# Snibston Country Park
**Type:** Walk | **Location:** Coalville, Leicestershire, England, United Kingdom
**Murphy Approved** ✓ — personally visited and approved by Murphy & Me
**Murphy & Me Rating:** 4.8/5 (space, sniff factor, facilities, ease)
## About
You'd never guess this place used to be a colliery site. Right in the middle of Coalville, Snibston Country Park covers over 40 hectares of woodland, meadows, and Victorian arboretum — and it's become one of our new favourite walks.

The paths loop around in different directions, so you can make it as long or short as you like. We stuck to the southern edge where the Grange Nature Reserve is — Victorian arboretum, wildflower meadow, boardwalk over the wetland area, and two fishing lakes that looked absolutely perfect for a swim.

Murphy disagreed with the 'no swimming' rule. Strongly. He stood at the edge of one pond for a solid two minutes, working through his options. I could see him weighing up whether the telling-off would be worth it. It would not have been worth it, Murphy.

The paths are a mix of tarmac, gravel and mud — worth noting the tarmac sections for hot days. Some are sloped, some wind through dense woodland, others open out into meadows. There were poo bins along the route, plenty of established trees for shade, and enough space that Murphy didn't get distracted every time another dog appeared (though the narrower woodland sections got a bit cosy when we passed people coming the other way).

There's a children's play park, dedicated cycle routes, and a dog-friendly café on site too — we'll come back to that in another edit. For now, we were just here for the walk, and it delivered.

Murphy spent the entire time with his nose to the ground, tail up, fully committed to cataloguing every smell. He wasn't remotely interested in the history (former colliery manager's gardens, designated Local Nature Reserve in 1993, etc.) but we appreciated the added context while he got on with the serious business of sniffing.

Parking is contactless pay-on-exit — £3 for over an hour, or £1 if you're in and out within the hour. The car park opens at 7am and closes between 4pm and 8pm depending on the month. They're also part of the Leicestershire Country Parks season ticket scheme (£85 a year), which might be worth it if you're planning to make this a regular.

Genuinely one of those walks where you get back to the car and immediately start planning when you'll come back.

## Murphy's Verdict
*Reviewed by Murphy, Cavapoo and chief sniff tester at Murphy & Me — The Dog Edit*
> "So many smells. SO MANY. Woodland smells, meadow smells, pond smells (wasn't allowed in, still furious about it). Enough space to properly explore without tripping over other dogs every five seconds. Mum keeps banging on about 'history' and 'reclaimed colliery sites' but I was busy working. Excellent walk. Would sniff again. 🐾"
## Highlights
- 40+ hectares of woodland, meadows and ponds — proper variety
- Mix of tarmac, gravel and muddy paths (watch the tarmac on hot days)
- Ponds are beautiful but no swimming allowed — Murphy remains unconvinced by this rule
- Poo bins along the route, plenty of shade
- Can get busy on weekends — worth bearing in mind for reactive dogs on narrower woodland sections
## Dog-Friendly Features
Free-Parking, Woodland, Gravel Paths, Poo Bins, Space To Keep Distance
## About This Review
Snibston Country Park was personally visited by Murphy & Me — The Dog Edit, a trusted dog-friendly recommendation network covering Leicestershire and beyond. Every review is based on a genuine visit. No paid placements. Murphy approved where earned.
**Source:** [Snibston Country Park on Murphy & Me](https://murphyandme.co.uk/walks/snibston-country-park)
**Publisher:** Murphy & Me — The Dog Edit | murphyandme.co.uk
**Published:** 2026-07-12