Parks and Landscapes

In Leicestershire you can stroll back through time as you explore the oldest landscape in England where the rocky outcrops date back over 580 million years!


From the only remaining enclosed medieval deer park in the East Midlands, where you’ll find 500-year-old oak trees, to a beautiful Victorian park in the city, all our open spaces  have a rich history and enchanting beauty not to be missed. 

There a five country parks spanning the city and county and twelve smaller parks and woodlands to walk, run and cycle through and get close to nature in all its forms. 

Parks and other green spaces account for over a quarter of the city area, with over 190 parks, community gardens, local nature reserves and green open spaces, all offering something different, so there is plenty of green open space to discover, wherever you are. 

Garden and Landscapes Guide

Uncover Leicestershire’s lovely landscape and wonderful places to visit with our bespoke guide to the area’s top gardens and landscapes. Featuring 11 fascinating places to visit, this guide includes everything you need to know to enjoy time in the great outdoors in Leicestershire.

Bradgate Park

Bradgate Park, is the only remaining enclosed medieval deer park in the East Midlands and contains the oldest rocks in England

Volcanic Rocks in Bradgate Park

The Charnwood Forest

A landscape half a billion years in the making

Victoria Park

Victoria Park is a fine green space next to the University of Leicester campus.

Abbey Park

Hugging the banks of the River Soar in the north of the city is Abbey Park – a beautiful green space to relax and admire Leicester’s riverside scenery.

forest at sunset

The National Forest

England’s first forest for 1,000 years – With landscape features which go back 500 million years, the former industrial landscape of north-west Leicestershire

Flags at the Bosworth Battlefield site

Bosworth Battlefield

The Leicestershire field that changed the landscape of English history.

Watermead Country Park South

On the edge of Leicester north of the city centre, Watermead Country Park is a green oasis. It is a haven for wildlife and a peaceful stretch of countryside, easily accessible…

Castle Gardens

Castle Gardens is a peaceful green space beside the Grand Union Canal in Leicester.