Play Areas
This collection includes some of our favourite small play areas that you might not have heard of before. We have selected these due to the outstanding play equipment and the quality of the locations. We haven’t included some of the larger play areas that can be found at the big country parks; these play areas are the little secrets that can be discovered on one of our family friendly walks.
Quite possibly our favourite park of all time, this is a place where you will want to stay all day. The stand out feature is the mini road bike track, but the beautifully designed wooden climbing structures are a close runner up.
You can make this park an addition to our walk around The Cowdray Estate in Midhurst.
Arriving at this park one spring evening and having it all to ourselves is a memory I won’t forget. The wooden walkways and hideouts are so beautifully realised that you won’t resist having a play yourself!
You can add this walk on after completing our wild garlic and bluebell walk nearby.
This park will blow you away when you see how much there is to do. It really is a town park like no other! The wooden walkways leading to a replica of the nearby castle have to be our favourite feature.
You can find this play area as part of our walk around the wider parkland and castle grounds.
This isn’t a very big play area. In fact, it’s pretty tiny. But the reason we love it is because it is tucked away in a wooded glade and you are very likely to have it to yourself.
You will find it along the disused railway on our Liss Riverside Walk.
This isn’t a particularly spectacular play area, the equipment is fairly standard. The reason why we love it is because of the location on the Netley shoreline over looking the Solent. As well as the shore, there is a large green space which makes it a good place to bring a picnic and watch the ships sail by.
You can find this park at the start of our walk to Netley Abbey via Westwood Woodland Park.
For a little village play area, this one has some good quality climbing frames. We love it as it is set by the large village green and the edge of Shortheath Common.
You can find this at the start of our walk around the common.
Thursley
There is a decent variety of play equipment in this little play area, but what we really like about it are the picnic benches and the fact it is set in a little shady corner backed by Thursley Nature Reserve.
You can find it on our longer walk from Hankley Common or add it on with a short drive from the boardwalk at Thursley Common.
This park definitely gets busier than some of the others in this post, but it still deserves its place for the replica Titchfield Abbey and the twisty slide!
You can start at this park and easily walk to the free to explore Titchfield Abbey.
There are three different play areas hidden in these woods which will reveal themselves as you follow the trail. Mostly made of natural materials, they blend seamlessly into the environment.
You can find them as you walk around the woods and heathland of beautiful Witley Common.
This wooden play area was only completed last year and the designers have included something for everyone from a wooden train to a zip line.
You can start at this play area and take a walk through the village to Stansted Forest.
Selborne Recreation Ground
One of our followers tipped us off about this well hidden gem of a park on the outskirts of Selborne. There is plenty to do and climb on here and the large, quiet field is suitable for picnics - so bring a blanket and stay all day!
You can drive or walk to this park as an addition to either one of our Selborne walks, which include The Zig Zag Path or The Long and Short Lythe
You would never find this park by accident, you have to know it exists! It is well hidden from the main street and surrounded by lovely countryside. It has a wide range of equipment and makes the perfect end to a walk around the village and surrounding woodland.
This walk has a two for one offer on parks. There is one for toddlers and a brilliant trim trail assault course for older children complete with a challenging climbing wall. And it all neighbours an ancient woodland, a boardwalk over a mire and The Basingstoke Canal.
A brand new play park arrived at Greatham in 2024. This is set to become a destination park with a little walk through the neighbouring countryside to add on.
The woodland is brand new as is the play area. Set in a meadow and all naturally made, this one is imaginative and beautifully crafted.
Tucked away and not easy to find, this play area is an absolute gem. A viking boat and wooden walkways are the highlights before our walk takes you out onto Compton Down via an excellent coffee and gelato spot.