Shoreditch Park is great! Okay, I'll admit that I may be wearing rose tinted glasses. I've grown up with and lived around the corner from Shoreditch Park all my life, so I do have a soft spot for it. I've given it a 4/5 but in reality it should probably receive a 3/5 for its 'parkness'.
Shoreditch Park is kind of split into two parts. On the east side you have a big pitch area that's mainly used for sports (read football). Bordering it is an adventure playground for kids (no adults allowed) and outdoor courts which can be booked at Britannia Leisure Centre. The west side of the park borders New North Road and has more grass with footpaths running through it at various points. There's a children's play area on this side along with London's only outdoor volleyball area (or so I here) and a rack of Santander hire bikes. There's also a big random boulder that people can climb on and a little amphitheatre type area.
Throughout the year you'll find the park filled with runners, dog walkers, footie teams and the odd exercise class (including a free one by Our Parks). Every now and again it'll also play host to fun fairs, community events and even the odd festival. The park really comes into its own in spring and summer when the weather is nice. You get a real mix of people out on these days: groups of friends enjoying drinks, families picnicking, couples sunbathing, oldies chilling on benches, children playing and young professionals enjoying a game of Catch/Frisbee. BBQs aren't allowed but as there isn't really a park keeper people tend to flout this rule. There's such an amazing vibe on these days that even if you're walking through the park in the worst of moods you'll walk out the other end feeling much happier. read more