A beautiful well-kept park in Northumberland with two play areas, water play area, cafe, toilets, lots of space for picnics and free parking. Also accessible by public transport.
Getting to Ridley Park is easy - there is a small-ish free car park on-site (see map below) or there is plenty of parking in the surrounding streets or town centre. Please park responsibly. There are plenty of buses which serve Blyth Town Centre and it is a short & easy 8 minute walk from the bus station to the park.
Use postcode NE24 3HF and follow the car park signs.
The car park is open from 7:30am - 6pm and free with no time restrictions.
There are two enclosed playgrounds - one is for over 11s (which we prefer) and one is for under 11s. They are a few minutes walk from each other and there is plenty of seating in both. Children of both ages use both parks to be honest. I recommend visiting before 10am or after 6pm if you are looking for a quiet time to visit - these parks are popular and do get busy during the day.
The over 11s area has a fab zip wire which my three love plus climbing frames, rope swings, a big slide, spinning equipment and more. We visited at around 10am and everyone in the park was fab - each family taking it in turn to play on each set of equipment.
There is lots of seating and picnic tables dotted around the park as well as lots of green space. I spotted a council worker thoroughly disinfecting some park benches when we visited.
The under 11s park is also lovely with a nice variety of equipment including swings, slides and climbing frames.
I like that there are shaded areas in the park too - perfect if you need to escape from the sun for a bit.
In the summer months there are usually a couple of fairground rides in the park. Today there was a bouncy slide and merry-go-round. Both £2.50 each. Heidi and Jack had a turn on the bouncy slide. They were asked to use hand sanitizer before entering and only one bubble is allowed to use the slide at a time. £2.50 gives you 5 turns each.
Ridley Park is well known for its water play area. Usually in summer, you cannot get moved on the grass around here as it is full of families enjoying a picnic as little ones run amongst the water and fountains.
The park features tennis courts, a bowling green and basket ball net too.
Sometimes there is an ice cream van in the park but I highly recommend a trip to Mister Ridleys in the park. They serve delicious homemade food and drinks. At the moment , inside is closed but they have plenty of outdoor seating. Order from the hatch. A round of drinks for us was very reasonable and kids meals are less than £4.
There is a beautiful rose garden in the park which is a nice quiet spot away from the playgrounds. Perfect if you need some peace.
Most importantly though, there are open public toilets!
We love Ridley Park and have spent many days here over the years (I used to spend the day here as a child too). It is the kind of place you can pack a picnic, meet up with friends and spend a good few hours.
Where to Eat
Mister Ridleys Cafe is in the park and perfect for a bite to eat or drinks. If you are looking for a pub or somewhere to stay, the Commissioners Quay Pub is next door to the park.
Why not visit South Beach Blyth while you are there?
If you want to make a day of it, why not combine a trip to Ridley Park with South Beach Blyth? It is a 20 minute easy walk (pavement) or a short 2 minute drive. South Beach Blyth has a free car park, lovely fish and chip restaurant / takeaway, another two play parks, an ice cream parlour, beach and beach huts.
You can read more about South Beach Blyth here.
Here is a map.....
Need to know:
- Free parking (on-site car park / streets nearby ) or park in town centre
- Postcode: NE24 3HF
- Two playgrounds
- Sports courts
- Water play area
- Paths suitable for pushchairs / wheelchairs
- Picnic benches
- Accessible by public transport (bus to Blyth bus station)
- Dogs welcome in some areas
- On-site cafe
- Open toilets
1 - Click here to sign up to our FREE monthly guide to what's on. This monthly email will feature lots of ideas for things to do for the month ahead plus exclusive deals.
2 - Join our Days Out Facebook Group here which includes lots of ideas for things to do - you can post your own recommendations too.
Remember face coverings are required for indoor attractions / shops for those aged 11+ (usual exemptions apply)
Check for local lockdowns / travel restrictions before visiting anywhere.
Always check updated opening hours / protocols with venues direct before setting off as things may have changed after this post was published.
When we lived in Northumberland my two loved this park too. It is one of the best one's! The older kids play area is such fun! My two loved the zip wire and the slide. x
ReplyDelete