Parks near Clapham: Battersea Park, Wandsworth Common and Brockwell Park

When the Common is not enough, three parks are worth the trip. Battersea Park is for the river and a day out with children. Wandsworth Common is for heathland, ponds and a quieter wander. Brockwell Park is for views, a walled garden and the lido. Check walking times and routes on Citymapper or National Rail before you set off.

Battersea Park, SW11

A 200-acre Victorian park on the south bank of the Thames, built between 1854 and 1870 and Grade II* listed. It sits in the borough of Wandsworth, and Enable Leisure & Culture runs its facilities.

What it is for:

• The Peace Pagoda, a gilt bronze monument given to London in 1984, on a raised platform looking over the Thames to Chelsea.
• The boating lake, with boat hire, beside the Lakeside Café.
• The riverside promenade, with Battersea Power Station visible from parts of the park.
• Families: a children’s zoo, a children’s playground, two playgrounds in all according to the operator, a trim trail, Go Ape and Putt in the Park.
• Pump House Gallery, a contemporary visual art gallery with exhibitions, talks and workshops.

Getting there: Queenstown Road and Battersea Park rail stations are each about a 10-minute walk to the Rosary Gate entrance. Parking charges apply, and car parks are signposted. Wandsworth Council lists opening as 8am until dusk, so confirm gate times before a late visit.

For something to eat, Pear Tree Café is at the Lakeside Café by the boating lake. Kiosks around the park sell drinks, cakes and ice cream. Check current hours before you go.

Details: Enable Leisure & Culture and Wandsworth Council.

Wandsworth Common, SW18

About 69 hectares (roughly 171 acres) of heathland, woodland and grass, with ponds, a lake, a historic windmill, playgrounds, tennis courts, a bowling green and a trim trail. Wandsworth Council is responsible for it, and GoParks lists it as managed by Enable Leisure & Culture.

What it is for:

• A nature wander: the 25-acre area known as The Scope was designed to be ecologically rich, and there is a nature trail.
• Sport: tennis courts, a bowling green and sports pitches.
• Lake and ponds, with fishing in season (membership required).
• Children: playgrounds and a One O’Clock Club.
• A coffee stop at the Skylark Café in the centre of the Common, which serves meals and snacks.

Dogs are allowed, with some dog-free zones. The Common has a long public history: a Common Defence Committee was set up in 1870, and it passed to the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1887.

Getting there: Wandsworth Common station is on Bellevue Road, SW12, and is served by the G1 and 319 buses. Clapham Junction is the other station GoParks names. Do not confuse Wandsworth Common station with Wandsworth Town. The station has stepped access only from platforms 1 to 3.

If you fancy walking, the Battersea Society has a route called “Between the Commons” linking Wandsworth Common and Clapham Common. It says Clapham Junction, Clapham Common and Clapham South stations are each about 15 minutes’ walk from the end of that walk.

Details: GoParks and the London Gardens Trust.

Brockwell Park, SE24

About 51 hectares between Brixton, Herne Hill and Tulse Hill. Lambeth Council bought Brockwell Hall and its grounds in 1891. It is hilly open parkland with a clocktower, formal flower beds, a water garden, ornamental ponds and a walled herbaceous garden.

What it is for:

• Brockwell Lido, a 50-metre outdoor pool open all year. A swim costs £9.50 for adults and £6.00 for children, according to Active Lambeth. Check opening hours on its page, as listings differ.
• The walled garden and flower beds.
• A climb up to Brockwell Hall and its café. It is steep, with about 26 metres of elevation, according to Friends of Brockwell Park.

The Friends’ 2021 guide also describes a miniature railway running at weekends from March to October, so check the current timetable.

Getting there: Herne Hill station is step-free, and the main entrance, at Dulwich Road and Norwood Road, is 250 metres south-west of it. You can also come from Brixton tube on the Victoria line. There are pay-and-display bays on the road outside the lido.

Details: Active Lambeth and Parks & Gardens UK.

Which one?

• Riverside, pagoda and a boat on the lake: Battersea Park.
• Woodland, ponds and a calmer walk: Wandsworth Common.
• A hill, a walled garden and a year-round swim: Brockwell Park.