Forest Recreation Ground
🏟 Playground & park · Forest Fields, Nottingham
Forest Recreation Ground
An 80-acre city-fringe recreation ground with a pirate-themed destination playground, cafe pavilion and tram access.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Open space accessible daily; cafe toilets open Tue-Fri 9:30am-3:30pm and Sat 10am-3:30pm · Free · No booking needed
About Forest Recreation Ground
The Forest Recreation Ground is an 80-acre open space about a mile north of Nottingham city centre, managed by Nottingham City Council and best known to many as the home of the annual Goose Fair. The site sweeps up a grassy slope from Gregory Boulevard and combines sport, play and open green space. For families the headline feature is the pirate-themed destination playground, a Play Pathfinder scheme with a pirate ship as its centrepiece, backed up by other children's play areas across the grounds. Around the play areas you will find the Forest Pavilion, which houses a cafe and changing rooms with toilets, free outdoor gyms open to all abilities, the Forest Sports Zone with 3G and grass football pitches, and a community garden. A free Saturday parkrun uses the site each week. Access is easy: there is a main car park off Gregory Boulevard, a disabled car park off Mansfield Road, and an NET tram stop with a Park and Ride on the boulevard. It is a lively, well-connected park that works well for a family outing or a longer afternoon of play and sport.
⭐ What makes this place special
- Forest Pavilion with cafe and changing rooms
- Free outdoor gyms
- Forest Sports Zone 3G pitches and grass football pitches
- Community garden
- Parkrun every Saturday
- NET tram stop and Park and Ride on Gregory Boulevard
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: Main car park off Gregory Boulevard, plus a disabled car park off Mansfield Road (radar key)
- Toilets on site
- Café / refreshments
- Dogs: Dogs welcome on leads in designated areas
🧒 Ages & play
- Pirate-themed 'Play Pathfinder' destination playground
- Additional children's play areas across the site
📍 Nearby places to play
- Sycamore Recreation Ground · approx 0.7 miles · St Ann's
- Radford Recreation Ground · approx 0.9 miles · Radford
- Victoria Park · approx 1.0 miles · City Centre
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is the Forest Recreation Ground free?
Yes. It is a free public open space managed by Nottingham City Council, with no payment needed to use the playground.
What's in the playground?
There is a pirate-themed destination playground, the Play Pathfinder, with a pirate ship centrepiece, plus other children's play areas across the site.
Are there toilets and a cafe?
Yes. The Forest Pavilion has a cafe and toilets; the cafe toilets open Tue-Fri 9:30am-3:30pm and Sat 10am-3:30pm.
Where is the Forest Recreation Ground?
It is on Gregory Boulevard, Forest Fields, about a mile north of Nottingham city centre, postcode NG7 6LD.
Is there parking?
Yes. There is a main car park off Gregory Boulevard and a disabled car park off Mansfield Road (radar key required), plus an NET tram stop and Park and Ride on the boulevard.