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Motherwell · Adventure
Strathclyde Country Park
Strathclyde Country Park is huge, so pick one part rather than trying to cover all 400 hectares. Choose a play park, the lochside or Bellshill cycling gateway as your base. Pedalos and speed-boat trips cost extra and can be affected by construction or conditions, so plan a free play-and-walk visit that still works without them.
- Best for
- Toddlers and mixed-age families
- Cost
- Free park; boats cost extra
- Weather
- Outdoor play and walks
- Visit length
- A short stop to a bigger half day
Our family take
Several play areas, flat lochside paths and the Bellshill bike facilities give different ages room to choose their own version of the park. Keep it to play and a short walk with younger children, or make more time for cycling and trails.
- Watersports Centre closed. Reception is in the green cabin opposite the main building. Toilets and refreshments have separate, shorter hours.
- Bring your own bike. Bike hire and bumper boats are currently unavailable.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- Cost
- Free park, play areas and trails. The advertised 2026 funboat dates have finished, and no later 2026 boat dates are listed.
- Address
- Strathclyde Country Park, 366 Hamilton Road, Motherwell ML1 3ED
- Parking
- Ten car parks serve different parts of the park. Choose one near your planned play area or walk; Bellshill Gateway has parking off the A721 Motherwell Road.
- Toilets
- Car park 1 toilets are listed as open 9am–4.30pm. Accessible toilets are available; check the nearest suitable facility for your route.
- Refreshments
- The Heron Pod serves hot and cold refreshments, 10am–3.30pm. Bring lunch if you need more than a snack or will arrive later.
ParkingToiletsPlay areaBMX Pump Track And Bike Skills LoopSeasonal Paid BoatsTemporary Refreshments
11 October 2026
Check current park facilities (official)A little more detail
Make it work for your family
Choose one part of the park
For younger children, make a play park and short path the whole plan. Older children may prefer the Bellshill pump track and skills loop. Trying to link every attraction can turn the day into a long transfer between car parks.
Clyde, Sandy Beach and Foreshore are the named play parks; Bellshill Gateway has the natural play trail, a beginners pump park, BMX pump track and mountain-bike skills loop. Bring your own bike if cycling is the reason for coming.
For a shorter walk, the Bellshill nature trail takes around 30 minutes to an hour before play stops. You can use the activity pack on your phone or print it before you go. The lochside is the flatter walking option; with a toddler, you can turn back whenever you have had enough.
Boats are a bonus
The advertised 2026 funboat dates were Saturday 10 to Sunday 18 October, noon–5pm. Those dates have passed, and the council page does not list any later 2026 sessions. Do not travel for a boat trip unless a new date is published.
The park, play areas and trails are still free. The Watersports Centre remains closed for refurbishment. Reception is in the green cabin opposite, with winter hours of Monday–Friday 9am–4.45pm and Saturday–Sunday 8.30am–5pm. Phone 01698 402060 if you need to check what is running.
Prams and access
There are step-free routes, accessible toilets and plenty of seating. The park’s size is the trickier part, so choose your car park and route before you arrive.
The flat lochside route is a useful starting point with a pram. Bellshill natural play uses the slopes, so do not assume every trail has the same easy surface or gradient. There is accessible parking or drop-off and a ramp to the temporary reception; ask reception about a route and toilet that suit your needs.
Baby changing in the temporary facilities needs checking before you go. Keep children close beside the loch and rivers.
Before you go
Choose a dry-weather play-and-walk visit if you want an easy outdoor day. With the Watersports Centre closed, plan another outing if you need a reliable indoor place to spend several hours.
Use the council map to plan your entrance, toilet stop and route together. If you are coming by bus or train, check the journey to that entrance rather than to a general park pin.
Plan the rest of your day
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