Parks are slowly taking over our post- pandemic lives. Lush green views provide us with the much-needed connection with nature and serve other purposes of community- meeting, recreation, and promoting green infrastructure in concrete urban jungles that cities are. Brighton and Hove boasts of some beautiful parks, here are some of the best parks in Brighton:
1. Queen’s Park, Brighton
Queen’s Park is the perfect stop for a relaxing atmosphere and short walks. It has a pond in the centre with beautiful birds frolicking around, and a local herbalist has a wildlife garden. The park also has a clock tower dating back to 1915. The park is always open with specific timings for café in the summers and winters. You can also donate a tree in the park too.
2. Blaker’s park, Brighton
Blaker’s park in Brighton has been around since 1893. It was donated for the purpose of recreation and community engagement by the very generous Mr. Alderman J.G. Blaker and still holds true to its purpose. It is much loved by children and adults alike, in and around Fiveways area and beyond.
3. Preston Park
Brighton’s largest urban park is Preston Park. It is the perfect spot for picnics, sports, or just sitting in the park. It also serves as a prominent venue for concerts, circuses, fairs and so on. The Preston Twins, the world’s largest and oldest Elm trees are also found here. Right opposite the park is a Rockery, which is the largest rock garden in England. And there is also a Preston Manor, adjacent to it. The house comprises a walled garden and a pet cemetery and is regarded as one of the most haunted houses, with frequent ghost- walking tours entertaining visitors and locals alike. Preston Park is also amongst the seven parks recognised by the Green Flag award scheme in Brighton.
4. Withdean Park
Withdean Park offers you exquisite views of the South Downs. It is a large open, informal space popular with pet walkers and people interested in horticulture. There is an extended woodland walk, and the park has a beautiful lily pond garden. It also has the world’s largest collection of lilacs and has inspired The Lilac Lark, the park’s annual fair.
5. The Level
The Level is one of Brighton’s largest parks and boasts of a variety of purposes; from the kiosk (Pelicano on the South East Corner), to a hiring venue for small community engagements, to an international standard skatepark, sensory play garden area, table- tennis arena which also has spaces for chess- boards, picnic spot, book club, Tai- Chi classes, fit- mums fitness sessions, and a beautiful bee bed and butterfly garden. The Level also has a massive collection of elm trees that support the colony of White-letter Hairstreak butterflies and is thus of national importance. The north lawns of the park also portray local artists’ works, which are also disabled- friendly and there is also a polished steel archway around the southern entrance that displays images of the history of the park, and the wildlife found here.
6. Dyke Road Park
Dyke Road Park is a well-maintained urban park with a network of ornamental pathways and a café with beautiful sea views. It is popular with all age groups. There is a beautiful Perennial Garden surrounded by Yew hedging in the centre, and the Booth Museum is right opposite the park. The museum is all about birds, butterflies, fossils, natural history.
7. Wild Park Local Nature Reserve
Brighton and Hove’s largest local nature reserve, with spectacular walks and views and a golf course and a ski slope that takes you to the Hollingbury fort for stunning views of the city, this is Wild Park for you. It is also a popular sheep grazing site.
8. Hove Park
Hove Park covers almost 40 acres of ground and is extremely popular for walks, dog- walks and running. The eastern side of the park has a stone and lime mortar finger maze structure. And the most famous part of the park is in its south-west corner, where the Goldstone lies. The Goldstone is a huge rock, about 20 tons or so and is believed that Druids used it for worship. There is a human face on the stone, which you can easily spot by looking deep.
Last Updated on December 12, 2024
Published on February 8, 2021
