Derby Arboretum

What it’s like

A free public park with lawns and mature trees for a picnic and a wander, no ticket, no time limit.

There's no big attraction to queue for here, which is sort of the point. You bring a picnic blanket, find a spot under the mature trees, and let the kids loose on the grass while you actually sit down for five minutes. It's outdoor play in the loosest sense, open lawns rather than a fenced-off zone, so it suits kids who are happy just running about rather than needing a climbing frame to aim at.

Toilets are on site, which matters more than people admit when you've got small children and no fixed plan. There's no food listed, so pack what you need, it's a proper bring-your-own-lunch kind of visit.

Parking is free and on-street, on Rosehill Street and Reginald Street, which is one less cost to factor in. Opening hours shift with the seasons: you get until 9pm in high summer (June to August) but it closes at 6pm over winter (November to March), so an after-school visit in December needs a bit more planning than one in July.

There's no set way to do this one. Some people pop in for half an hour on the way somewhere else, others make an afternoon of it with a full picnic. Because it's free and there's no booking involved, it's an easy one to fit around a nap time or a change of plan.

Facilities

Need to know

Parking

Free on-street parking on Rosehill Street and Reginald Street

• Opening hours shrink to 6pm over winter, so plan an earlier visit November to March
• Parking is on-street and free rather than a dedicated car park
• Toilets are on site

Plan your visit

Also on site

• Chess Tables

  outdoors

  Chess tables built in the park; visitors need to bring their own chess pieces.

Areas to explore

• Playground

  outdoors

  Playground area within Derby Arboretum park.

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