Activities in Islington Parks

Find out:

  • What Islington parks offer and their health benefits
  • Activities in parks, including ones that are approved for referrals by health and care professionals

Parks in Islington shows where Islington parks are and highlights the main parks and their features. 
Support for organisations to deliver an activity in a park states the support available for organisations to create or continue an activity in an Islington park.
Parks and open spaces has other information about parks.

What Islington parks offer
  • Free and open to all. They offer something to see and do, to be in nature, and to meet other people
  • Open long hours. Parks with gates open at 8am, usually close at sunset, and are open all year
  • There are over 100 parks in Islington, so there is a park near to everyone

The leaflet to the right, Parks in Islington, has information about parks: their benefits and the Islington offer. 

Health benefits

The Government says being in nature, such as a park, improves our mental health and wellbeing and can:

  • reduce stress, fatigue, anxiety and depression
  • help boost immune systems, encourage physical activity and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as asthma, and can combat loneliness.

Parks are an excellent place to be active, which cuts the risk of dementia & Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, stroke, bowel, breast and womb cancer, type 2 diabetes and other health conditions.

Activities in parks

  • Activities are shown for north Islington (Archway, Holloway, Tufnell Park), central Islington (Canonbury, Highbury, Newington Green) and south Islington (Barnsbury, Clerkenwell, Finsbury). Included are activities run by Friends of Park groups, who are residents that volunteer to help maintain a park and may offer gardening and other activities. They are a great way to be involved with a park and meet other people
  • Leaflets showing activities in parks for July to September 2023 in north, central and south Islington are to the right 
  • Activities in parks are free and open to everyone unless stated otherwise
  • Booking is required for most activities; these activities are shown by an asterisk. Please check an activity is taking place before attending for the first time
  • Gardening is a popular activity. A leaflet showing gardening in Islington parks is to the right
  • 18 activities have been approved by Age UK Islington in its role as a social prescribing organisation to accept referrals by health and care professionals. These activities are all free; a donation may be requested for some of them. These activities are marked Approved for referral. An Islington resident can go straight to any of these activities without a referral by a health and care professional 
  • 39 parks offer opportunities to do sport including football, basketball and netball, outdoor gym, table-tennis, tennis, running and walking routes, cricket, and bowls.

North Islington: Archway, Holloway, Tufnell Park  

Activity

When

Organiser           * Booking required

Caledonian Park, near Caledonian Road tube station, N7

2k run for 4- to 14-year-olds

Sundays, 9am

Junior parkrun *

Cardio and muscles keep fit
Approved for referral

Wednesdays, 10.30-11.45am

Healthy Generations *
£3 optional donation

Gardening

Wednesdays & Sundays, 10am-12pm

Caledonian Park Friends Group

Park Cuppa
Approved for referral

Wednesdays, 11am-12pm

Age UK Islington *

Play for under 1s

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Volunteering for adults with a learning disability

Wednesdays, 11am-1pm

Mencap. For more information, contact Fatima; johny.brown@mencap.org.uk. Bring pocket money

Volunteering with community rangers
Approved for referral

Various times

Parks team, Islington Council

Walk around the park and the surrounding area

Friday 22 December, 11am

Islington Guides *
Check nearer the date of the walk for a link for more information and to book

Dartmouth Park, Tufnell Park, N19

Qi Gong
Approved for referral

Mondays, 10-11am

Healthy Generations *
£3 optional donation

Walk around the park and the surrounding area

Friday 30 June, 11am

Islington Guides *
Check nearer the date of the walk for a link for more information and to book

Elthorne Park, Archway, N19

Play for under 8s

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Sport for young people

Various times

Access to Sports *

Hillside Park, N19 3RQ                                                    Thursdays 10am to 12noon     www.thegardenclassroom.org.uk

 Green Guardians, Gardening

Paradise Park, near Liverpool Road, N7

Gardening
Football for young people
Football
Rugby

Various times
Various times
Various times
Various times

Friends of Paradise Park 
Arsenal in the Community *
Play Football * Fee applies
Try Tag Rugby * Fee applies

