Thornes Park
🏟 Playground & park · Thornes, Wakefield
Thornes Park
Wakefield's main park near the city centre, with a big inclusive play area opened in 2022, a miniature railway, duck lake, aviary and 60 hectares of green space.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Park open every day · Free · No booking needed
About Thornes Park
Thornes Park is Wakefield's principal open space, less than a mile from the city centre and set within 60 hectares of parkland with a two-mile circular path. In December 2022 a new play area opened, designed to be inclusive for children of different abilities. It includes an inclusive swing seat and basket swing, a wheelchair-accessible roundabout and low-level sensory panels, alongside a train-themed toddler area, a 'giant's unit' standing nearly nine metres tall, and a motte and bailey castle-styled area with an embankment tube slide and a double zip line. Beyond the playground, families can enjoy a skateboard park, a duck lake, an aviary, a miniature steam railway and a bandstand, while the adjacent Thornes Park Stadium adds an athletics track and leisure facilities. The park has three car parks, toilets available during centre opening hours, and refreshments at the Stork Lodge Café. Together with neighbouring Clarence Park and Holmfield Park it forms a large area of parkland to the south-west of the city, making it one of the best-equipped free days out for families in the Wakefield district.
⭐ What makes this place special
- 60 hectares of open space
- 2-mile circular path
- skateboard park
- duck lake
- aviary
- miniature steam railway
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: True
- Toilets on site
- Café / refreshments
- Accessibility: New play area (opened December 2022) has equipment for children of different abilities, including an inclusive swing seat and basket swing, a wheelchair-accessible roundabout and low-level sensory panels
🧒 Ages & play
- Ages: toddlers to older children (inclusive, all abilities)
- inclusive swing seat
- basket swing
- wheelchair-accessible roundabout
- low-level sensory panels
- train-themed toddler area
- giant's unit (nearly 9m tall)
- motte and bailey castle-styled area with embankment tube slide
- double zip line
📍 Nearby places to play
- Pugneys Country Park · approx 1.3 miles · Sandal
- Anglers Country Park · approx 4.6 miles · Wintersett
- Springhead Park · approx 5.5 miles · Rothwell
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Is Thornes Park free to visit?
Yes. Thornes Park is a free, public park managed by Wakefield Council and is open every day. There is no charge to use the play area or green spaces.
What is in the playground at Thornes Park?
A new play area opened in December 2022 with inclusive equipment including a swing seat and basket swing, a wheelchair-accessible roundabout and sensory panels, plus a train-themed toddler area, a nearly 9m-tall 'giant's unit', a castle-styled area with an embankment tube slide and a double zip line.
Are there toilets and a cafe at Thornes Park?
Yes. Toilets are available during centre opening hours and there is the Stork Lodge Café in the park.
Is there parking at Thornes Park?
Yes, there are three car parks serving the park on Horbury Road, WF2 8TY.
What else is there to do at Thornes Park?
As well as the playground there is a skateboard park, a duck lake, an aviary, a miniature steam railway, a bandstand, a two-mile circular path and the adjacent Thornes Park Stadium with an athletics track.