Parks and Things to Do with Kids in North Yorkshire Towns

Where to find parks and play areas

North Yorkshire Council's parks, play areas and woodlands directory lists parks, nature reserves, play areas and woodlands across the county, with a page of features and facilities for each. Its wider leisure, tourism and culture hub also links to beaches (including beach chalet hire and beach and cliff safety), skateparks, games in parks, museums and galleries, public toilets, Changing Places facilities and walking and cycling routes. The parks below are the ones the council describes for the towns this site covers. The facts below are the council's.

Harrogate

Valley Gardens is described as a 17-acre English Heritage Grade II listed garden in Low Harrogate, next to the Pinewoods. The council lists a children's playground, band concerts on Sunday afternoons from the end of May to the beginning of September, a games pavilion and the Magnesia Well cafe selling light refreshments (opening times vary).

The Stray is 200 acres of open grassland and verges wrapping around the town, used for picnics, kite-flying and outdoor games. It is protected by the Stray Act 1985 and its byelaws. Two fairs take place each year on Oatlands Drive Stray, over the Spring bank holiday and the August bank holiday.

The directory also lists Pinewoods, Birk Crag, Oakdale Wood, Almsford Bank and Nidd Gorge in Harrogate, and parks in Knaresborough such as Conyngham Hall Grounds, Bebra Gardens and Jacob Smith Park.

Skipton

Aireville Park is described as a 20-acre green space in the centre of Skipton. Features listed include children's play areas, a wheel park for BMX, skateboards and rollerblades, a pump track, the Raven Tree Top Adventure high ropes course, and a multi-use games area for football, netball and basketball.

Ripon

Spa Gardens has Green Flag status. The council lists a Victorian bandstand with Sunday afternoon summer band concerts, nesting boxes, a cafe, and a series of tree sculptures of characters from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Alice, the Caterpillar, the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit). The directory also lists Spa Park in Ripon.

Scarborough

Peasholm Park and Glen is described as a fundamental part of the North Bay visitor experience, with an oriental theme, pagoda, lake and waterfalls. Features listed include a boating lake, putting green, pitch and putt course, tree trail and lily pond.

Selby

Selby Park is in the centre of town and open throughout the year, with the pavilion open from April to October. The council describes five acres of gardens with decorative planting, a play area for small children, a bowls green and mini golf.

Whitby, Northallerton and Malton

The directory pages do not describe a council-run park for Whitby, Northallerton or Malton. See the directory for play areas, the council's beaches page for Whitby and Scarborough's coastline, and the leisure facilities page below.

Leisure centres

The council's Active North Yorkshire page says its Active North Yorkshire leisure venues are in the Hambleton, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Richmond, Ripon, Selby, Skipton and Tadcaster areas, and that it also owns leisure centres in the Scarborough and Ryedale areas that are managed on its behalf. Check opening times and swim sessions with the individual centre.

Summer concerts

The council's summer concerts programme runs on Sunday afternoons from the end of May to the beginning of September, 2pm to 4pm, at various locations in the Harrogate area and Peasholm Park in Scarborough. It is free to listen, though bands may take a collection.