Play for under 8s

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Parkland Walk, N19

A walk for intermediate walkers; meet at Station Place, Finsbury Park
Approved for referral

Wednesdays, 2pm

Contact Susan Aykroyd, Hornsey Lane Estate Community Association walkleader@hlcea.org.uk, 07985 156876 *

Volunteering each week at one of Islington’s 3 nature reserves: Barnsbury Wood, Gillespie Park, Parkland Walk
Approved for referral

Thursdays, 10am-3.30pm

Parkland Walk, Islington Council

 

Volunteering maintenance

Usually 2nd Saturday of the month, 10.30am-1pm

Friends of the Parkland Walk

Penn Road Gardens, near Holloway Road, N7

Gardening

Last Sunday of the month, 10am-12pm

Penn Road Residents Association

Sunnyside Community Gardens, Hazellville Road, next to Elthorne Park, N19

Gardening

Various times during the week

Sunnyside Community Gardens *

Whittington Park, Holloway Road, N19

Football for ages 2-12

Various times

Islington Football Development Partnership * Fee applies

Football for girls and women
Football for boys
Football for young men
Football

Various times
Check website
Check website
Various times

Islington Borough Ladies Football Club * Fee applies
Pro Touch SA *
Isledon *
PowerPlay * Fee applies

Play for under 5s

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Qi Gong
Approved for referral

Wednesdays, 8.30-9.45am

Healthy Generations *
£3 optional donation

Volunteering with community rangers
Approved for referral

Various times

Parks team, Islington Council

Walk around the park, Foxham Gardens, and the surrounding area

Friday 27 October 2023, 11am

Islington Guides *

Wray Crescent, near Hornsey Road, N4

Cricket

Various times

Pacific Cricket Club * Fee applies

Football for women

Sundays, 9.30am

Wrayvens FC

Gardening and other activities

Check website

Friends of Wray Crescent 

Walk around the park and the surrounding area

Friday 29 September, 11am

Islington Guides *

Walking football

Sundays 11am-12pm

Wray Crescent

Central Islington: Canonbury, Highbury, Newington Green                                                                     

Activity

When

Organiser              * Booking required

 

Arvon Road Community Garden, near Holloway Road, N5

Gardening

Check website

Arvon Road Community Garden

Canonbury Square, Highbury, N1

Gardening

Third Saturday of the month from 10am

Friends of Canonbury Square *

Compton Terrace Gardens, Highbury, N1

Gardening

Check website

Compton Terrace Gardening Group

Duncan Terrace Gardens and Colebrook Row Gardens, Angel, N1

Gardening

Check website

Friends of Duncan Terrace and Colebrooke Row Gardens

Gillespie Park and Ecology Centre, Highbury, N5

Dementia- and family-friendly walk
Approved for referral

First Friday of the month, 10am

Ecology Centre, Islington Council

Park Cuppa
Approved for referral

Second Tuesday of the month, 10.30am-12pm

Age UK Islington and Ecology Centre, Islington Council

Qi Gong

Thursdays 10.30 to 12 on October 19th, 26th, 2nd Nov, 9th Nov, 16th Nov 2023. 

Ariyananda Luo *
Qi Gong in Gillespie Park Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite

Volunteering each week at one of Islington’s 3 nature reserves: Barnsbury Wood, Gillespie Park, Parkland Walk
Approved for referral

Thursdays, 10am-3.30pm

Ecology Centre, Islington Council

Graham Street Park, near City Road and next to Regent's Canal, N1

Gardening

Check website

Friends of Graham Street Park

Highbury Fields, near to Highbury & Islington station, N5

5k run

Saturdays, 9am

parkrun *

2k run for 4- to 14-year-olds

Sundays, 9am

junior parkrun *

Activities for residents with a child under 8

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Fitness session

Saturdays, 9.45am

Healthy Minds Healthy Bods. For more information, contact Lawrence Curtis: hmhb2016@outlook.com

