title: Itchen Valley Country Park
text: # Itchen Valley Country Park
  
  Itchen Valley Country Park is a country park in West End, Hampshire, England. As the name suggests, the River Itchen runs through the park, which covers 440 acres (1.8 $km^2).$ The park has a number of walks and trails, including an off-road cycling track. There are a number of facilities for children, including a play area and a play trail. The Itchen Way footpath borders the park. The park was awarded the Green Flag award in 2009/10 and 2010/11.
  
  ## History
  
  The site is on the opposite bank of the river to Southampton Airport, the runway of which is reputedly built over the remains of a Roman villa.
  
  The park was established when over 350 acres (1.4 $km^2)$ of the site were acquired by Eastleigh Borough Council in 1979. The visitor centre was built in 1990. In 2010 work started on a Go Ape adventure course in the park, which opened in Spring 2011.
  
  A free, weekly timed 5km parkrun is held at 9am every Saturday, having started on February 29, 2020.
  
  ## Geography
  
  The park contains a 250-acre (100 ha) water meadow nature reserve, 90 acres (36 ha) of ancient woodland (a third of which is classified as "semi-rural"), 60 acres (24 ha) of grazing land and a 40-acre (16 ha) recreation field.
  
  ## Gallery
  
  * The recreation field and playground
  * Part of the woodland trail
  