Princes Park

Playing the younger sibling to Sefton park is this little beauty. Open spaceand a gorgeous lake await the morning jogger, the brunch dog walker, the lunch mother and kids and people walking through all must secretly admire what they have here. I am and will always be a big fan of parks such as this.
You see open spaces whether we like to believe or not subconciously take us all back to some form of in built freedom and peace. That breath of fresh air and open sky is something we just love. I use the word we loosely of course, as in today’s modern day and age not everyone is blessed with optimism and brought up in a loving and caring environment. None the less, Princes park was recently confirmed as grade II historic park by English Heritage. The lake in the centre of the park is popular amongst fisherman. Myself I haven’t got round to the joys of this past time, perhaps I’m not old enough just yet. Though I’ve heard it is a relaxing hobby. Princes park thus adds another dimension to the Pool as a destination along with all the culture and the city life there are plenty of open green places like this to keep us all happy when here. Now that’s just royal isn’t it!

Princes Park is in the south of Liverpool and is jut round the corner from Sefton Park.
You can access the park from the large ornate & regal looking gates at the end of Princes Avenue or you can enter it from the back on Ullet Road. From Ullet road you can see right across the park and see the hills, trees and flowers which make this park look so attractive.
Princes Park is good for playing games, cycling, fishing in the lake, walking or sitting and chilling. It is much quieter than Sefton park so you can sit, look across the park at the nice views, and have a quiet hour or two lost in your thoughts.

I had no idea Princes Park existed until one morning years ago when I was too hungover to continue a bus trip so just fell off the vehicle and stumbled in. What confronted me was a remarkably placid area of parkland that has all the sculptured class of Sefton Park but the lovable, scrubby abandon of Wavertree. Everything feels in a crumbling state of disrepair, like people are only just strolling back in after a decade of the gates being chained shut.
Now if I have a hangover to walk off, I head straight for Princes Park. Listening to ‘Perfect Day’ as wood pigeons flutter through the sunlight is enough to quell the burning sense of shame and/​or regret over the previous night’s antics.
Oh, and look out for the gravestone of Judy the donkey, who died in 1926. I’ve yet to find it. It’s like my white whale.

Just as Toxteth is misunderstood and looked down upon as it nestles between the more affluent Aigburth and the city centre, Princes Park is rarely appreciated as a genuinely nice open space.
With this being the case thois often a much quieter and serene place — in the hours of daylight, I still wouldn’t advise going for a late stroll though the poorly grass here — so with its large pond it makes for a great place for fishing. Fishing is surprisingly popular in Liverpool! In light of this, the pond side is often littered with cans and food as lads while away days, well catching fish I assume? I can’t imagine what’s in there but with common sightings of Heron and Moorhen their is definitely life in there.
Although Sefton tends to get all the big events such as circus and Africa Oye, Princes Park will often host more community orientated events from local groups and schools.
If strolling to town, take a detour through Princes Park rather heading straight along Park Road or Princes Ave.

Princes Park is slightly overlooked due to its close proximity to its Big Sister Sefton Park which is only a stones throw away. However it’s a pretty little park that’s just in need of a little TLC.
It has a really well used fishing lake and there are many a fisherman on the banks waiting for their catch of the day. I’ve never really understood the concept of fishing and kind of wished that they would dress up like gnomes but that’s just me.
Anyway, if you go for a stroll around the lake and are feeling slightly imaginative, if you squint a little and photoshop out the flats that protrude from the top of the once glorious manor house, you can almost see Pemberley and Mr Darcy emerging from the lake… Well, maybe that was a fisherman, but I can dream!