One of my new favorite places to while away a sunny day. Park up at the canoe club, then put on…read moreyour running shoes and jog down along the river to Sonning, pausing on your way to watch the boats navigate the Lock. The lock is one of the nicest i have ever seen- permanently staffed, beautifully kept, with flowers everywhere. On summers weekends they sometimes do cream teas in the lock keepers gardens- which look like a lovely way to enjoy the great british tradition of putting the world to rights life while eating scones with cream and drinking copious cups of tea! The path beyond sonning bridge becomes much quieter, and all the more lovely for it. When you get tired, and head back, collect a few friends and a picnic rug and settle down by the river in the open meadows near the canoe club. Watch the model aircraft buzzing around the sky, the narrow boats and motor cruisers chugging past and remember how simple and lovely life can be :)

A very nice park between the Reading Museum and the Abbey Ruins…read more The site and the Abbey Ruins next door have cultural significance to the area dating back to the 12th century. To get the most out of your visit, I would recommend stopping by the Reading Museum first to read about how the park and ruins fit into Reading's history. The park is a delightful urban oasis located right next to the Abbey Ruins and just about a 5-minute walk to the Reading Museum. It really is a charming green space located in the heart of Reading, offering a peaceful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. The park boasts beautifully landscaped gardens, a picturesque pond, and historical features like the famous Maiwand Lion statue. When we visited, it had well-maintained paths that made it a pleasant spot for leisurely strolls. Its historical resonance adds a unique touch to the park's ambiance. If you are interested in a nice place to go to relax or explore, this could be it. The pathways are wide and the grounds are well-kept and pretty. For more specific details and visitor reviews, you can check out local travel websites or the official Reading Borough Council website.

I am sorry to disagree with a fellow Yelper, but David is missing the point of Reading. It's not…read moretrying to be elegant or subtle, relaxing or picturesque. It will never be London or Oxford. It's a city where people live and love, where businesses are based and where children run and play. The elegance is there, you just have to look for it. I've been living here for 9 months now and I've managed to find it in several places, including this one. Forbury Gardens is one of the spots carved out from the hustle-and-bustle. Sure, the buses and traffic trundles past on Forbury Road (aka A329), but that's over there. Outside. Away from the grass and the benches and the peace of a secluded and pretty park. There is a lovely gazebo in the center and the Forbury Band Concert Season is held on Sundays during the summer. Whether you're here for the music or just the peace, bring a picnic! The groundskeepers do a fine job of keeping the gravel level and the litter picked up. As you do take your time and relax, enjoy the Forbury Lion aka the Maiwand Lion, one of the largest cast iron lions in the UK. It's there to commemorate the deaths of 329 soldiers in Afghanistan. No, not the current war. The one back between 1878 and 1880, according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiwand_Lion.

An idyllic destination a short drive from London, Painshill Park is a great place to spend a day…read moreenjoying the beauty of the English countryside. Created by the eccentric Charles Hamilton, the park was created as a "romantic landscape". Both organized and naturalistic, the park offers many vistas, perspectives and experiences. Created with a variety of follies dotting the landscape, the park offers panoramic views and interesting scenes. Views from the Gothic Temple and the Turkish Tent are breathtaking. While exploring the man-made grotto (which is currently undergoing renovation) you can't help but be in awe of Hamilton's vision while at the same time thinking "This guy must have been totally out there to build stalactites with lathe and plaster and then cover them in pieces of crystal!". Whether walking the grounds, bringing a blanket and a book and enjoying the solitude, Painshill Park is a wonderful place to visit. Be prepared to walk, as the park is large and very hilly. It's a good climb to the top of the Tower as well. Would definitely recommend this if you need a relaxing afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of London.

A grade 1 listed park, much renovated over the last 25 years, by the trust that owns it…read more Created by Charles Hamilton ,in the mid 18th century, after his 2 (obligatory) Grand Tours, he wanted to create an idyllic natural setting, around a lake, with water diverted from the river Mole. He was very succesful in this, and created a number of follies, a Grotto, and the unusual Turkish Tent. Many of the plants are of American origin, and were just becoming fashionable at the time. It's worth remembering it's a park like setting rather than a garden like Wisley. Reasonable cafe near the entrance, and the ever present gift shop. Worth chcking their website for offers, currently free entry on Wednesdays in November, children free at weekends, and A special Santa event. The Grotto is only open at the weekends. A great place for a walk on a sunny day, great views across the lake and Surrey.

went to the park last week with our children and saw the new slide area which is absolutely…read moreterrible. To be able to get up to the slide, you have to crawl through small holes which are very dangerous if you step backwards and forget that it's there.. I'm surprised it's been allowed. Also considering it's near Great Ormond Street Hospital, you would think it was more of an SEN friendly park. Such a shame.

Wish the ground is soft neat foam like ground not dirt ground. Other than that seems more down to…read moreearth than US ones. Two bouncing crossing ropes" are extreme fun for 5 yrs n plus kids.

