Pathways > The Pathways book > Municipal parks
Municipal parks
In the 1830s a government committee recommended the creation of public parks in every town and city. The report argued for the public park as a place where people could walk, play sport and be entertained. Tellingly, one of the objectives was to provide a venue where the classes could mix (with the implicit assumption that it was the working class that was in the greater need of improvement).
The spaces were tightly controlled. Parks were often locked at night and sometimes even on Sundays - the idea being that visiting the park should not clash with going to church. Alcohol was generally banned and sports had to be 'appropriate'. Park keepers were renowned for strict enforcement of the rules, though sometimes their advanced age was bemoaned when they couldn't keep the local youth in check.
The lofty ideals behind many parks could not be maintained. Some were initially planted out with exotic species that could not survive the polluted city air. However over time most have reached a state of sometimes slightly shabby equilibrium and the public park has become one of the best loved of British institutions.
The Bristol park walk, featured in the book, is free to download once you have joined as a member of Walkingworld.
There is a special thread in the Pathways forum for municipal parks, should you wish to join in the discussion.
Below is a list of other walks in public parks:
Bristol
A favourite walk for Bristol dog-owners and those who want to get away from the bustle of the city. The walk takes in two public parks and a stretch along the River Frome, with a cafe en route and the relics of a working stone sawmill at Snuff Mills.... More info
London
A tour of London's Royal Parks (a special category of public park), this unusual walk starts right in the heart of London, at Trafalgar Square, before heading west to visit St James' Park, Green Park, Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. After a section... More info
In less than three hours you can see most of the sights of London. Almost the entire length is free of traffic. The walk starts in Kensington and crosses the public parks of Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park and St James's to Buckingham Palace. We pass... More info
From Kensington Palace to the Palace of Westminster, the route leads to lots of landmarks, many monuments and memorials and several statues of the famous or formerly-famous, as it proceeds pleasantly via picturesque public parks and celebrated... More info
Merseyside
The walk takes in a long stretch along the Mersey, followed by a stroll through three of the city's famous public parks.... More info
Starting close to the river, in St Michael's-in-the-Hamlet, we visit a church exported (yes, the building, not the religion) around the world and explore the birth of urban public park creation that inspired, ultimately, New York's Central Park.... More info
Yorkshire
A surprisingly wild walk for one that starts in town, this walk takes you from Endcliffe Park, through Bingham Park then out westwards through Whiteley Woods. It then continues up and out of Sheffield towards the Clough Plantation to reach Fulwood... More info