There are many lovely parks around the West Yorkshire and we love to discover new places. Ever since Little E came along last year, walks in the parks became one of our favourite outdoor activities.
I visited this place for the first time with a mummy friend. She is local and has been there many times before. My first impression on our arrival, was WOW, what a lovely spot. We were surrounded by woods as well as plenty of green and open spaces. I instantly thought about Mr A and how much he would love it there. And I was right.
When we visited together, he fell in love with the place instantly. He loves roaming the woods and explore every single corner, every branch and every tree. It quickly became apparent that we found a new spot we will be visiting regularly.
About Oakwell Hall and Country Park
It’s located in Birstall, West Yorkshire and it’s a popular spot for families with small kids and dog walkers. The park is huge, we’ve been several times now and there are still places we’ve not been to.
The facilities include Oakwell Hall, where you can see what life in the late 17th century looked like. We’ve not visited the hall just yet, as our 18-month-old would probably get bored rather quickly or destroy things within her reach. Oh, the joys of life with a toddler. Other facilities are a gift shop selling some unique and local products, a visitor centre, a cafe, lovely gardens, a play area, and many nature trails.
There is a free visitor car park but you have to remember that it closes at 4 pm. So bear that in mind when you plan your visit, so you don’t end up like my friend, who missed the time limit by few minutes and had to return the next day to pick up her car. Oops.
Visiting with a toddler
I visited the park in the late morning with my friend, while the kids had their naps and we had a lovely walk around the wooded area. But I also visited in the afternoon with Mr A and Little E, while she could walk freely and explore the area.
Although we could get to most parts with our pushchair, some areas can be a bit hilly, and there are also places with some stairs. But we could still manage to get to where we wanted to go. A good workout is never a bad thing, right? They’ve got a map on Kirklees council website highlighting different levels of accessibility if you want to avoid steps and slopes.
It can also be quite muddy at this time of the year, so it’s always a good idea to take wellies for your child and some waterproof clothing.
There are some lovely views and scenery throughout the park, which we thoroughly enjoyed. I would say 2 – 3 hours sound about right for a visit. You can choose a different direction to go with during each visit, there are several paths to go down. Exploring the whole park will take you at least a couple of visits. We still didn’t get to the playground area further down, so that’s the plan for our next visit.
I can’t wait to visit in spring and summer for a lovely picnic. There is also a lot of open space for ball games. You can really entertain your kids whatever their age. Whether you are looking somewhere nice to walk with your baby sleeping soundly in her pram, a place for your toddler to burn off some of that excess energy, or an educational trip for older kids, like visiting Oakwell Hall, this place has you covered.
And the best part? It’s only about 15 minutes drive from where we live. I can’t believe we’ve not discovered this gem sooner. It’s a perfect place for an energetic toddler like ours.
A nearby Wilton Park
Another beautiful park nearby is Wilton Park, which is only about 5 minutes drive from Oakwell Park. There is a small lake, a big playground for kids, and some woodland area, which we are yet to explore.
If you are visiting Oakwell Hall and Country Park, you can easily make another stop at this park and you won’t be disappointed.
I hope you enjoyed reading about this place as much as we enjoyed visiting it.
Zuzana
