Bath is well known for its gorgeous green spaces, and parks have become more important than ever during COVID-19. 

In a proud moment for Bath, five of the city’s best parks have now been honoured with prestigious Green Flag Awards for 2020. The award-winning parks include:

• Royal Victoria Park

One of the largest and most famous parks in Bath, Royal Victoria Park was opened in 1830 by Queen Victoria herself (at 11 years old). It boasts 57 acres of parkland, botanic gardens, the Great Dell Aerial Walkway, an adventure playground, tennis courts, mini golf and the Pavilion Café. If you’re visiting Bath, the sight of hot air balloons rising slowly from the park is a real highlight.  

Stay nearby – at Marlborough St House, Park View, Royal Crescent Prospect or our Marlborough Garden Apartment. 

• Alexandra Park

An 11-acre park opened in 1902, Alexandra Park is known primarily for its outstanding panoramic city views. It’s a tranquil space at the top of Beechen Cliff, accessed by Shakespeare Avenue or the long flight of steps known as Jacob’s Ladder. Alexandra Park has undergone many improvements ahead of this year’s awards, including works to the play area and famous viewpoint. 

Stay nearby – at The Looking Glass House or Prior Park Cottages. 

• Bloomfield Green 

This beautiful green space in Bear Flat, which has been winning Green Flag Awards consistently since 2016, is a vital part of the local community. It has diverse plants and wildlife, wide open spaces for games, and wonderful views across Bath. It also has an active Friends group, which created a wildlife-friendly area in 2018 and helped with recent planting efforts. 

• Hedgemead Park

Hedgemead Park is one of Bath’s many hidden gems, a quiet and secluded green space on a lush hillside on Lansdown Road. It’s a lovely place to sit and enjoy views over Bath, and it’s recently benefitted with some new planting to go with its shiny new Green Flag Award. 

Stay nearby – at Ainslie’s Belvedere, New Brunswick or Russel Maisonette.

• Henrietta Park

This serene 7-acre park in Bathwick was created in 1897 to mark Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. It has many lovely features, including fine trees, a rose-covered pergola and a Sensory Garden. Along with the council’s parks team, Friends of Henrietta Park have been helping to renovate the park’s reflecting pool and fountain – and more improvements are planned for 2021. 

Stay nearby – at Henrietta Park View or Park Lane. 

What are the Green Flag Awards?

A Green Flag Award is a nationally recognised benchmark of quality in public green spaces. The scheme is managed by the government, in partnership with environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. 

Each year, expert judges assess parks across the UK on criteria including ease of access, maintenance standards, facilities, visual appearance and much more. The winning parks are those that are welcoming to all, well maintained and clean, healthy and safe to visit, and that have a positive impact on the environment.