Love Your Park Week takes place from 26th July to 4th August this year and will hopefully bring warmer weather for the celebration. Hosted by Keep Britain Tidy, this annual event aims to get everyone out and about.
Our parks are essential to our wellbeing and mental health, bringing communities together to enjoy nature’s riches on their doorstep. Parks act as natural filters, improving air quality, and are great spaces to enjoy some downtime. If you’re inspired to explore your local green spaces, here’s a look at the lovely parks and gardens close to our developments.
Bluebell Heights, Coldean nr Brighton
Stanmer Park Nature Reserve
On the doorstep of Bluebell Heights is Stanmer Park Nature Reserve. Brighton’s largest park, Stanmer is the gateway to the South Downs National Park with its mix of parkland, woodland, and farmland. Nestled in amongst the historic landscape is Stanmer Village, an 18th Century working village, the Grade I listed Stanmer House, village tearooms, a fantastic children’s playpark, and a wildlife pond. Great for families, as well as those looking to enjoy a hike and some peace and quiet.
Wild Park Nature Reserve
Wild Park Nature Reserve can be reached on foot from Bluebell Heights, with a brisk 20-minute walk helping you get those steps in before you even set foot in the park. A great choice for all ages, Wild Park has some wonderful family-friendly sporting facilities, including two football pitches and a multi-use games area. You’ll also find a challenging hill known locally as the ‘Ski Slope’, which takes you up to Hollingbury Fort and some fabulous views across the city.
Withdean Park
A little further afield from Bluebell Heights is Withdean Park. This is one for serious walkers: surrounding the park to the north and east is an extensive woodland walk, and the park itself is laid out partly on a steep gradient on open grassland. Perfect for those looking for shade as we finally come into the warmer season, visitors can enjoy a lily pond garden, a varied collection of trees and shrubs, and one of the largest collections of lilacs in the world – the inspiration for the park’s popular annual fair, ‘The Lilac Lark’. This park is particularly popular with dog walkers.
Wildbridge, Yapton nr Chichester
Hotham Park
A short drive from Wildbridge and easily accessible by public transport is the 22-acre Hotham Park in Bognor Regis. Sir Richard Hotham, founder of the modern Bognor Regis, built and lived in Hotham Park House and grounds. There’s plenty to do at the park for all the family, including an 18-hole putting green and a 12-hole crazy golf course, a boating lake and a delightful miniature railway, plus a kids’ adventure playground.
Littlehampton Fort
Five miles along the coast from Wildbridge, Littlehampton Fort, built in 1854 to withstand potential French invasion, is currently undergoing restoration. The surrounding area is beautiful, with low-level sand dunes, overgrown fort mounds, walled turrets, and plaques explaining the fort’s history. It’s great fun to explore the old grounds but watch your step as you explore the site’s fascinating history.
Marine Park Gardens
Marine Park Gardens, just west of Bognor Regis and opposite the beach, is a pretty waterfront park with plenty to do and see. There’s an 18-hole putting green, beautiful flower beds that are full of colour in the summer months, and a pretty water fountain. An ideal place to relax or enjoy a little exercise.
Whitstable Heights, Whitstable
Tankerton Slopes
Less than half an hour’s walk from Whitstable Heights, the cliff-top lawns at Tankerton Slopes roll gently towards the sea, providing excellent views over the colourful beach huts to the coast beyond. It’s a popular place for dog walkers and cyclists and the perfect choice for a rush of fresh air. The rugged terrain takes you to the beach, which can be walked on at low tide.
Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Nature Reserve
Close to Whitstable Heights, Wraik Hill, and Foxes Cross Nature Reserve is a seasoned walker’s dream! The network of public footpaths crisscross over rugged terrain through ancient woodland, where ponies and Highland Cattle graze to keep the grass short and allow a wide range of grassland species to grow.
Duncan Down
Duncan Down is a protected area covering 23 hectares, with beautiful woodland, scrubland, grassland, and a stream providing a mosaic of habitats for wildlife. This park has a Green Flag award, recognising it as one of the best green spaces in the country.
Spring Acres, Bapchild nr Sittingbourne
Iwade Nature Park
Less than five miles from Spring Acres, Iwade Nature Park has something for everyone. With a 30-minute play trail and a 30-minute wildlife walk, orchards, ponds, woodland and wildlife play sculpture, this park is perfect for young families to go exploring.
Milton Creek Country Park
Milton Creek Country Park is Sittingbourne’s newest green area, with 128 acres of outdoor space, an extensive network of paths, community event spaces and meadows. Its aquatic habitats are home to many hundreds of animal species, some of which – such as the Shrill Carder Bee – are very rare and of national or international importance.
Barton’s Point Coastal Park
Around half an hour’s drive from Spring Acres, this coastal park has a saltwater lake for sailing, kayaking, wind surfing and even crabbing! With its wildlife trails, native wildlife species, boathouse café offering breakfasts, lunches, ice creams and drinks seven days a week, and a local miniature railway nearby, Barton’s Point is a dream of a day out for everyone.
We hope you enjoy Love your Park week and find some wonderful open spaces that you’ll continue to love all year round. Click here to find out more about our developments this summer.
Details correct at time of going to publication. All events are subject to availability and third-party terms and conditions.
