Top Picnic Opportunities in Wakefield

Located on the outskirts of Castleford, Fairburn Ings is a nature reserve that provides an exciting place for families to create their own wildlife adventures. Offering three main trails and a place to rest at the visitor centre, Fairburn Ings is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic and a spot of birdwatching.

Newmillerdam Country Park’s breath-taking scenery makes it the ideal location for a picnic with the family. The flat paths around the park and its central lake mean it is accessible to all. Set up your picnic blanket by the lake to get some stunning pictures of the beautiful boathouse, or up by the arboretum to enjoy the trees

Follow the Trans Pennine Trail north from Haw Park Wood and you’ll come across Walton Colliery Nature Park. Consisting of lakes and ponds, woodland and grassland and a section of the Barnsley Canal, this former colliery site is the perfect spot to sit back and enjoy nature with a tasty snack.

Thornes Park is 15-minute walk away from Wakefield city centre. Take a stroll around the joyful flower and rose gardens and discover unusual plants. Picnickers will appreciate the wide, grassy lawns and the gentle slope of Cannonball Hill.

Take a stroll around Pugneys lakeside and enjoy a picnic with a view. Little ones can burn off energy in the Pirates Cove Play Area. Explore a haven for wildlife as you walk the woodland trail and catch a glimpse of Pugneys second lake. Mobility scooters are available to hire, making it accessible to everyone.

Anglers Country Park is perfect for picnickers. The site of a former open cast coal mine, the park has been returned to the wild and has since flourished into a beautiful haven for wildlife including many migratory birds. Enjoy a relaxing stroll around the lakeside, which is both wheelchair and pushchair friendly. Discover the newly refurbished Visitor Centre and its new exhibition space!

National Trust Nostell is one of the north’s treasure houses, but its riches aren’t just interior. The Georgian mansion is set in 300 acres of splendid parkland. From gently sloping lawns to peaceful woodland, there are landscapes to suit every picnic style! And after your sandwiches have gone down, there’s nowhere better to walk off all that delicious food.

Fancy a picnic on the beach? It’s closer than you think! Hemsworth Water Park is one for the whole family, from building sandcastles to swinging in the outdoor adventure playground. Enjoy local wildlife in their natural habitat around the lakes as you tuck into your sandwiches.

Overlooking the River Calder, Sandal Castle is south of Wakefield City Centre, just a short walk from Pugneys Country Park. Take a stroll around the castle’s romantic ruins and follow up with a picnic with a view.

Explore a world of bright wild flower and orchid species as well as butterfly species like common blues and brimstones at Upton Country Park. Little explorers can enjoy the adventure playground, or join the fishing club and see what they can catch. Once you’ve finished your picnic, take a walk to see what birds you can spot – look out for hovering kestrels and soaring skylarks.

We’ve mentioned some of the great picnic-friendly events happening at the castle, but the fact is, it makes a fantastic place for a picnic at any time! In the heart of Pontefract, Pontefract Castle welcomes families with wide open spaces to run and play in and enticing ruins to explore. Enjoy a picnic in the bailey, try your hand at the Civil Wars soldier activities or exercise your imagination in the adventure playground.