Recreation Parks in and near Matlock

The Heights of Abraham

Welcome to one of the Peak District’s oldest and most popular days out, an attraction where stunning natural beauty is matched by human achievement and the historic blends seamlessly with the futuristic. ... more

When you're on a busy sightseeing tour of England, it's wonderful to be able to spend a few hours relaxing in a lovely green space, perhaps having a scrumptious picnic in the sunshine, or simply stretching your legs and people watching. England's recreation parks are some of the most beautiful and well maintained in the world, and many are historic attractions in their own right, with memorials and lovely fountains to admire.

London may be a bustling, modern city, known for its busy streets and cosmopolitan culture, but it also has plenty of green areas where you can relax and watch the world go by. London's parks are both historic places and some of the prettiest recreational areas in the country.

One of the most famous parks in London has to be Hyde Park, which originally formed part of the lands belonging to Westminster Abbey. In the 16th century, the land was seized by Henry VIII and became part of his hunting grounds. It's remained a royal park since, and was opened in the early 17th century as London's first public park. It became a very fashionable place, especially after the Westbourne river was dammed to form an artificial lake called the Serpentine, which was popular for boating and bathing. Hyde Park was also the backdrop for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and it was here that the famous 'Crystal Palace' was first erected.

Hyde Park provides a tranquil place to relax in the midst of some of the world's busiest streets. It's central London's largest park, with 350 acres of woods, grasslands, lake and gardens. If you head to the park at around 10.30 am every day, you might spot the Household Cavalry riding through the park from Hyde Park Barracks to Buckingham Palace. You can still go boating on the Serpentine, or enjoy the Sunday afternoon concerts a the bandstand. Many world-class open air music concerts are regularly held at Hyde Park. Don't forget the famous Hyde Park Speakers Corner, a venue for free speech, where anyone can address the passing crowds on any subject.

Nearby is St James's Park, one of the most attractive of London's central parks. The beautiful park was originally a marsh, and was drained in the 15th century to provide a deer park for St James's Palace. Then in the 17th century, Charles II had a famous French landscaper, André Le Nôtre, transform the deer park into a garden. The lake in the park is a wildfowl sanctuary, with ducks, geese, pelicans and black swans. It's lovely to stroll along the lake's edge to watch the birds and stand on the bridge to admire the views across to Buckingham Palace and Whitehall.

A particularly excellent London park to visit with children is Kensington Gardens, which was originally part of the Kensington Palace grounds. Model boat enthusiasts flock to the Round Pond in the park, which is sometimes used for skating in water. Along the edge of the Long Water, an extension of the Serpentine, is the famous 'Peter Pan' statue, and there are many other beautiful fountains and statues in the park, including sculptures by Jacob Epstein and Henry Moore. There's also a dogs' cemetery, a sunken garden and an art gallery, and kids will love the Diana, Princess of Wales' Memorial Playground, as well as the kite flying and puppet shows in the summer.

When it was opened in 1858 by Queen Victoria, Battersea Park was designed to provide the working-class people with a space for healthy physical exercise and recreation. It still provides that same purpose, for Londoners of all walks of life. The park lies on the edge of the Thames and there are lovely views across the river towards Chelsea. The most famous feature of Battersea Park is the Festival Gardens, dating from the 1951 Festival of Britain. There's also the towering Peace Pagoda built beside the river by Buddhist monks and nuns in 1985 to remember Hiroshima Day. Other attractions include an Old English Garden, herb garden, lakes, a deer enclosure and nature trails. Sports facilities, playgrounds, a children's zoo and a boating lake complete the picture, making a park that provides a wonderful day out for the family. Don't miss famous artist Henry Moore's sculpture of 'Three Standing Figures' near the bowling greens. If you're there at the right time, there are also special events such as funfairs and spectacular fireworks displays.

Other cities and towns of England also have stunning recreation parks that provide a welcome retreat for visitors from their hectic sightseeing.

Historic Bath is home to Victoria Park, opened in 1830, which hosts three exciting events every year: the Bath Flower Show, International Music Festival and Children's Festival. Hot air balloons also take off from this public open space, providing a colourful spectacle in the summer, and children will spend many fun-filled hours in the playground, which is watched over by wardens.

In the South West, the resort town of Bournemouth has Meyrick Park, well-known for its sporting activities, including an 18-hole golf course and outdoor bowls green. The gardens are famous for retaining their charming Victorian character, and provide a wonderful stroll past trees, shrubs and gorgeous floral displays.

The major northern city of Leeds boasts many attractive parks with excellent leisure facilities so you can really let off some steam and enjoy outdoors activites. Middleton Park is extensive and encompasses ancient woodlands, a golf course, bowling greens, playground, tennis court, basketball court, inline skating, a fishing lake, as well as bridle paths and trails. Rounday Park has two large lakes which attract many species of wild bird, and festivals and events are also a great attraction of the park, taking place in its large natural arena.

Pack a picnic and bring your family to England's wonderful recreation parks: you'll have a fantastic relaxing day in beautiful surroundings.