Nick Gazard
Google
It’s nice but a bit weird. In a mostly good way but there is a vibe of saying yes to every idea resulting in a mish-mash.
Firstly it feels very overlooked by office buildings, a large high-rise, rear of high street businesses and the looming church. The latter is well addresses with surprisingly large pine trees, while the businesses had people taking their smoking break in the park.
A park in the heart of Clerkenwell but hard to access from the high street unless you know it’s there. There’s a tiny entrance on the Western edge and you have to have maps open to realise there’s a park.
It does have a ton of seating, nicely secluded and ideal for lunch as many others have mentioned. They’re in themes areas, like the pine forest, vines, along the side of the main grass, down the side of the multisports area and more.
The central grass has fancy metal ‘no dogs’ signs for the central area that are blatantly ignored. For ‘reasons’ there are some bumpy bits … my kids loved them. There’s even one between the kids swing and exercise area which makes you wonder what’s buried under there.
The exercise area is good, though there are some dirty concrete seats (for viewing?!), a tiny basketball area for practice shots … next to the tennis/football/basketball court.
Some bits don’t really make sense, like how many different types of concrete wall you can have (thin, thick, wavy); why the table tennis is under the pine trees (perfect space to lose balls); random other bumps and lumps. But it’s definitely got character!
The funky building in the middle makes you hope it’s a cafe or toilet … sorry, but it’s a park office. Though it does have some picnic benches in front of it.
The park also continues round to the East and South but you sort of have to go through the kids playground first. A longer meadow-like space flanked with flowers.