Gardening
Approved for referral

Wednesdays and Sundays, 10am-4pm

Highbury Fields Garden Volunteers. Contact Flora Goldhill: flora@highburyplace.co.uk; 07487 880778 *

Netball

Tuesday and Wednesday evenings

Islington Netball * Fee applies

Tennis

Check website

Highbury Fields Tennis League; membership fee applies

Tennis

Check website

Highbury Tennis Club; membership fee applies

Total Body Workout
Approved for referral

Fridays, 9.45-10.45am

Healthy Generations * £3 optional fee

Tag rugby

Various times

Try Tag Rugby * Fee applies

Walks for adults with a learning disability. The group meets at Highbury Corner and takes in local parks

Wednesdays, 11am-12.30pm

Mencap. For more information, contact Johny (07506 844 649, johny.brown@mencap.org.uk) Bring pocket money

Highbury Fields Association is a Friends group for the park

Mitchison Baxter, near Balls Pond Road and Essex Road, N1

Bike polo

Wednesdays, 7-9pm

London Bike Polo

Market Road Gardens, N7 9GT                                Fridays 10-12 noon                                www.thegardenclassroom.org.uk

 Green Guardians, Gardening 

New River Walk, Canonbury, N1

Maintenance

Check website

Friends of the New River Walk

Volunteering with community rangers
Approved for referral

Various times

Parks team, Islington Council

Newington Green, N16

Walk around the park and the surrounding area

Friday 25 August, 11am

Islington Guides *

Olden Road Community Garden, near Holloway Road, N5

Gardening

Check website

Olden Community Garden

Packington Square, Canalside Square, Rheidol Gardens, Towpath Orchard, near Regent’s Canal, N1

Gardening

Various times

The Arc Centre

Rosemary Gardens, Southgate Road, N1

Volunteering with community rangers
Approved for referral

Various times

Parks team, Islington Council

Friends of Rosemary Gardens is a Friends group for the park

 

South Islington: Barnsbury, Clerkenwell, Finsbury                                                                              

Activity

When

Organiser                * Booking required

Barnard Park, near Caledonian Road, N1

Activities for residents with a child under 8

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Gardening

Check website

Friends of Barnard Park

Barnsbury Square Gardens, between Caledonian Rd and Upper St, N1

Gardening

Saturdays from 10am

Friends of Barnsbury Square Gardens

Barnsbury Wood nature reserve, near Caledonian Rd and Barnsbury station, N1

Volunteering each week at one of Islington’s 3 nature reserves: Barnsbury Wood, Gillespie Park, Parkland Walk
Approved for referral

Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, south of Old Street, EC1
Friends of City Gardens offer activities 

Thursdays, 10am-3.30pm

Barnsbury Wood, Islington Council

Culpeper Community Garden, near Upper St, N1

Gardening

Check website

Culpeper Community Garden

Fortune Street, Golden Lane, EC2

The park has a Friends Group

King Square Gardens, near Goswell Road, EC1

Activities for residents with a child under 8

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

Men's shed for local men aged 55+ to socialise while gardening
Approved for referral

Tuesdays, 2-3.30pm

St Luke's Community Centre *

Qi Gong
Approved for referral

Tuesdays, 10-11.15am

Healthy Generations *
£3 optional donation

Newington Green, N1 4RF                                                  Wednesdays, 10 to 12 noon  www.thegardenclassroom.org.uk

Green Guardians, Gardening

Spa Fields, near Rosebery Avenue, EC1

Fitness session

Wednesdays, 5pm

Our Parks *

Football for adults with a learning disability

Mondays, 11.30am-1pm

Mencap. For more information, contact Johny (07506 844 649, johny.brown@mencap.org.uk) Bring pocket money

Walk around the park and the surrounding area

Friday 24 November, 11am

Islington Guides *

Thornhill Square Garden, near Caledonian Road, N1

Gardening

First Saturday of the month, 10am-12pm

Thornhill Square Association

Play for under 8s

Various times

Brightstart, Islington Council *

 

If you have a question about the content on this page, contact John Thorne; john.thorne@islington.gov.uk; 020 7527 7096.

    

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