driven go-karts but these were a maintenance nightmare and were soon replaced by children's pedal cars of the Austin J40 and Pathfinder type. The removal of the original station opened up access to a further area of scrub which was cleared to provide a site for a circus which operated each summer for several years. The Art Deco main building, built around 1937, included a famous sprung glass floored ballroom over the restaurant and featured a full calendar of dances often 'with star turns' . This structure was destroyed by fire in 1976. From the 1930s to the 1950s the park was home to a speedway track, where local speedway team the 'California Poppies' competed on the dirt track laid out in a remote corner of the estate. In the early 1960s the amusement business was failing and the site obtained new owners who turned it into a holiday camp. Caravan and camping facilities are still available on site at the California Chalet and Touring Park but the main part of the original amusement area is within the country park and now largely overgrown. Fauna The park has the following animals Birds Cormorant Canada goose Mallard Coot Moorhen Swan Egyptian goose Invertebrates Bog bush cricket Common Copper Butterfly Dragonfly Damselfly Reptiles Vipera berus Amphibian Palmate newt Flora The park has the following flora: Trees Alnus glutinosa Rowan Quercus robur Hazel Aspen Plants Bryophyte Sphagnum Lichen Peltigera membranacea Facilities As well as offering walks and wildlife watching, especially around Longmoor Lake, there is a cafe, summer paddling pool, toddler swings and an adventure play area. A 5k parkrun started on 23 February 2019 and takes place every Saturday at 9.00am. See also List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Berkshire References External links California Country Park Defunct speedway tracks - California Speedway Country parks in Berkshire Borough of Wokingham Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Berkshire Local Nature Reserves in Berkshire