Portadown People's Park

Full Description

Portadown People's Park is the sort of place where a quick trip to the playground quietly turns into a whole afternoon. The play area is a proper one: a pirate ship to clamber all over, a zip line, a pyramid climbing frame, slides, swings and a roundabout, plus a sand pit that tends to hold younger children far longer than anyone planned for.

Beyond the play area, the park had a £5.4 million transformation and it shows. There are themed gardens with benches and new planting to wander through, and the historic pond area has been brought back to life with two new bridges — a lovely spot to look for ducks and, if you are feeling brave, to try a spot of pond dipping and mini-beast hunting. There is an outdoor gym for grown-ups and older children, sports pitches, and an amphitheatre where the council runs family events through the year.

Around it all there is wide open grass for running about, playing games or spreading out a picnic blanket, with plenty of picnic tables with barbecue facilities if you fancy cooking your lunch outdoors. It is the sort of park where you can let the children set the pace: play first, wander next, then play again.

Because it sits right beside the town and close to the Newry Canal towpath, it is easy to turn a playground stop into a proper day out. Bring a picnic, let the wee ones loose and take your time.

What You'll Find

A big free family park beside the town, with a play area that runs from toddlers to teens — pirate ship, zip line, sand pit — plus themed gardens, ponds, picnic tables with barbecues, an outdoor gym and an amphitheatre.

Wee Ones Will Love...

• ✓Climbing aboard the pirate ship
• ✓A go on the zip line
• ✓Digging in the sand pit
• ✓The slides, swings and roundabout
• ✓Spotting ducks and birds in the gardens and ponds

Before You Visit

Free to visit. The park is open daily, but the gates follow the seasons rather than a fixed clock — roughly 7am to 7pm in winter, stretching to 7am to 10pm in midsummer — so it is worth checking the council's page before a late visit. Parking is free on site for 62 cars, with on-street parking nearby, and the play area sits beside the Park Road entrance (BT62 1DS). Toilets are in the pavilion through the external doors, with baby changing facilities, and an AccessAble access guide for the park is available online.

Top Tips

• ⭐Bring a picnic and make use of the barbecue-friendly picnic tables
• ⭐Pack a ball, and a spare set of clothes if the sand pit is going to win
• ⭐Wander the gardens and ponds before heading for home
• ⭐Pair it with the Newry Canal towpath for a longer family walk