Local parks and open spaces

Once part of a private estate, the Lime Pits now provides an opportunity for walking, playing and picnicking. The site forms part of the Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath Trail, running across Basingstoke common and finishing at Basing House. It follows a route rich in wildlife and cultural heritage.

View the disabled access guide for Basing Lime Pits.

Basing Lime Pits overnight car park closure

Gates will be closed from 8pm to 7am from 1 April to 31 October and from 5pm to 7am from 1 November to 31 March. Failure to leave the car park on time may result in your vehicle being locked in.

If you are locked in, please follow the instructions left on your vehicle. A £50 charge is payable to facilitate a release. Call Code 9 Security Ltd on 03332 420 620 or visit the Code 9 Security Ltd website to arrange release.

Please note: The first Lime Pits car park along Redbridge Lane is closed until further notice to accommodate play area construction works within the site. Please use the alternative Lime Pits car park further along Redbridge Lane during this period, observing the overnight car park closure times.

A woodland accessed by foot from Reading Road, St Joseph’s Crescent and Simon’s Close. It has many paths through it as well as seating and “hidden” environmental art.

The ponds provide a haven for wildlife, particularly Waterfowl including Tufted ducks, Coots and Kingfishers. The site offers picnic facilities and links via an underpass to Crabtree Open Space and Black Dam Ponds Nature Reserve. A self guided walk leaflet is available to download from the walking section on this site.
Information on conservation work in this park.

View the disabled access guide for Black Dam Ponds.

Provides a range of sporting facilities including six football pitches and changing rooms.

View the disabled access guide for Brighton Hill playing fields.

This green space includes an open grass area as well as a play area suitable for toddlers and older children including a ground level slide. A network of paved paths provides access from several of the surrounding streets.

How to get there: Postcode RG26 3TL

Lies next to Carpenters Down Wood, which is managed by the Forestry Commission. This open space offers sporting facilities for basketball and bowls. Nature trails and walks lead through the woodland to Sherborne St John. The site also boasts an excellent community centre, which provides a number of events and activities for local people.

View the disabled access guide for Carpenters Down Open Space.

Splash pad update – 15 September

The splash pad at Chineham Park is currently closed after routine testing showed unsatisfactory water quality test results.

The welfare of the children using this play facility has to be our top priority and we regularly carry out this testing and cleaning of the facility to ensure this.

We are working to get the splash pad back open as quickly as possible for families to enjoy before the splash pad closes for autumn/winter months at the end of September. The pad has been cleaned and tested and as soon as we have satisfactory water quality results, it will reopen for the rest of the season.

Updates are available on our website at Equipped play areas (basingstoke.gov.uk) and our social media channels.

View the disabled access guide for Chineham Park

This was originally part of the Hackwood Estate. Evidence of the historical significance of this site can still be seen in the Bolton Arch, the main entrance to Crabtree. The woodland is a mixture of oak, horse chestnut, sycamore and ash, with many informal footpaths. The grassland is managed for flowering plants.

The nature reserve is an important site for butterflies due to its south facing position, woodland and grassland habitat. The elms are particularly important as a resting and breeding place for the beautiful and rare White Letter Hairstreak. Each summer a local resident and a member of the Butterfly Conservation carries out a regular survey of the site.

A self guided walk leaflet is available to download from the tree trails and self-guided walks webpage. View information on conservation work in this park.

View the disabled access guide for Crabtree Plantation.

Crabtree Plantation overnight car park closure

Gates will be closed from 8pm to 7am from April to 31 October and from 5pm to 7am from 1 November to 31 March. Failure to leave the car park on time may result in your vehicle being locked in.

If you are locked in, please follow the instructions left on your vehicle. A £50 charge is payable to facilitate a release. Call Code 9 Security Ltd on 03332 420 620 or visit the Code 9 Security Ltd website to arrange release.

Follow this link for more information about Eastrop Park.

View the disabled access guide for Eastrop Park

Follow this link for more information about Glebe Gardens.

An informal park with a children’s play area and is ideal for walking, informal exercise and play.

View the disabled access guide for Hatch Warren Park.

Has facilities for football and tennis, as well as changing rooms. The site also boasts an excellent community centre, which provides a number of events and activities for local people.

This park was created to celebrate the reign of King George V. It contains a play area for younger children as well as space for informal ball games and outdoor gym equipment. A footpath and cycleway link the park to the supermarket and other pedestrian and cycle networks to the west. There is seating and space for picnics and relaxation.

View details of the Lyford Road open space proposed improvements

Has a children’s play area, skate ramp, football pitches with changing rooms and ample space for walking. These playing fields are ideal for formal and informal recreation.

A green space to the south of Gabriel Park accessed by foot from Firecrest Road and with a small car park next to the community building at the end of Old Kempshott Lane. It is mostly managed for wildlife conservation, particularly chalk grassland species, but also contains a play area for younger children. There are paths through the site, which connect to the wider footpath network, as well as seating and interpretation. The green space is managed in partnership with the Old Down and Beggarwood Wildlife Group.

