Robinswood Hill

Robinswood Hill by Nathan Millar

Robinswood Hill has been the head office of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust since 1992. The site is managed by Gloucester City Council, who work closely in partnership with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

Location

Robinswood Hill Country Park, Reservoir Road, Gloucester, GL4 6SX.

OS Map Reference
SO837157
What3Words: jolly.precautions.buyers

Know before you go

Size: 100 hectares.
Entry fee: Free.
Parking information: There is ample free parking for over 30 cars.
Grazing animals: Yes.
Access: Pedestrian access is available from Reservoir Road, Fox Elms Road, The Butts, Stroud Road, Juniper Avenue and other roads.
There are several waymarked trails, some suitable for pushchairs, and there’s a children’s play area available near the car park.
A ‘Tramper’ all terrain mobility scooter can be hired to explore two waymarked routes on the hill for those with limited mobility. This must be booked in advance, please scroll down to find out more.
Dogs: Dogs welcome. You may take your dog off their lead in places, but please do be mindful of other visitors and the wildflowers in spring.

More information on the rich history of Robinswood Hill can be found on Gloucester City Council's website.

Tramper hire

An all terrain mobility scooter (Tramper) is available for hire to explore two waymarked routes on the Hill. This must be booked in advance, please contact us for more information and to book info@gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk

Currently the Tramper is only available Monday - Fridays.

All visitors hiring a Tramper must become a member of Countryside Mobility, if they are not already, to ensure they are covered by insurance and have received an induction on how to safely use a Tramper the first time you hire. Choose either a 2 week (£5) or Annual (£15) Membership – this then allows you to use Trampers at over 50 beauty spots around the south-west, including a number in Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust will charge £3 per visit for use of the tramper.

How to book

Please contact us in advance to reserve the Tramper by emailing info@gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk
If you are a first time user and therefore becoming a Countryside Mobility member please:
- Read the important health/ medical information and Terms of Use and watch the introductory video
When you arrive, you will be asked to fill in a form before you are given the keys - please bring photo ID with you

Our new Welcome Hub is open between 10am - 4pm so please pop in to find out more about Robinswood Hill, the activities on offer and the work of Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

The café

The café at Robinswood Hill serves barista coffees, hot lunches, sandwiches and all manner of treats! We take pride in working with local suppliers to increase the sustainability or the café, and reduce our food miles.

To find the cafés current opening times and menu, head to our café webpage.

My Wild Adventure sculpture trail

Our new family sculpture trail launched at Robinswood Hill in February 2022. With a pushchair friendly footpath you can discover 10 sculptures that tell a story of the heritage of Robinswood Hill. Come and collect a trail map from the visitors centre at Robinswood Hill and scan the QR codes on the sculptures as you go around to find out more. This project was funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

About Robinswood Hill

This Gloucester landmark offers stunning views and plenty of wildlife.

Robinswood Hill is a green space on the south-east side of Gloucester that rises to 198m (651ft) above sea level and offers extensive views across the Severn Vale, Cotswolds and over to the Forest of Dean.
Robinswood Hill country park extends to 100 hectares, all cared for by Gloucester City Council. The country park has wildflower meadows and a woodland which support a rich variety of wildlife. The wider country park has traditional orchards and ponds. The quarry is designated a Site of Special Scientific
Interest (SSSI) on account the layers of rock that date back to from the Jurassic period.

The Domesday book refers to Robinswood Hill as Mattesdon, but it gets its present name from the Robins, a local Matson family who had rights to graze sheep here during the Elizabethan period.

Throughout 2019 - 2020 Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust's head office was re-developed to include a new indoor café and visitor hub. This opened in September 2020, and a new community engagement project, Return to the Hill, was launched in January 2021. The new visitor hub will have self-guided activities for all ages to pick up and use to explore the Hill.

Take a look at our project launch video and discover what Robinswood Hill has to offer.