation facilities are closed
Only our outdoor playgrounds remain open.
All other outdoor recreation facilities are closed, this includes:
- skate parks
- basketball courts
- football goal nets
- multi-use games areas
- teen shelters
Please do not use our closed outdoor recreation facilities as you risk spreading coronavirus and being fined.
Playgrounds are open
Our outdoor playgrounds are open for Bracknell Forest residents to use. We remind people to stay alert to the dangers of coronavirus, and that people using our playgrounds do so at their own risk.
See The Look Out statement page for updates about their playground.
Please follow these instructions when visiting our playgrounds:
- if you or any member of your household has coronavirus symptoms or are self-isolating, then you must not visit our playgrounds
- if the playground is busy (the maximum number of people allowed in at any one time), please do not enter but come back later
- only one parent or guardian should enter the playground to supervise their child or children
- only children from the same household or bubble should use a piece of play equipment at the same time
- you and your children should stay at least 2 metres apart from others unless they are from the same household or bubble - or 1 metre if you are wearing face coverings
- sanitise your children’s hands before and after they use the equipment - scientific advice suggests that the virus can survive for up to several days on some hard surfaces
- encourage children to avoid putting their mouths on equipment, their hands in their mouths, or to touch their face
- do not eat or drink while in the playground
Public rights of way
Only use your local public rights of way network for lawful access. Please be considerate of other users by following social distancing guidelines.
Tennis
Our outdoor tennis courts are closed until further notice.
Volunteering
All conservation volunteering opportunities have been suspended during lockdown.
If you’re keen to still help wildlife flourish locally, then there are things you can do to improve biodiversity in your back garden.
See our Gardening for wildlife leaflet for more information.
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Wash your hands
Please take hygiene precautions when you are outside by using hand sanitiser, and wash your hands as soon as you are back indoors.
Contact information
Customer services