Parks in Islington
Find out what Islington parks offer and their health benefits, where Islington parks are, and the main parks in Islington and their features.
Activities in parks lists the activities on offer in Islington parks.
Support for organisations to deliver an activity in a park states the support available for organisations to create or continue an activity in an Islington park.
Parks and open spaces has other information about parks.
To print this page use the print option on the right hand side.
What Islington parks offer
- Free and open to all. They offer something to see and do, to be in nature, and to meet other people
- Open long hours. Parks with gates open at 8am, usually close at sunset, and are open 365 days a year
- There are over 100 parks in Islington, so there is a park near to everyone
Health benefits
The Governnment says being in nature, such as a park, improves our mental health and wellbeing and can:
- reduce stress, fatigue, anxiety and depression
- help boost immune systems, encourage physical activity and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as asthma, and can combat loneliness
Parks are an excellent place to be active, which cuts the risk of dementia & Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, stroke, bowel, breast and womb cancer, type 2 diabetes and other health conditions.
Islington's parks
Maps of parks in Islington:
- GoParks London map
- Download the Parks in Islington map to the right.
39 parks offer opportunities to do sport including football, basketball and netball, outdoor gym, table-tennis, tennis, running and walking routes, cricket, and bowls.
The main parks and then other parks in the borough are shown for north, central and south Islington. Leaflets showing this information with images added are to the right.
Toilets4London has an app showing toilets in Islington and the rest of London.
North Islington: Archway, Holloway, Tufnell Park
Caledonian Park, near Caledonian Road tube station, N7. Features include:
- a clock tower with panoramic views across London
- woodland, an orchard, meadows, and community gardens
- a large grass open space suitable for ball games and other sports activities
- a ball court with football goals and basketball hoops
- a 600-metre running and walking route
- an outdoor classroom
- a play area
- a café
- toilets
Elthorne Park, Archway, N19. Features include:
- play areas with an accessible toilet
- a walled peace garden
- a conservation area with an avenue of silver birch trees
- native hedgerow and a perennial meadow
- seven-a-side or two smaller floodlit astroturf pitches with football goals (no booking required)
- a floodlit basketball court with a set of hoops (no booking required)
- a floodlit outdoor gym (no booking required)
- there is a park keeper.
Paradise Park, near Liverpool Road, N7. Features include:
- a children's playground with a water play feature
- a sparrow meadow, an open grass area, and a peace garden
- Martin Luther King adventure playground (currently closed for improvements)
- Paradise Park Children's Centre
- Freightliners City Farm
- a five-a-side floodlit astroturf pitch with football goals (booking is required)
- an outdoor gym (no booking required)
- a table tennis table and chess tables (no booking required)
- Swing Fitness weights kit
- there is a park keeper.
Parkland Walk, N19, in Islington and Haringey is a 4.5-mile linear green walkway which follows the course of the railway that used to run between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace. It's a great place to explore on foot or by bike and is a chance to enjoy a tranquil place in the heart of the city.
Tufnell Park Playing Fields, near Tufnell Park tube station, N7. Features include:
- a children’s play area
- a grass football pitch and tennis courts (booking is required)
- a 475-metre walking and running route
- an outdoor gym (no booking required)
- a cricket net (no booking required)
- a table tennis table (no booking required)
- changing rooms
- toilets.
Whittington Park, Holloway Road, N19, is named after Dick Whittington and his cat. It has been designated as a site of local importance to nature conservation. Features include:
- a children's playground with sand pits, a water play feature and accessible toilets
- a natural play area, a wildlife pond, and an ecology garden
- woodland and a sparrow meadow
- an 11-a-side astroturf football pitch with changing rooms (booking is required)
- two table tennis tables (no booking required)
- an outdoor gym (no booking required)
- there is a park keeper
- Whittington Park Community Centre is next to the park.
Wray Crescent, near Hornsey Road, N4. Features include:
- a children's playground with sand pits and accessible toilets
- a grass meadow
- a grass cricket pitch (booking is required)
- a table tennis table (no booking required)
- a tarmac ball court with football goals and basketball hoops
- there is a park keeper.
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Central Islington: Canonbury, Highbury, Newington Green
Gillespie Park and Ecology Centre, Highbury, N5. Features include:
- a 2.8 hectare nature reserve which is home to a wealth of wildlife, including 244 species of plants, 94 species of birds and 24 types of butterflies
- ponds, woodland and meadow areas
- the Ecology Centre, which gives advice on wildlife, gardening and sustainable living. It runs events and is available for hire for meetings and parties. There are toilets.
Highbury Fields, near to Highbury & Islington station, N5, has been designated a site of local importance to nature conservation. Features include:
- a children's playground with toilets
- a bandstand
- a café
- an artificial turf floodlit football pitch and 11 tennis courts with floodlights (for most times of the day booking is required for these sports facilities) and four netball courts (no booking required)
- a table tennis table (no booking required)
- Highbury Leisure Centre
- Swing Fitness weights kit
- toilets
- there is a park keeper.
Newington Green, N16, is a park full of history. Features include:
- a café
- gardens
- a sculpture.
Rosemary Gardens, Southgate Road, N1. Features include:
- a children's playground with toddler sand pit, water play feature and accessible toilets
- a grass meadow and mature, weeping ash trees
- a seven-a-side floodlit astroturf football pitch and two tennis courts (booking is required for these sport facilities)
- a 540-metre running and walking route
- four table tennis tables (no booking required)
- two sets of basketball hoops (no booking required)
- an outdoor gym (no booking required)
- a tennis wall (no booking required)
- changing rooms.
South Islington: Barnsbury, Clerkenwell, and Finsbury
Barnard Park, near Caledonian Road, N1. Features include:
- a children's playground
- an adventure playground
- a meadow
- a One O’clock Club
- a football pitch (no booking required)
- there is a park keeper.
Barnsbury Wood, near Caledonian Road and Barnsbury station, N1, is London’s smallest local nature reserve. It is a delightful hidden woodland with a wildlife garden. Opening hours are restricted. Find activities in the park.
Finsbury Square, on the edge of the City of London, EC2, has a bowling green.
King Square Gardens, near Goswell Road, EC1, has been designated a site of local importance to nature conservation. Features include:
- a children’s play area including a large sand pit, interactive water play feature and accessible children's toilets
- a bog garden
- a 450-metre running and walking route
- there is a park keeper.
Spa Fields, near Rosebery Avenue, EC1. Features include:
- a children's playground
- a lavender garden
- a tarmac ball court with football goals
- tennis nets (no booking required)
- basketball hoops (no booking required)
- an outdoor gym (no booking required).
If you have a question about the content on this page, contact John Thorne; john.thorne@islington.gov.uk; 020 7527 7096.
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