Tilgate Park

About
Gallery
Parking
Poo bins?
Self-guided walk

About

Just off the M23 on the southern outskirts of Crawley in West Sussex, Green Flag award winning Tilgate Park boasts stunning lakes, lawns and gardens, and miles of woodland and bridleways for long leisurely walks. Originally a 2,185-acre (8.84 km2) part of the ancient Worth Forest, the park and adjacent areas formed part of the larger Tilgate Estate.

Today it also features a Smith and Western pub (where dogs are allowed in the bar area); a Gold Star awarded nature centre (featuring endangered animal such as the Northern bald ibis, Utila spiny-tailed iguana, Laysan duck and swift parakeet); a golf course; a Go Ape arboreal adventure course; an array of water sports from kayaking to stand up paddle boarding on the lake; an Azalea woodland Remembrance Garden where you can arrange to scatter the ashes of loved ones; a secure ‘Hound Ground’ dog paddock (bookable online); and a self-service ‘dog wash’ (at the main car park.)

While the park is very dog friendly, be aware of a few areas where they aren’t permitted:
– Children’s play area
– Walled Garden including Marquee, Arena and The Barn (apart from assistance dogs)
– Tilgate Nature Centre (apart from assistance dogs)

Take a look at Crawley Borough Council’s map of Tilgate Park (below.)

The Gallery: What’s it like here?

At the car park and around the park.

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Self-guided walk

Here is a Footpath app route from the main car park. Also on AllTrails. It takes you past the large Tilgate Lake, through reed beds and the ‘silt lake’, then up through the ‘Peace Garden’. You’ll skirt Tilgate Forest on the path that edges the park and go around the back of the nature centre, before passing Titmus Lake and the heather garden.

Length: approximately 2.1 miles/3.5 km
Terrain: Much of this walk is on tarmac paths, although there are some parts (along the park perimeter) that are mud and can be muddy in wetter months. There are some ups and downs but as these are mainly on tarmac, they’re not much to write home about.
Stiles/kissing gates? No stiles or kissing gates

Park in the main car park and head to the black building with “Welcome to Tilgate Park” on it in large letters – this houses toilets. Go up the steps to the left of the building and walk ahead, taking care when you cross the road.

Continue ahead and pass the Smith and Western pub (on your right). Follow the path round to the right and down the steps.

Walk straight ahead towards the lake. The path goes along the edge of a children’s playground and bends to the left. Keep going until you get to the cross paths next to the black bin, where there is a Go Ape elevated walkway above you to the left.

At this cross paths, turn right and follow the path ahead and over the next cross paths, then past some outdoor gym equipment (to the left.)

When you get to the fork, keep to the right on the lower path that goes along the bottom of the lake.

As you get to the end of the lake, keep to the right and follow the water’s edge round to the right, ignoring the path at the fork that goes up to the left towards a cafe. The lower path curves around to the right and goes over a bridge.

At the next junction of paths, keep right and continue walking along the edge of the lake, passing a number of fishing spots.

Presently the path goes over a bridge and there is a pond and reed beds to your left. Keep going and cross another bridge. Stay on the main tarmac path and follow it over a larger bridge to the right.

You’ll now have the Silt Lake on your left and the main Tilgate Lake is on the right.

At the end of the Silt Lake, there’s a junction of paths with a black signpost. Continue straight ahead here in the direction of the Heather Garden, Nature Centre and Walled Garden. Keep an eye out for a post on the right with a pink and white circle, numbered 15 ‘Swamp Cypress’ and just after this, turn left to leave the main tarmac path and take a compact mud and gravel path through the Peace Garden.

This little path winds up and over a small stream via little bridges. Follow it all the way to the end and round to the right over a much larger bridge.

On the other side of the bridge, there’s a bench. Bear to the left of the bench but stay on the main path – here it is wide and mud – it can get wet and boggy in the colder months.

You’ll pass a sign on the left for the Azalea Woodland of Remembrance – you can go in here, but it felt wrong to include it on this walk. Shortly after that sign, the path takes you over a plank bridge to join the main tarmac path again. Turn left onto this.

Shortly there will be another path to the left, where you can see another sign for the Azalea woodland. Immediately next to this is a map of the park. On the other side of the path is a bench and another path off to the right. Ignore both of these paths and keep going straight ahead, passing a white information board about woodlands and another bench.

The path rises and curves to the left. Keep on the main path and the Walled Garden will come into view to the right.

Walk all the way to the end of the wall, where you’ll find yourself at the ‘Hound Ground’ enclosure. Turn left here and keep the tall green wire fence on your right. The path is now mud and it follows the edge of this secure dog exercise area and then bends around to the right, passing Go Ape Site 3 on the left.

Ignore any little paths either side and pass a white information board about Heathlands. This path will bring you down to a large cross paths. This wide path is the perimeter path that marks the boundary of Tilgate Park and Tilgate Forest. Ahead, there are two wooden carvings.

Turn right onto the wide mud path and head downslope. It can be wet and muddy here.

After some way, you’ll see a red poo bin on the left. Just before this, there is a path off to the right with a long tree branch along the edge of it. Turn right onto this path (perhaps visit the poo bin first if needed), and head up towards the back of the nature centre.

When you reach its green fence, turn left and wind through the woods, crossing over a stream (there’s a small fence to the right here.)

Presently, you’ll be able to see Titmus Lake through the trees over to the right.

Keep going and the path will then meet another green fence. This is on the left – go along the edge of the fence and follow the path round to the right, passing a green poo bin.

Go along the bottom edge of Titmus Lake.

After the second life buoy, turn right onto the path towards the nature centre.

At the green fence, follow it around to the left. Continue straight ahead up the slope with the green fence to your right. Over to your left, there are some smaller paths that wind through the Heather Garden – detour off this main path to explore those if you fancy.

Otherwise, just keep going straight until you get to a junction with a large path to the left. Turn left here and follow this path back to the car park.