Commons Parks Gardens

'Ashtead Common is a 200 hectare (500 acre) ancient wooded common with over 2,300 ancient oak pollards located in north-east Surrey. The site has been part of the Epsom and Ashtead Commons Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1955 due to its rich community of breeding birds. It has also been a National Nature Reserve since 1995 due to the decaying wood of ancient trees and the rare invertebrates that live in it. The site includes two ancient Scheduled Monuments - a Roman villa and a triangular earthwork ...'

City of London Corporation

'Battersea Park is a large (83 hectares/200 acres) Victorian park, built between 1854 and 1870. It was formally opened in 1858. A major programme of work has recently been completed to restore and refurbish many of the Victorian and Festival of Britain elements of the park. There is much to enjoy in this Green Flag Award winning park including ... a grand one-kilometre riverside promenade.'

Friends of Battersea Park

'Parks and countryside sites in Bracknell Forest ... Ranger-led walks take place around the borough all year round. This is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people whilst your body reaps the benefits of exercise in the fresh air. For information about organised walks in your area please see our leaflet.

Bracknell Forest Council

'At over 1000 acres, Bushy Park is the second-largest of London’s eight Royal Parks. Lying just north of Hampton Court Palace in Richmond upon Thames, Bushy is famed for its mix of waterways, gardens, and roaming herds of red and fallow deer.'

The Royal Parks

'Runs along the River Rea from Stirchley to Edgbaston cricket ground. An area with a diverse industrial history (mainly forges and mills in the 16th Century), it is now one of city's five premier parks and has been awarded Green Flag status. There are walkways and cycle routes along side the River Rea aimed at catering for wildlife enthusiasts, those seeking exercise and people looking for a good day out.'

Birmingham Open Spaces Forum

'This large Green Flag accredited park is the green heart of the Borough with a large part of the 235 acres covered by a wildflower meadow with hay cut once a year.'

Borough of Broxbourne

'Chobham Common is famed for its walks and views. In 1968 the Common was purchased by Surrey County Council from Lord Onslow for £1 an acre. Approximately 1400 acres are now managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust who employ a fulltime ranger complete with a distinctive vehicle.'

Surrey Heath Borough Council

'One of London's largest open spaces, measuring 87 hectares, situated between Clapham, Battersea and Balham.'

Friends of Clapham Common

'Steeped in nearly 300 years of history, this eighteen-century garden is a green oasis in the heart of Surrey within easy reach of London. Once a Dukes' retreat and a playground for princesses, Claremont has always been somewhere to escape everyday life and enjoy simple pleasures with family and friends.'

National Trust

'In 1861 Parliament passed the Clifton and Durdham Downs (Bristol) Act securing both the same Downs to be open and largely resorted to as Places of Recreation for the Inhabitants of Bristol and its Neighbourhood for time immemorial.'

Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project

'Around 3% of the land area of England is recognised as common land. On this website you will find a maintained and searchable database of registered parcels of common land in England ... The data is sourced from land registry and other records and was originally compiled by DEFRA ... The information was assembled between 1982 and 1993 as part of the biological survey of common land.'

Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs

'The traditional parkland known as Court Hey Park is one of Knowsley's best-kept secrets. Its 14 hectares provide one of the best collections of mature trees seen anywhere in the Borough with landscaped areas of wildflower planting.'

Friends of Court Hey Park

'Crompton Moor rises above the town of Shaw, and is a unique and popular recreation site in Oldham. The site is great for wildlife. Birdwatchers can see kestrel, red grouse, golden plover, snipe, curlew, skylark and meadow pipit. There are also foxes, weasels, common shrews, stoats and hares ... The Oldham Way and Crompton Circuit local trails also cross the site.'

