Pan Country Park
Pan Country Park is a wonderful green space skirting Newport from Staplers to Shide. It has stunning views across Newport and the surrounding countryside and is the ideal place to walk from town and get close to nature in its grassy meadows, secret streams and shady woodland walks.
The Country Park is essentially divided into three sections.
- Town Field
- Spider Field
- Biomass Field, Meadow Hill and Roundabout Field
What to look and listen for …
The Country Park is mainly grassy meadow and woodland. You’ll also find a few other surprises. there is an orchard planted with fruit trees which produce some edible fruit in the late summer, so do help yourself! Further in the little pond at the back of Pond Walk is a great place to sit and watch dragonflies, and there are also three secret streams to cross – there are bridges of course as sometimes they are not so secret when it has been raining! See if you can spot a Bullhead – this fish is also called Miller’s Thumb because of its shape and look out for dragonflies and damselflies skimming the surface of the water courses and pond in summer, you may even spot a newt. In the long meadow grass at the end of the summer look out for our most impressive resident creature, the harmless but spectacular Wasp Spider!
Explore the Pollen Trail – there are sculptures to find and information boards to read, and sit on the carved seat on Meadow Hill and look over the fantastic views of Newport.
Wildlife here is typical of urban fringe countryside. In the open areas you can often see buzzards, kestrels and sparrowhawks hunting. Listen to the buzzards mewing overhead – there will usually be two of them as they tend to fly in pairs. Nearer the wooded stream corridors look out for woodpeckers, jays and smaller birds like tits, robins and wrens. You can hear the woodpeckers tapping in the morning. Listen to the grasshoppers and crickets on a summers evening, the babbling streams, and the bees buzzing in amongst the meadow flowers – they inspired the Pollen Trail!
… and smell and touch
Whiff the summer meadow – plants use scent, colour and nectar to attract pollinators, and the sweet smell of blackberries in late summer – please help yourself!
Help yourself to fruits from the Community Orchard in Town Field. The Pollen Trail features tactile sculptures and carved seats. Feel the fuzzy catkins on the willows in spring, and the downy seeds of the reed mace in autumn. Throughout the park we have planted hundreds of trees – why not go on a leaf hunt?
Nature at home and activities on site
We have produced a super Colouring Sheet for you to download and complete at home. We have also produced an I Spy Sheet and Map for you to print at home, or download to your phone and take to the site. And become a Bug Bunch Ranger. All these activities and resources can be found here.
Managing the site
Management of the park has included the planting of more than 16,000 trees including hundreds of special elm trees that are resistant to Dutch elm disease, installation of bridges and upgrading of paths. Work continues to create and maintain this new country park.
How to get there
On foot and by bike – The Country Park can be accessed at various points throughout Pan Meadows. Access at the south end of the park is from Pan Lane via bridleway N40, from the north is via Staplers/Long Lane. There are two cycle racks at this end of the park. NE35 skirts the north east edge.
By bus – For the north of the site use Long Lane bus stop (Routes 8, 9 and 68). From here it is a 185 metre walk along pavements in easterly direction to the Country Park. For south of site use ASDA bus stop (Routes 2 and 3) and walk east to Pan Lane, The Country Park entrance is directly south. Total distance on roads and pavements is 120 metres flat walk. (Bus Timetables)
By car – There are a small number of parking spaces off Pan Lane for the south end. Pan Lane needs to be accessed from St Georges Way. At the north of the Country Park there is no car park nearby and on-street parking is limited. Approximate code for your SATNAV is PO30 2PJ. There is also space nearby at ASDA but remember the parking is time limited. There is very little on street parking on the estate as all adjacent spaces are allocated to houses.
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what3words for south entrance ///beams.petulant.aimed
Access
Access through the park is primarily on grass paths which can be muddy in places, though sections of the park have roads and surfaced paths adjacent. The Country Park is essentially divided into three sections.
- Town Field
- Spider Field
- Biomass Field, Meadow Hill and Roundabout Field
The whole site is free from gates and stiles. People with mobility difficulties may find that Town Field is the most suitable.
There is a Information Pillar at the entrance to the Biomas Field, from Godric and Foundary Road. The site information pillar has a QR code that links to an audible description detailed below. The information pillar also has a QR code that links to a map and activities. There is also a site map on the Information Pillar.
The nearest toilets are up / down a hill, and are in stores so check opening times. These are at Matalan (what3words ///title.hotspots.union) and ASDA (what3words ///prune.traded.wizards) . Out of shop hours there are toilets in South Street, Newport (what3words ///ethic.fired.imprinted) . These are slightly further away. The park is large so it is likely you will be some distance from the toilets.
We have written an Access Statement or this site. This includes mobility and sensory issues and opportunities. We welcome feedback from users.
We have produced an audible description creating a mind’s eye view of the area to allow a visually impaired person to enter with confidence. It will describe the entrance, the size of the area, where to find further information or help and any major obstacles or features. Information has been produced by visually impaired people ensuring it is useful and accurate. Access the description by scanning the QR code to the left of this text on your phone or tablet, or by clicking here.
Get Involved
There are various ways you can help improve and maintain our sites. We rely on volunteers to help with many tasks on our sites and also need people who are happy to regular visit the site be our “eyes and ears”, this means we can respond much quicker to issues. Our shop raises money to support our work and needs a team of volunteers. Or maybe you would like to help us with events. Find out more here.
You can also help by becoming one of our regular supporters. Even giving a few pounds each month can make a real difference, with your donation being invested into site management and improvement work to benefit site visitors and look after our precious wildlife. Sign up here.