I often speak about taking some time out in your local park to enjoy the pleasures of being in nature, but I understand that some local areas just don’t ‘do it’ for you.
So, what I decided to do, was, as Jeremy Clarkson (or Chris Tarrant if you’re as old as me) on ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire‘ would facilitate, ‘ask the audience’ for their recommendations.
And, after collating the information together, what you’ll find below, is the top 100 green spaces in England that are free to enter. 🙂
I’ve broken the list down into geographical areas, to hopefully make it easier for you to see an area that represents where you are.
Let’s get on with it…
1. London & Greater London
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 1 | Hampstead Heath | London | Ancient Parkland & Views |
| 2 | Richmond Park | London | National Nature Reserve & Deer Park |
| 3 | Camley Street Natural Park | Central London (King’s Cross) | Urban Wetland Oasis |
| 4 | Epping Forest | North East London / Essex | Ancient Woodland |
| 5 | Wimbledon Common | South West London | Heathland & Woodland |
| 6 | Morden Hall Park | South London | River Park & Wetlands |
| 7 | Highgate Wood | North London | Ancient Oak Woodland |
| 8 | Bushy Park | Outer London | Royal Parkland & Ponds |
| 9 | Rainham Marshes RSPB (free for local residents) | East London / Essex | Coastal Saltmarsh |
| 10 | Trent Country Park | North London | Country Park & Meadows |
| 11 | Wanstead Flats | East London | Open Grassland & Ponds |
| 12 | Crane Park Island | Twickenham | River Island & Nature Reserve |
2. South East England
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 13 | New Forest National Park (open areas) | Hampshire | Ancient Woodland & Heathland |
| 14 | Seven Sisters Country Park | East Sussex | Coastal Chalk Cliffs |
| 15 | South Downs Way (key stretches) | Sussex / Hampshire | Chalk Downland |
| 16 | Ashdown Forest | East Sussex | High Weald Heathland |
| 17 | Lullingstone Country Park | Kent | Woodland & River Darent Valley |
| 18 | Ceeley’s Meadow / Swale Nature Reserve | Kent | Coastal Marsh & Birdlife |
| 19 | Burnham Beeches | Buckinghamshire | Ancient Beech Woodland |
| 20 | Wendover Woods | Buckinghamshire | Chilterns Forest & Hills |
| 21 | Tring Reservoirs | Hertfordshire | Wetland Nature Reserve |
| 22 | Aldbury Nowers | Hertfordshire | Wildflower & Butterfly Grassland |
| 23 | Shorne Woods Country Park | Kent | Ancient Woodland & Lakes |
| 24 | Samphire Hoe | Kent | Coastal Nature Reserve below Dover Cliffs |
| 25 | Swinley Forest | Berkshire | Pine Forest & Walking Trails |
| 26 | Rye Harbour Nature Reserve | East Sussex | Shingle & Saltmarsh Wetlands |
| 27 | Windsor Great Park (open countryside areas) | Berkshire | Historic Parkland & Forest |
| 28 | Chilterns National Landscape (various sites) | Oxfordshire / Bucks | Beech Woods & Chalk Hills |
3. South West England
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 29 | Dartmoor National Park (open moorland) | Devon | Granite Tors & Moorland |
| 30 | Exmoor National Park | Devon / Somerset | Moorland & Ancient Valley Woods |
| 31 | Ashton Court Estate | Bristol | Historic Parkland & Deer Park |
| 32 | Leigh Woods | Bristol / North Somerset | River Avon Gorge Woodland |
| 33 | Cotswold Water Park (public paths/lakes) | Gloucestershire | Lakes & Wetland Trails |
| 34 | Penrose Estate & Loe Pool | Cornwall | Coastal Lake & Woodland |
| 35 | Cadover Bridge & Plym Valley | Devon | River Valley & Oak Woodland |
| 36 | Quantock Hills | Somerset | Heathland & Ancient Oak Ravines |
| 37 | Avon Valley Country Park / River Avon Trail | Bristol / Bath | River Corridor & Meadows |
| 38 | Ham Hill Country Park | Somerset | Wildflower Meadows & Hillfort Views |
| 39 | Chesil Beach & Fleet Lagoon (public sections) | Dorset | Shingle Barrier & Lagoon Nature |
| 40 | Aisholt Wood | Somerset | Quantock Ancient Oak Woods |
| 41 | Lydford Gorge (public bridleways/viewpoints) | Devon | River Ravine & Woodland |
| 42 | Teign Gorge | Devon | River Valley & Ancient Woods |
4. East of England (East Anglia)
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 43 | Sheringham Park (grounds free) | Norfolk | Coastal Woodland & Rhododendrons |
| 44 | The Broads National Park (boardwalks/marsh) | Norfolk / Suffolk | Rivers, Reedbeds & Broads |
| 45 | Dunwich Heath (open access areas) | Suffolk | Coastal Heathland & Dunes |
| 46 | Thetford Forest (open forest trails) | Norfolk / Suffolk | Pine Forest & Heathland |
| 47 | Hucking Estate | Kent / East border | Woodland Trust Ancient Woods |
| 48 | Wicken Fen (public paths/boardwalks) | Cambridgeshire | Historic Wetland & Fens |
| 49 | Pin Mill & River Orwell Walk | Suffolk | Riverside Woodland & Saltmarsh |
