Parks to Wander, in Weston super Mare
Here are 6 of our favourite historical parks and larger green spaces for leisurely walks in and around Weston town centre.
Ashcombe Park
Ashcombe Park is a beautiful, large park near the Milton area of Weston. It can be accessed via Milton Road (bottom of the park) OR Upper Bristol Road (top of the park). With two tennis courts, two children’s play areas, a bowling club a seasonal café and various picnic benches, it is a lovely place to spend the day with the family or get in some exercise.
The winding pathways leading from one end of the park to the other are ideal for little explorers, and dog walkers alike. There are plenty of bird species and squirrels to be seen, so it is also a lovely place for a spot of nature watching. The pathways are all well maintained, flat surfaced concrete so are idea for wheelchairs, although there are some steeper slopes that should be avoided. Cycling is not permitted at Ashcombe Park, which is a shame.
Grove Park
Grove Park is a beautiful park situated within 5 minutes of the sea front. It has many different areas to keep visitors interested, including Jill’s Garden, in memory of local TV presenter, Jill Dando.
Grove Park has a children’s play area at the Northern end of the park which has many paths and steps leading to it.
West of this, there is an attractive rock garden with several wildlife pools. At the centre of the park there is a house which is now being used as the Weston super Mare Town Council headquarters and a new café with an all-vegan menu – Sprout café is based in the Grade II-listed building in the park.
Grove Park is also home to a war memorial statue which is often the meeting point for Weston’s Remembrance Day Parade. The area of Grove Park that the statue is in was actually bombed during the war. A second memorial to the civilian casualties of the wars stands at the northern end of this area.
To the Southern end of the park there is a lovely circular pond with water lily plants and fishes, and a bandstand which in the summer seasons hosts free music events. Grove Park has been used in recent years as the venue to host Weston’s Pride Festival, and Culture Weston’s GLOW event. So, it really is a great park with a huge range of events throughout the year.
Clarence Park
A multitude of sports have been played at Clarence Park, including boules, croquet and cricket. The ground is owned by the local council and is currently used by Weston-super-Mare Cricket Club. The cricket pavilion at the park dates from 1882, so a great piece of history in Weston super Mare!
The park is laid out in two sections, divided by Walliscote Road, and is close to Weston Seafront. The western section of the park is laid out as a more formal park with mature trees, flower beds, lawned areas, and a beautiful large fishpond with fountain. There is a children’s play park in this area, and in the centre of the park there is a small pavilion building which is currently serving as the fantastic Clarence Park Café. They have plenty of benches for you to sit on and enjoy your hot/cold drinks and snacks. There is plenty to see and do here, and it is a gorgeous spot to sit or to wander around and feed the birds.
Ellenborough Park East and West
Ellenborough Park sits in front of Ellenborough Crescent and continues down to Beach Road. It is divided in two by Walliscote Road. It is essentially, 2 different parks which have different uses.
EAST: Ellenborough Park East contains a play area for children and has a very large open grass space which is ideal for walking or running your dogs. The gates are kept shut for safety of dogs and wandering children. There are many interesting shrubs and trees to be found here, and the park is a very pleasant spot for a picnic in the summer. Great for walking around and nature spotting too.
WEST: Ellenborough Park West was designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1989 due to the presence of two rare plant species. It is owned and maintained by Weston super Mare Town Council, who are keen for the park to be used for Wellbeing Events. Wellbeing events could include yoga classes, book clubs, meditation groups and drumming circles to name a few ideas. The Council takes bookings for these private events/classes to be held in the park, so make sure you check the Park’s Facebook page to see what’s on.
Uphill Local Nature Reserve
Uphill Hill is situated on the southern edge of Uphill village, to the south of Weston-super-Mare. The main hill is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and local nature reserve, and is noted for some of the rarest grassland species. The hill lies within a complex of important wildlife sites such as coastal grazing marsh and tidal habitats.
Much of the site is managed through organic grazing by cows during the summer, while the cliff face is grazed by sheep during the winter.
At the bottom of Uphill Hill you will find Uphill Boatyard. This has a flat, tarmac walk suitable for wheelchairs, prams, bikes and is very popular with dog walkers. The scenery is lovely – you can walk past the boats that are moored at the boatyard, and to the left you will see the vast and impressive Uphill Quarry. This is a popular place for charity abseil events. The Boathouse Café is a great little dog friendly place to grab some lunch and other refreshments. A beautiful place to visit!
Prince Consort Gardens
Located near the Kewstoke area of Weston-super-Mare, the Prince Consort Gardens is in an elevated seafront position in front of Birnbeck Pier, giving panoramic views over the Bristol Channel. The gardens are terraced over three levels and include lawns, flower and shrub beds, rockeries, an ornamental pond, a wildlife pond, a Victorian shelter, and plenty of seating to relax and enjoy the views. It is a really peaceful place to sit and take everything in.
Parking along the roadside, the ground is flat to the park and around the park. A perfect place for sun lovers, and an ideal spot to appreciate the beauty of Weston.
