The weather may still be on the chilly side, but that won’t stop the fun in Newcastle’s parks and green spaces this February half term.
There’s plenty to keep the whole family entertained, from tennis courts and play parks, to nature walks and cosy cafes.
Spend some time enjoying the great outdoors in Newcastle’s parks this February half term.
Please note: Recent adverse weather may have caused damage in some of our estate, so please continue to take extra care when visiting our green spaces over the half term break.
It’s playtime!
There are 25 children’s play areas across Newcastle’s 33 parks, and in 2021 Urban Green Newcastle invested more than £200,000 to improve every single one; including upgrading and repairing play equipment.
Find out if your local park has a play area by visiting the Find your park page on urbangreennewcastle.org.
Hit the courts
Did you know there are free-to-use tennis and basketball courts in some of Newcastle’s parks? That’s right, there’s no need to book; it’s just first come, first served.
If you have a budding Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu in the family, there are tennis courts in Armstrong Park, Exhibition Park, Leazes Park, Elswick Park, Gosforth Central Park, Nuns Moor Park, Paddy Freeman’s Park and Walker Park.
If you prefer scoring slam-dunks rather than serving aces, check out the basketball courts in Armstrong Park, Exhibition Park and Walker Park.
Sk8er boys and girls
At the entrance to Exhibition Park you’ll find the only dedicated skate park in Newcastle city centre.
With a smooth transitions section and a street section, this concrete skate park features bowls, a funbox, and handrail, making it perfect for novices or more experienced skaters.
A toast to half term
Treat the family to a trip to one of our Urban Green Cafes where you can tuck into a traditional wood-fired Neapolitan pizza (Exhibition Park only), or find solace from the cold with a warming hot chocolate, complete with cream and marshmallows.
You’ll be spoilt for choice with all the mouthwatering options available on our menu.
Our Urban Green Cafe in Exhibition Park is open 9am-3:30pm, and our Urban Green Café in Paddy Freeman’s Park is open 10am-3:30pm.
Newcastle in bloom
It may still officially be winter in February, but you’ll definitely spot some early sights and sounds of spring in our parks during half term.
Keep your eyes peeled for early budding plants, including snowdrops and crocuses, and listen out for beautiful birdsong as thrushes, robins, chaffinches, goldfinches, and other seasonal birds flock to the parks.
January and February is also spawning time for frogs and toads, so look out for any frogspawn lining our ponds and rivers.
Ride like the wind
If you want to take to two wheels this half term and enjoy a bike ride with the family, you’ll find great cycling routes at some of our parks.
The large network of paths at Tyne Riverside Country Park make it ideal for cycling, and you can even join the Hadrian’s Cycleway, which runs from Ravenglass in Cumbria all the way to South Shields in Tyne & Wear.
If you’re feeling really adventurous, you can ride from Tyne Riverside Country Park all the way to Walker Riverside Park, where you’ll be greeted with amazing views across the River Tyne and the NewcastleGateshead quayside.
From everyone at Urban Green Newcastle, we wish you a fun-filled and exciting February half term.