| 50 | High Woods Country Park | Essex | Woodlands, Lakes & Wildflower Meadows |
| 51 | Abberton Reservoir Nature Reserve | Essex | Globally Important Wetland |
| 52 | Rayleigh Mount | Essex | Historic Motte Woodland Oasis |
| 53 | Milton Country Park | Cambridgeshire | Lakes, Woodland & Wetland |
| 54 | Alderfen Broad | Norfolk | Quiet Broadland Woodland & Marshes |
5. West Midlands
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 55 | Sutton Park | West Midlands (Birmingham) | National Nature Reserve & Heathland |
| 56 | Cannock Chase | Staffordshire | Forest, Heathland & Valley Trails |
| 57 | Carding Mill Valley & The Long Mynd | Shropshire | Shropshire Hills & Streams |
| 58 | Lickey Hills Country Park | West Midlands / Worcs | Woodland & Panoramic Ridge Views |
| 59 | Sandwell Valley Country Park | West Midlands | Urban Countryside & Farmland |
| 60 | Downs Banks | Staffordshire | Brookside Woodland & Heath |
| 61 | Queenswood Country Park | Herefordshire | Arboretum & Ancient Woods |
| 62 | Malvern Hills | Worcestershire | Open Hill Ridge & Wild Grassland |
| 63 | Wyre Forest (public walking trails) | Worcestershire | Ancient Oak & Woodland |
| 64 | Ryton Pools Country Park | Warwickshire | Lakes, Meadows & Woodlands |
| 65 | Baggeridge Country Park | Staffordshire | Reclaimed Industrial Woodland |
| 66 | Kingsbury Water Park | Warwickshire | 15 Lakes & River Tame Path |
6. East Midlands
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 67 | Sherwood Forest | Nottinghamshire | Ancient Oak Woodland |
| 68 | Bradgate Park | Leicestershire | Historic Deer Park & Charnwood Rocks |
| 69 | Kinder Scout & Edale Valley | Derbyshire (Peak District) | Dark Peak Moorland & Plateau |
| 70 | Rushcliffe Country Park | Nottinghamshire | Meadows, Lakes & Woodland Trails |
| 71 | Attenborough Nature Reserve | Nottinghamshire | Flooded Gravel Pits & Wetlands |
| 72 | Dovedale & Limestone Dales | Derbyshire / Staffs | Chalk River & Limestone Valley |
| 73 | Beacon Hill Country Park | Leicestershire | Heathland, Rocks & Native Woods |
| 74 | Hartsholme Country Park | Lincolnshire | Victorian Parkland & Lakes |
| 75 | Shipley Country Park | Derbyshire | Rolling Countryside & Lakes |
| 76 | Rutland Water (public perimeter paths) | Rutland | Reservoir, Meadows & Shoreline |
| 77 | Stanage Edge | Derbyshire (Peak District) | Gritstone Escarpment & Moorland |
7. North West England
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 78 | Ennerdale Valley | Cumbria (Lake District) | Wild River, Forest & Valley |
| 79 | Formby Coast & Sand Dunes (open paths) | Merseyside | Pine Woods & Coastal Dunes |
| 80 | Delamere Forest | Cheshire | Meres, Mosses & Mixed Forest |
| 81 | Heaton Park | Greater Manchester | Major Urban Park & Woods |
| 82 | Lyme Park Estate (moorland paths) | Cheshire | High Moorland & Parkland |
| 83 | Forest of Bowland | Lancashire | Heather Moorland & Fell Country |
| 84 | Chorlton Ees & Water Park | Greater Manchester | Mersey Valley Nature Reserve |
| 85 | Sefton Park | Merseyside (Liverpool) | Historic Park, Lakes & Trees |
| 86 | Brockholes Nature Reserve | Lancashire | Reclaimed Wetland & Meadow |
| 87 | Grizedale Forest (walking paths) | Cumbria | Sculpture Trails & Woodland |
| 88 | Witton Country Park | Lancashire | Woodland & River Darwen Walks |
| 89 | Marsden Moor Estate | West Yorks / Lancs Border | High Peat Bog & Heather Moor |
8. North East & Yorkshire
| # | Green Space | Region / County | Type / Focus |
| 90 | Hadrian’s Wall & Whin Sill Crags | Northumberland | Whin Sill Cliffs & Open Fell |
| 91 | Adel Dam Nature Reserve | West Yorkshire (Leeds) | Wetland & High Canopy Woodland |
| 92 | Jesmond Dene | Tyne and Wear (Newcastle) | Wooded River Valley Oasis |
| 93 | Roundhay Park | West Yorkshire (Leeds) | Lakes, Woodlands & Parkland |
| 94 | Kielder Forest (open walking trails) | Northumberland | Ancient Forest & Dark Skies |
| 95 | North York Moors (open moorland) | North Yorkshire | Coastal & Heather Moors |
| 96 | Pugneys Country Park | West Yorkshire | Lakes, Nature Reserve & River |
| 97 | Flamborough Head | East Yorkshire | Chalk Sea Cliffs & Seabird Habitats |
| 98 | Bolam Lake Country Park | Northumberland | Woodland, Lake & Grassland |
| 99 | Rother Valley Country Park | South Yorkshire | Lakes, Marshes & Woodland |
| 100 | Weetslade Country Park | Tyne and Wear | Reclaimed Colliery Nature Haven |
Note on Access: While entry to the land/trails across all 100 locations is free, some sites operated by local councils, Forestry England, or trusts may charge optional fees for car parking, visitor centres, or specific indoor attractions.
I really hope this is helpful, and if I’ve missed anywhere that you like to visit, let me know in the comments and I’ll get it added 🙂
Steve
