West Yorkshire

Wonders of Wakefield (WoW) – 21‑Mile Circular Route Review

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I’ve ridden almost every section of the Wonders of Wakefield loop in isolation over the years, but this was my first time stitching the whole thing together in one go. I rode it with my mate Chris (who contributes to Family Cycling), and it reminded me why the WoW is such a brilliant showcase of Wakefield’s green spaces: lots of traffic‑free riding, links between our favourite country parks, and plenty of places to stop. 

This review gives a friendly, practical overview for families and recreational riders: what to expect, how to navigate, the best stop‑offs, and how to adapt the loop for younger legs.

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Middleton Park Review For Families

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Middleton Park

We’ve been meaning to do a proper review of Middleton Park for a while now. You might already know it as the giant green space that wraps around the Leeds Urban Bike Park (which we’ve raved about here), but it’s much more than just a spot for cycling.

This place is huge, varied, and full of the sort of outdoor family fun we love. It’s a fantastic spot for families, dog walkers and runners with trails, play areas, tennis facilities and a lovely cafe. Best of all, it’s completely free.

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Anglers Country Park cycling for families

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Anglers Country Park

Route at a glance

Total distance~2 miles / ~3.2 km loop
DifficultyEasy (flat, traffic-free once parked)
Top things to see
  • Room on the Broom adventure trail
  • Bird hides & lakeside wildlife
  • Play park by the visitor centre
  • Wide paths perfect for little legs

Anglers Country Park is an award-winning Green Flag destination where you can explore the unspoiled countryside, woodland, wetland and trails.

Anglers Country Park is in Wintersett, Wakefield. Once known as one of the deepest open cast coal mines, Anglers has since been transformed into a park which welcomes thousands of visitors a month. It has also flourished into a beautiful haven for wildlife including many migratory birds making it a perfect place to visit whether you are in or from the surrounding area.

We love Anglers because it has a central lake with a 2-mile trail around the edges. It’s a perfect place to cycle with small children as the terrain is flat and child safe. There’s also a Room on the broom trail as well as a playpark for the kids. Parking is completely free for the first two hours but living in Sandal we are able to travel to Anglers on the old Barnsley canal path.

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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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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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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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Sands Playground, Holmfirth Review For Families

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Sands Playground & Recreational Ground

A beautiful spring weekend called for an outdoor adventure, and Sands Playground in Holmfirth delivered! With blue skies and sunshine (a rare treat in March), we jumped into the car and headed off to explore. I wanted to head back to Holmfirth for some time. We really like this part of Yorkshire and I hadn’t been with the kids so the Sands Playground seemed like a nice spot to enjoy. We went without any expectations and it was far better than we imagined.

Spoiler alert: It’s a fantastic spot for families, and there’s way more to it than just a playground!

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Free Public Play Areas Within the Wakefield District

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Pontefract Park Review

As a Wakefield-based family, we love to explore the free public play areas within the district. The recurring theme with all the recommended parks is that they are completely free of charge and are open to all of 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.

These spaces are managed by the local council and community organisations, ensuring accessibility for residents and visitors. Below is a detailed table of the identified play areas, their pros, cons, and overall ratings, reflecting their suitability for family outings. These ratings are based on our own experience. All free play areas are an asset to the community however some are better updated than others which is reflected in the reviews.

We have also included detailed information on each park as well as links to our reviews of specific parks. This is more extensive with photography from our own visit to the park. Even though we live here there are still parks we are yet to visit so stick with us!

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