One of York's best-loved parks, Rowntree Park offers play areas, a skatepark, duck ponds and riverside trails just south of the city centre. 

Rowntree Park | Parks in York

• Opening Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk
• Location: Terry Avenue, York, YO23 1JQ (also accessible from Lovell Street, Richardson Street, Butcher Terrace and Cameron Grove)
• Suitable for: All ages, families, sports fans
• Booking: No booking required for the park; tennis courts must be booked in advance via the Tennis Club's website
• Cost: Free; pay and display car park on site, with disabled bays
• Facilities: Play parks, tennis courts, skatepark, basketball court, table tennis, duck ponds, wildlife walks, café and library
• Website: rowntreepark.org.uk

Highlights

• A skatepark and basketball court, added during a 2003 refurbishment
• Duck ponds and wildlife walks along the River Ouse
• A café and library run by York Explore, perfect for a break
• York's first municipal park, opened in 1921 as a memorial park

Rowntree Park sits on the south side of York city centre, a 15-minute walk along the River Ouse. Opened in 1921 as a memorial park, it was essentially York's first municipal park, and the 10-hectare site survives largely in the form it was first laid out, with a major restoration in 2003 funded by a £1.8 million Heritage Lottery Grant.

There's plenty to keep families busy, including several play parks, a skatepark and basketball court, tennis courts, table tennis facilities, duck ponds and wildlife trails. The on-site café and library, run by York Explore, is a popular stop for a coffee or a browse.

Because of its low-lying position beside the Ouse, the park is a flood plain and can be closed by the council when water levels rise, draining gradually through one-way valves and pumps once levels fall.

Good to Know

• The park is on a flood plain and may close if the River Ouse floods - check the Friends of Rowntree Park Facebook page for updates
• Pay and display car park available, with disabled bays
• Accessible for prams and wheelchairs, though there's a steep path near the Richardson Street entrance and café
• Tennis courts are run independently and must be booked via the club's website

Photo credit: https://rowntreepark.org.uk/home/the-park/