The Best Parks in and Around Liverpool

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Carl Jung once described Liverpool as “the pool of life”. Although he never actually visited the city and his description came from a dream he had, the term has stuck. Liverpool is indeed a lively place, and the same can be said of its vibrant green spaces. Here are our top six parks in and near the city.

Newsham Park is a Grade II-listed Victorian park, spanning some 49ha (121 acres) on the east edge of the city. Aside from the open space, it’s home to period architecture, as well as a fishing lake, a playground and a sports hub for skateboarding and BMXing. Newsham Park is a 10-minute drive away from the city centre, making for a perfect and relaxing day out.

Just across the River Mersey from Liverpool is Birkenhead, a rather unassuming town that is home to an important piece of British history. Birkenhead Park was the first publicly funded civic park in the world, and its design inspired Central Park in New York. Birkenhead Park is 15 minutes away from Liverpool by car, with both the green space and town worth a visit.

Another heritage site, Sefton Park covers 95ha (235 acres) on the southeast side of Liverpool. It’s a wide, handsome space that is belted by trees, features sports fields and a small lake, and plays host to many outdoor events every year. From the centre of the city, Sefton Park is only 15 minutes away by car; however, its natural landscape and lush treescape will make you feel like you’re in another world.

Aside from its beautiful appearance, Calderstones Park has many interesting things packed into it. Across the 38ha (94-acre) expanse, you’ll find a 1,000-year-old oak tree, the burial site of Jet (a hero dog from World War II), a playground dedicated to Linda McCartney and even a miniature railway. Calderstones Park is just east of Sefton Park, 25 minutes from the centre by car.

No visit to Liverpool is complete without a walk along the bank of the Mersey, and happily, there’s a park alongside it that can facilitate this. Otterspool starts at the edge of the river and winds its way up onto green hills to provide great views of the whole city; it’s also a perfect kite-flying area if the conditions are right. Otterspool Promenade is 20 minutes south of the centre by car, or you could follow the river all the way down, which takes about an hour.

Created in the 1980s, Everton Park has since become one of the must-see parks in Liverpool. As well as offering sweeping vistas of the city, it has a nature garden, a playground, two small lakes and a skate park – something for everyone. A 25-minute walk from the city centre, Everton Park is a perfect spot to take children for an exciting and varied day outdoors.