Museums&Parks

Woolley Park, Wakefield Review For Families

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Woolley Park For Families

If you haven’t yet stumbled across Woolley Park, tucked away in the gorgeous little village of Woolley near Wakefield, then pop it on your list. It’s one of those parks that surprises you with how much it offers in such a small footprint – perfect for a chilled weekend with the kids, especially if you’re local.

We’ve been coming to the park for years, but with our new school location just 5 minutes up the road, it’s a great spot for after-school play and some quick outdoor time.

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Hathersage Swimming Pool & Park Review

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Hathersage Swimming Pool

We’d had Hathersage Swimming Pool on our family list for a while. Something about an open-air swim surrounded by the hills of the Peak District just kept calling to us. So when a Friday inset day aligned with an unusually sunny forecast, we finally made it happen, and we had a fantastic day out. Not only did we love the Swimming Pool, but the cafe and park scored highly too!

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Newmillerdam Country Park Review For Families

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Newmillerdam Country Park

We’ve lost count of how many times we’ve been to Newmillerdam over the years. It’s just 1.5 miles from home, close enough to cycle with the kids, and familiar enough that we rarely stop to take photos anymore. It’s the kind of place that is the place you go if you have a couple of hours of free time on a weekend morning. That’s our favourite time as we tend to beat the crowds, and it’s peaceful. 

Whether it’s a Sunday roam or a full afternoon of woodland wandering and gnome hunting, Newmillerdam has become our family’s go-to for fresh air and fun when we want to stay local and leave the car at home. 

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RSPB Dearne Valley – Old Moor Review For Families

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RSPB Dearne Valley - Old Moor

We’ve visited RSPB Old Moor a few times now, and it’s firmly cemented itself as one of our favourite family-friendly nature spots in South Yorkshire. It’s the kind of place that ticks all the boxes: open space for the kids to run wild, engaging activities like pond dipping and birdwatching, a nice, welcoming café, and genuinely peaceful views across the wetlands. We usually spend about 3–4 hours here, and could easily stretch it longer on a warm day.

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Rivelin Valley Park Review For Families

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Rivelin Valley Park

We recently spent a crisp February afternoon at Rivelin Valley Park in Sheffield – and it really is one of those places that ticks all the boxes for a family day out. We’d previously visited in early autumn and loved it so much we came back again. With its woodland trails, river stepping stones, play park and café, it’s a great spot to enjoy the outdoors.

It’s more of a walking place than bikes, and on our two visits, we didn’t manage the splash park as it wasn’t open, but we’re already planning a return visit in summer to try the splash area and explore more of the surrounding valley trails.

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Free Public Play Areas Within the Sheffield District

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Endcliffe Park Sheffield

Sheffield boasts a wealth of free outdoor play areas suitable for families. From expansive parks with diverse facilities to charming neighbourhood playgrounds, there’s something for everyone. We have visited approximately 5 of these parks, but shamefully have only written up two of them. We plan to write the rest up shortly. We can vouch for the two we have written up, though. They are both excellent parks.

The beauty of our location in Wakefield is that you can venture into Barnsley, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Bradford (to name a few) quite easily and enjoy the amenities they have to offer. Our weekends are typically spent venturing around parks and spaces throughout the county. Sheffield is just 30/40 minutes away so we can sample all the parks they have to offer with just a short drive into South Yorkshire.

Below is a summary table to help you compare the parks at a glance, followed by detailed breakdowns for each one.

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Free Public Play Areas Within the Huddersfield District (Kirklees)

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Beaumont Park

Huddersfield and the wider Kirklees area are packed with brilliant free outdoor play areas that families can enjoy all year round. Whether you’re based in the town centre or in one of the surrounding villages like Holmfirth, Meltham or Mirfield, there’s no shortage of parks to explore. From large Green Flag country parks to community-supported green spaces, this list rounds up the very best free play areas for children of all ages.

The beauty of our location in Wakefield is that you can venture into Barnsley, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Bradford (to name a few) quite easily and enjoy the amenities they have to offer. Our weekends are typically spent venturing around parks and spaces throughout the county. Sands Park in Holmfirth is just half an hour away and feels like a different adventure.

Below is a summary table to help you compare the parks at a glance, followed by detailed breakdowns for each one.

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Free Public Play Areas Within the Barnsley District

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Locke Park Barnsley

As a West Yorkshire based family, we’ve loved venturing into Barnsley to explore the free public outdoor play areas across the borough. All the parks listed here are completely free to access and open to the public year-round. We’ve included a variety of options – from large country parks with themed play features to small neighbourhood playgrounds – to appeal to families in Barnsley’s town centre and surrounding villages like Wombwell and Cudworth.

These sites are managed by Barnsley Council or community groups, ensuring they are welcoming and well-maintained for residents and visitors alike. The beauty of our location in Wakefield is that you can venture into Barnsley, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Bradford (to name a few) quite easily and enjoy the amenities they have to offer. Our weekends are typically spent venturing around parks and spaces throughout the county.

Below is an overview table of the play areas, highlighting each park’s pros, cons, and our overall rating based on family-friendly amenities and reviews. Further below, you’ll find a brief description of each location with details on facilities, pros and cons, and why it made our list. If there are any parks we have missed then please feel free to comment below and we will get them added!

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Free Public Play Areas Within the Leeds District

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Springhead Park Rothwell

Leeds boasts various free outdoor play parks, from sprawling country parks with adventure playgrounds to hidden neighbourhood gems. Below is an overview of some of the best free public play areas in the Leeds (LS) postcode region, followed by detailed descriptions for each.

As a Wakefield-based family who were originally based in both North & South Leeds, we love to explore the free public play areas within the West Yorkshire area. The recurring theme with all the recommended parks is that they are completely free of charge and are open to the public.

We have chosen a breadth of options located within a 10-mile radius of the city centre, so they appeal to all families within the district.

We will continue to work through more extensive reviews of every park so you can get the lowdown before visiting. We understand that people’s interests are very different, so by giving you the insight before visiting, you can see if the park is right for you. It’s also worth noting that this is not an exhaustive list but should give you some ideas. If you have any to contribute, please feel free to comment. It’s appreciated.

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Yarrow Valley Country Park Review For Families

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Yarrow Valley Country Park

We recently spent a sunny weekend at Yarrow Valley Country Park in Chorley – and what a hidden gem it is! We were meeting family who were on a family holiday and making their way to the Lake District. This was a perfect plot on the route to meet. We made the trip over the Pennines, and fortunately, Yarrow Valley Country Park was worth the visit.

With free parking, beautiful walks, waterfalls, a lake, cycling routes, and a great play area, it’s perfect for families like ours looking for an easy, affordable outdoor adventure. On this particular trip we didn’t take our bikes as we were meeting family, but we plan another trip soon to sample the Bike routes.

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