Roundhay Park is in north Leeds and is apparently one of the biggest city parks in Europe.
There are plenty of things to love about Roundhay Park, so I’ve made a list of a few of them here:
- It’s a lovely place to walk in all seasons, whether you’re kicking leaves in autumn, making snowmen in winter, admiring the new flowers in spring, or enjoying an ice-cream in summer.
- It’s big. You can go for a short leisurely stroll or spend a couple of hours walking around the two lakes and the gardens.
- There’s plenty for kids to do. As well as running around, there’s also a children’s play area and during the warmer months there’s often a bouncy castle and a little train that goes round the park.
- If you’re the sporty type, there’s a tennis court and a golf course. They also have a weekly 5k Park Run. I only did it once and I found it hard – that big hill is a killer! But I find any sort of running difficult, so am perhaps not the best person to judge it.
- It’s next to Tropical World. You can have a lovely day out with the family or friends by combining a walk in the park with a visit to the meerkats and butterflies.
- It’s easy to get to. You can get a bus that stops right outside the park and there’s also plenty of parking areas. There are car parks in the park and also lots of on street car parking nearby. (If you end up on Mansion Lane, make sure you’re confident in parallel parking unless you get there very early!)
- There are good places to eat. The Riverside Cafe is really nice (we had a very tasty lunch there a couple of months ago and enjoyed sitting outside looking at the lake) and there’s also The Mansion and the Fox & Hound. (The Mansion is actually a wedding venue too.)
- And perhaps most excitingly, there are a number of events on in the park. For the first time in 10 years, there was a music concert in the park in September. “OnRoundhay Festival” had James and Primal Scream playing, as well as other bands, and a food village. Last night there was the popular bonfire party. I didn’t go (I’m off to one tonight instead) but did see the massive pile of logs built into a pyramid. There’s also apparently a Farmers Market every third Saturday of the month in the morning, although I’ve not been to it yet. I’m really looking forward to the Magical Lantern Festival which is on from 25 November to 2 January. From the photos I’ve seen, it looks like it’s going to be amazing.
I can’t include it in the list yet, but it looks like the park’s going to be getting a Go Ape attraction as well. Go Ape is an aerial adventure where you climb and swing across various ropes and bridges in the treetops. I’m sure it’ll be a very popular addition to Leeds.
If there’s anything else you love about Roundhay Park that I’ve missed and should check out, let me know!