Spelthorne has a well-deserved reputation for the quality and horticultural excellence of its many parks, recreation grounds and open spaces which offer a variety of activities, many of which are set in grounds boasting fine floral displays, natural landscapes or both. With over 750 acres of parks and open spaces within the Borough, including several miles of riverside walks, Spelthorne is very open in character, and there are also extensive areas of club and other sports grounds. These include the grounds of Staines Town Football Club, the London Irish Rugby Club in Sunbury and Ashford Manor Golf Club (visitors welcome), and two pay and play golf courses in Sunbury. The Borough is very proud of all its parks and open spaces, but perhaps the jewel in the crown is the Walled Garden in Sunbury park, which offers quiet seclusion amongst a vast array of plants from all corners of the world and features several styles of English gardening through the ages. The garden was recreated by the Borough Council in 1987, and is now a popular venue for art exhibitions and band concerts, the latter of which take place occasionally during the summer.
On the banks of the Thames at the western extremity of the Borough is the Lammas Recreation Ground, a popular venue for summer visitors. The Lammas boasts an excellent children's play area with challenging equipment, set in a safe and dog-free area. The park also caters for a number of sporting activities, and contains a recently refurbished paddling pool enclosure open throughout the summer. Children's entertainment is also a feature of the Lammas, as are regular summer band concerts.
A little further downstream is Memorial Gardens, adjacent to the Old Town Hall. This is a quiet and tranquil garden, with attractive views of Staines Bridge and the River Thames.
Perhaps the park which attracts the largest number of visitors is Laleham Park. Once part of the historic Lucan Estate, the park comprises 70 acres of natural parkland with well tended riverside lawns, ample car parking, several picnic sites with barbecues, and an extensive children's play area including skateboarding facilities.
For the more active visitor many of Spelthorne parks provide tennis, putting and bowling on a pay and play basis in a beautiful setting. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Bishop Duppas Recreation Ground near Walton Bridge, Shepperton, where the sports facilities are surrounded by magnificent displays set in immaculately maintained lawns.
Cleanliness and safety are the authority's first priorities, and most of Spelthorne's parks operate dog control measures. All 33 of our children's playgrounds are protected from dogs, contain contemporary equipment maintained to a high standard, and are provided with appropriate safer surfacing.
Our parks are also the venues for many annual events, including the following:-
Shepperton Village Fayre takes place on the second Saturday in June, with a procession of floats from Littleton Recreation Ground to the Manor Park, where the many attractions continue throughout the afternoon. On the third Saturday in June, Fordbridge Park in Ashford is the setting for the Spelthorne Carnival, which begins with a procession of floats from Ashford to Staines and back for the many carnival attractions.
The attractive Laleham Park is the venue for the annual Spelthorne Fun Day held on the second Sunday in July, which features a programme of arena events surrounded by a variety of stalls and activities. Spelthorne Lions Club hold an annual gala fête at the Greenfield Recreation Ground, Ashford Road, Laleham on August Bank Holiday Monday, which again features many stalls and arena attractions.
For visitors looking for more rural pursuits, there are many thousands of acres of countryside in and around the Borough. The Lammas Recreation Ground in Staines is the southernmost point of the Colne Valley Regional Park, which stretches 14 miles northwards to Rickmansworth. The park covers more than 40 square miles of Greater London, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Berkshire and Surrey. There are a number of published walks within the area, or visitors might prefer to wander across the 300 or so acres of Staines Moor, or along the banks of the Thames or its tributaries the Colne and the Ash.
Whatever your preference, Spelthorne's parks, open spaces and countryside will have something to offer you.