A large ancient woodland with heath and wood pasture, rich in butterflies, bees and birds.

The Forest is managed by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and they have produced a guide to Pamber Forest and a self-guided trail to follow.

Cattle are used to graze some of the woodland pasture and there is advice on the HIWWT website about visiting the forest walking your dog and walking amongst cattle

GPS walking and cycle routes

The council is developing a new neighbourhood park at the western end of Abbey Road in Popley. It includes two new play areas and a multi-use games area. There are paths and seating including picnic tables as well as areas managed for wildlife. There is parking accessible from Popley Way which includes disabled parking bays.

Located in Rooksdown off Park Prewett Road next to the Community Centre. The park was originally part of the Park Prewett Hospital and included a cricket pitch. It now contains a play area suitable for children up to 11 years old plus a skate park. There are footpaths and seating around an open grass area suitable for informal recreation and relaxation. Areas of the park area managed to encourage wildlife including wildflower areas and the park is surrounded by mature trees.

Offers netball courts, three football pitches, a cricket pitch, two bowling greens and changing rooms and a play area.

Provides sports pitches, changing rooms and a children’s play area.

This park is located on the north side of the Sherfield Park housing development. It is accessed via Gaiger Avenue or Amport Road. There are football pitches managed by the adjacent Community Centre as well as a play area for children aged 1 to 12 plus seating and space for relaxation.

This green space has a large area of grass for ball games and other informal activities as well as a play area which is suitable for toddlers and older children. There is also a separate single basketball hoop.

How to get there: Postcode RG26 4BT

Has three football pitches, a cricket pitch, six tennis courts and changing facilities with toilets (including disabled). There is a play area for children, space for informal recreation and a community centre on the site.

View the disabled access guide for Stratton Park.

This is a heathland with acid grassland, mire, gorse and scrub that supports many rare species of heathland plants, birds, reptiles and insects. The site is owned by a trust and is managed for the benefit of the people of Tadley.

The heathland includes a trim trail, skate ramps, a zip wire and multi-use games area located on the northern edge of the common at the junction of Silchester Road and Tadley Common Road.

Further information is available on the Tadley Town Council website.

A large open field situated between Tewkesbury Close and Pershore Road. The park has a cluster of large trees at its centre and is an ideal location for dog walkers. The park contains a small children’s play area and also has an outdoor fitness trail encouraging people to be active.

Located in Brookvale, this park can be accessed from Glebe Gardens or via Lower Brook Street. It contains a play area suitable for children aged 1 to 11 on either side of the stream that runs through the park. There is seating and space for picnics and ball games. There is also outdoor Gym equipment which complements the equipment in King George V Playing Fields at the other end of Lower Brook Street.

Information about the War Memorial Park.

View the disabled access guide for the War Memorial Park.

Home to Basingstoke Golf Centre, the site has a 9-Hole Par 3 golf course. It also has a 24 bay floodlit driving range and Knights Realm Adventure Golf. There is also a play area nearby.

Open space and a children’s play area located on the site. View details of the Whiteditch Open space refurbishment.

This green space includes a large area of heathland as well as woodland and a play area which is accessible along footpaths from Wigmore Road, Hanger Road and Shyshack Road. Next to the play area is a grass area suitable for picnicking and relaxing.

The heathland is managed for nature conservation and is important for heather and a variety of wildlife including lizards and many different species of bird.

This site is managed in partnership with the Friends of Wigmore Heath.

How to get there: Postcode RG26 4HL

A large park with football pitches, a multi use games area, changing rooms and play area. A cycleway and footpath run through the park link to the Leisure Park and town centre.

The following parks contain Outdoor Gym Equipment:

• Beggarwood Park
• Chineham Park
• Eastrop Park
• King George V Playing Fields
• Tewkesbury Close Open Space
• Victory Park
• War Memorial Park

The following parks contain skate parks:

• War Memorial Park,
• Rooksdown Park,
• Daniel Road in Whitchurch,
• Thornhill Way, and
• Chineham Park.

Skateboard ramps are available in the following areas:

• Loddon Valley Open Space, Old Basing
• Tadley Recreation Ground*
• Sapley Lane Playing Fields, Overton*
• Beech Park, Oakley*

*maintained by Parish Council

The following parks contain multi-use games areas/courts:

• Carpenters Down
• Popley Community Park
• Winklebury Playing Fields

The following parks contain Local Nature Reserves:

• Beggarwood Park
• Chineham Woods - Long Copse, Guinea Copse, Great Sorrells Copse, Tollhouse Copse
• Popley Ponds off Tobago Close
• The Mill Field off Barton’s Lane - View the disabled access guide for Mill Field Nature Reserve
• Wigmore Heath, Tadley