There’s something great about getting a good dose of the great outdoors and it could be closer than you think. If you fancy a Sunday stroll or you want to drag yourself around somewhere a bit more scenic but not too far from your comfy abode, then you can head to these green parks, gardens, estates and nature reserves in and around Liverpool.
1. Festival Gardens
Festival Gardens is described by many as a hidden gem in the city. It was originally the site of The International Garden Festival, which was the UK’s first-ever garden festival that opened in 1984. The gardens are a time capsule with plenty of areas to explore, including the stunning Japanese gardens. Although reconstruction has taken place since 2010, you can explore what happened to the sculptured gardens abandoned in 1997. The beautiful green space features two restored pagodas, the restored Moon Wall, new lakes, waterways and waterfalls and a new pedestrianised area linking to the promenade.
Riverside Drive, L17 5BU
2. Croxteth Hall Park
Croxteth Hall Park is a beautiful and diverse estate, combining woodland, ponds, streams, farmlands and a Victorian Walled Garden where visitors can explore Liverpool’s historic botanical collection. The estate is a great place for a day out, featuring a 500-acre country park and nature reserve, and is popular with walkers for its varied landscape and activities. You’ll find one of Liverpool’s oldest public buildings, West Derby Courthouse within the country park. There is also an adventure playground, miniature railway and orienteering trails at Croxteth Park.
Muirhead Avenue East, L11 1EH
3. Stanley Park
One of the larger parks in Liverpool, this 111-acre park is known for dividing the home grounds of Liverpool and Everton FC. Featuring Grade II listed historic features, a fishing lake and the beautiful Isla Gladstone Conservatory, it’s a fantastic park to spend a few hours in. There’s lots to explore in the Green Flag and Green Heritage award-winning park, including a playground, rose gardens and wildlife habitats. The park can be accessed by Walton Lane and Anfield Road.
Walton Lane, Anfield, L4 2SL
4. Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve
Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve is a local nature reserve stretching across 70 acres of land from Garston Docks to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. It is the perfect location for walking, sailing, bird watching, cycling and plane spotting, plus it offers panoramic views across the estuary. The reserve is also not far from the National Trust property, Speke Hall. Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve also happens to be a great place for kite flying as it can get pretty windy there.
Garston Shore Road, L24 8RJ
5. Rimrose Valley Country Park
Loved by locals, cyclists, and dog walkers, this Rimrose Valley is a spacious, quiet country park with winding paths, open grassland, wildflower gardens, patches of woodland to explore, and easy access to the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. You’ll also find Brookvale Local Nature Reserve, Sefton’s only non-coastal reserve, and it is an ideal place for escaping the city and suburban life. The area boasts a range of landscapes including Rimrose Brook, a man-made pond system as well as damp meadows, dry grassland and woodland.
29 Parklands Way, L22 3YX
6. Calderstones Park
Calderstones Park is a stunning 94-acre park in South Liverpool boasting woodland, lake and fields, with botanical and historical interest. This park is in fact named after its ancient megaliths. Also home to a 1000-year-old oak, look out for its hollow trunk and branches supported by stakes. Or just enjoy feeding the ducks by the lake, and grab a coffee at the mansion. There is plenty to do around this stunning park.
Calderstones Mansion House, Calderstones Road, L18 3JB
7. Everton Park
Everton Park is not like your usual parks in Liverpool but it offers great views of the city’s landmarks. From the hill, Everton Brow, people can see as far out as the docks, the River Mersey and even the Welsh mountains on a clear day. The park features a sports hub for skateboarders, BMX and scooter riders, a nature garden, two small lakes, plus children’s playgrounds and a games area. There is also Prince Rupert’s Tower, a small, quirky 18th-century monument, which also offers spectacular views of the city and surrounding areas.
Heyworth Street, L5 3PU
8. Clarke’s Gardens
One of the more tucked away of Liverpool’s parks, you’ll find Clarke’s Gardens in Allerton. Near Springwood cemetery, it’s also the home of Allerton Hall, a rather impressive example of a Grade II listed building. For gardens located in the city, these are surprisingly abundant with plants and wildlife which create a a peaceful oasis in the city, almost forgetting where you are. Clarke’s Gardens is also not a far walk from another Liverpool park, Allerton Towers.
Springwood Avenue, Woolton, L25 7UN
9. Otterspool Park
Those who enjoy a riverside walk can delight in the views at Otterspool Park promenade. The park is the perfect spot for cycling, running, kite flying, dog walking, and just having a nice day outside.
Otterspool Drive, L17 5AL