Friends of Crompton Moor

'This scenic park raises above the surrounding area so fabulous views over the RSPB's Edderthorpe Ings reserves and for many miles into the distance can be enjoyed as you wander round this wild green space. Keep an eye open for the intricate wooden sculptures which celebrate both the site's mining heritage and bright new future as community park. Ferrymoor Flash, a small lake (or large pond) which is separated from the main part of the site, should not be missed when visiting the site because of the fantastic range of wildlife such as swans, shelducks, tufted duck and a colourful variety of butterflies that inhabits this small wetland area.'

The Land Trust

West Northamptonshire Council

Doddington Place Gardens is part of a 850 acres Edwarding estate, located on the edge of Doddington village, near Faversham in Kent.'

'A seventy-acre oasis centred round an idyllic Stillwater lake. The magnificent scenery invites the spending of your leisure time, whether you're a resident of South Tyrone, or a visitor from anywhere in the world.'

Discover Northern Ireland

'The 1300 acres of Elmbridge Commons are a rich source of enjoyment for visitors, providing a superb area for a leisurely stroll, horse riding, bird watching, dog walking and picnicking. The commons consist of a wide variety of habitats including woodlands, ponds and heathland, and are awash with colour. The value of these habitats has led to most of the Esher Commons being designated a site of special scientific interest.'

Elmbridge Borough Council

'Epsom & Walton Downs, famous for its racecourse, is an area of 600 acres of unspoilt downland. From here, on a clear day, the view takes in much of London as well as panoramas of rural Surrey. The Downs are owned by Epsom Downs Racecourse but the public has a right of access on foot under the Epsom & Walton Downs Regulation Act 1984.'

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

'Exeter's Valley Parks are there for all to enjoy. Close to people's homes, they offer a wide choice of leisurely walks, places to relax, fine views, and plenty of wildlife ... The Valley Parks offer ample opportunities to experience wildlife and natural, open spaces ... All Valley Parks are open 24 hours seven days a week.'

Devon Wildlife Trust

'Enjoy a cycle or walk through this popular park in Stevenage. There are several pretty lakes with waterside cycling and walking paths to enjoy.'

Stevenage Borough Council

'Fields in Trust is an independent charity ... protecting parks and green spaces. We work with landowners, community groups and policy makers to champion the value of our parks and green spaces to achieve better protection for their future at both local and national level.'

'Aims to encourage you to enjoy London’s parks, share with the world why you love your park, why parks matter to you, and get involved in your local park friends group.'

'We started the guide as a hobby in 2002, as at that time there were few resources on the internet to help people plan their visits. The first region we covered was Cornwall and by the time 12 months elapsed more than 200 gardens had applied to join ... With over 500 properties on our guide and more applying to join we should maintain our place as a leading resource for garden lovers.'

'Use our interactive map to view a list of all the Green Flag Award® winners in each region together with a detailed description of the facilities, events and activities at each site.'

Green Flag Award

'Lancashire boasts some of the most exciting and beautiful parks and gardens in Britain today. The abundance of vast open spaces and fresh air makes Lancashire ideal for visiting during any season of the year. Nestled in Lancashire’s spectacular countryside discover a variety of stunning gardens and country parks alongside stately homes and historic landmarks.' Descriptions of over sixty locations.

Visit Lancashire

'Explore a whole host of lesser-known gardens and green spaces in the capital with our series of walks and cycle rides.'

'The emphasis of the Register is on gardens, grounds and other planned open spaces, such as town squares. The majority of sites registered are, or started life as, the grounds of private houses, but public parks and cemeteries form important categories too ... The emphasis of the Register is on "designed" landscapes, rather than on planting or botanical importance ... Registered sites are not open to the public unless advertised elsewhere as being so.'

Historic England

'We work with land owners who, for a variety of reasons, want to pass on responsibility (and often liability) for the management of an area of land. Ahead of taking responsibility and "ownership" we will identify and secure appropriate long-term funding (often in perpetuity) and management regimes, ensuring that the site has a sustainable future as green open space and crucially that it delivers against our charitable objectives. We now have ownership or long term management responsibility for over 2,000 ha of land with more than 50 spaces across England and are currently working on taking our first sites in Scotland.'