Woah! This park has it all! Also known as St Mark's Park…read more(after the street on which is located) Kensington memorial is brilliant and the perfect place for kids and adult to go crazy. This park has been recently refurbished and I am very happy because its like 10 mins away from mine. It is wheelchair accessible, has a adventure playground with colourful apparatus+ sand box, a larger play area for older children with space rockets climbing frames etc and a large water park that is an absolute blessing on these hot, hot day! And the best part?! It is all free!! There is also a small shop(open during the summer months) that sells hot/cold snacks and chairs and tables you can eat at. Lots of toilets, grass, shade etc. It also includes tennis courts, football, junior cricket classes and One O'clock club which is managed by Family and Children's Services. The park was opened in 1926 in memoriam to those who fell in the Great War.

I've been visiting California Country Park since I was a small child, and I still find it as…read morebreathtaking as I ever did. The forest is enchanting, with ferns and moss clearings, the nature trails are incredible, winding through the hidden bogs and woodland, and the lake is beautiful, teeming with fish and birds. Bring the children to feed the swans, meet the baby ducklings and play in the log themed playground, complete with zip line and a paddling pool in the summer. Have a cup of coffee, slice of cake or ice cream at Jackson's Cafe, and wander the park, breathing in the fresh air of true nature. It is one of my favourite places in the world, I hope you enjoy it just as much.

Everyone Far East as bricklane must have heard of Victoria park! If they haven't then I must…read moreenlighten briefly. It is a huge park, that if you were to traverse the outer path you'll have walked 5Km doing that one circuit. It was named in honour of our queen Victoria herself. It stands proudly in East London, underneath the fine borough of hackney and above tower hamlets! It's my favourite park in London, if not the world! It's not particularly crazy in design or has architectural or agricultural delights or even much elevation, however it's just perfect. On a fine sunny day, the park screams community, relaxation and escapism from the bustle of the city. I run around the park 2-3 times a week and never get tired of it. It makes me breath fresh air and the people there are lovely! Please go to the park and treat it some respect as it will certainly treat you with a wonderful experience, right back at ya!

After much construction over the last year, the park is starting to come into its own again. I…read morelove this place! Beautiful tree lined paths to walk down, lovely ponds and water features that attract wonderful wildlife, so many places to just...chill. Just about the only sizable park I know of east of The City. Tasty cafe's and shops to pop into on Lauriston Road after a nice walk in the park. Enjoy!

We were in Southern England again. Somehow we've always missed out on this Palace. So this time…read morearound we changed that, booked some tickets online the day before and went for it. There's a massive parking lot, showing how many visitors to excpect. But once inside the visitors scatter and it doesn't really seem overly crowded. It was built between 1705 and 1722. It was originally intended to be a reward to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough. But raising costs and the project becoming bigger and bigger the cancelled financial support later on. It became the home of the Churchill (later Spencer-Churchill) family for the next 300 years. The Palace was used in many movies. I remember it well from "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". The Palace is really huge and there's so much to explore. We had our Bulldog with, so we took turns to see the insides. But dogs are welcome in many places outside the buildings. Really impressive architecture all around, lots of wonderful details to catch. The Center of the North facade was under construction at the time, but there were still many nice angles without obstructed views to take in. Equally impressive are the park and gardens. Many walks offer nice views of the Palace, the lakes and the grounds. Loved walking around and it really felt very quiet, no so many visitors taking the longers walks around. But very worth the time and very rewarding. Great to grab a snack as well, with these views. The entrance fee with 31£ is pretty high at first sight. But then again image how much it costs to keep this Palace and all the grounds in shape and to constantly renovate it. Given that, it's worth the money. It's really an impressive place. We enjoyed our time here.

Disappointed. When you arrive, you drive up a very long…read moredriveway and pay at the booth before you actually see what's ahead. We had looked at the website and felt it would be worth spending the day and fee. Wrong. It's waay over priced. You have to park in the fields. There was a performance getting set up so we could not get the full grand ambiance .. there were venders and stage , full seating and lighting. It was ridiculous. As a bonus, There was manure getting sprayed on the lawn.

A pretty little local park. It's on the top of a hill, and, though there aren't really viewpoints,…read moreit does feel airy. It also benefits from some nice landscaping and trees. The general grassed area is not huge, as there's quite a lot else going on. There's a huge supervised adventure playground open each afternoon. It was closed due to an electrical problem when I was there, but look quite simply awesome. Acres of wooden climbing and walkways, areas to ride bikes, a model dragon Another large area is turned over to tarmac courts. That seemed less successful. They weren't being used, and dust devils were blowing across them. (I'm not kidding it was a hot dry day and they were dusty!) There's also a second play area with an attendant present when I was there, and toilets. I only noticed the sign saying they were for kids and parents using the play area after I'd used them. Whoops Anyway, worth knowing if you are desperate and need to be sneaky! For a small local park it's definitely way above average. Very nearly earned 5 stars, and I might give it that if they had loos for adults and improved the courts.

A pretty local park in between Angel and Barnsbury. On warmer days you will see people jogging and…read moredog walking and its a pretty well maintained park. In addition there is an adventure playground too for kids to scramble about on.