Markeaton Park Reviews Summary

Park Facilities

Pros:

• "Lovely park full of open spaces, well cared for areas of nature, wilder areas of trees and beauty, and a number of great activities."
• "Fantastic!! So much for the children to do, they loved the paddling pool & play area which is well thought out to be inclusive & fenced all round."
• "It's a great park with lots to do - the outdoor pool is a great asset."
• "Great playground, grounds and paddling pool."
• "Brilliant wide open parkland with lake and lots of activities."
• "Formal gardens, tennis courts, The Orangery Cafe and independent shop units, kids play areas, dog walking, kids boating, kids donkey rides, miniature railway."
• "Big and beautiful. Parked with lots of fun activities for children including bouncing castles, water activities, swings and much more."

Cons:

• "Little fairground expensive and catering/ice cream facilities with little choice, poor quality and expensive."
• "Recently visited the Christmas fare, rather disappointing, very few rides open, perhaps 1/2 dozen people there?"
• "Pool area was shut today so the kids were disappointed."
• "The lake looks like a pool of toxic waste."
• "The children's rides and activities have become expensive and very limited for tall or/and Disabled children and adults."
• "You can also spend a small fortune on the terrible-for-value climbing facility."
• "The park hasn't been updated for a good 15 years."

Park Accessibility

Pros:

• "The car park is spacious and you pay a small fee which all helps the Maintenance of the lovely clean park."
• "Parking is well located and reasonably priced."
• "Parking available and EV charging space."
• "Easily accessible with a huge car park."
• "Plenty of parking, disabled badge holders park free, parking all day is £5."
• "Good sized park with a decent amount of parking spaces."
• "The spacious car park made it convenient for us to find a spot easily."

Cons:

• "Wrongly advertised prices for drinks at the café and for nearly 5pound for two tiny cups of coffee is extornaite."
• "The parking is expensive though £2.50 for 2 hours £1.60 for one hour."
• "Parking can be expensive and a faff as no card machines."
• "It's such a popular place that on a hot day you will not be able to park, not enough spaces."
• "The only issue I had is with the parking. It only takes coins with no option to pay with card or via an app."
• "Only downfall is paid parking which is quite expensive."
• "The one thing that let's it down is the car park. It's always rammed and you struggle to park."

Food and Shopping

Pros:

• "The cafe 'The Orangery' was nice the food was reasonably priced and tasty."
• "The old cafe is beautiful and reasonably priced."
• "The cafe is lovely and not too expensive."
• "Reasonably priced snacks available in the cafe, and on summer days, ice cream from the kiosk."
• "The cafe in the courtyard has a good menu for light bites and serves lovely ice cream."
• "Then coffee & cake at the Orangery is a must."
• "The tea rooms are clean with a basic, well presented menu and pleasant helpful staff."

Cons:

• "None of the smaller stalls selling ice cream or drinks were open meaning queues were large for the cafe and ice cream van."
• "And the cafe there is ran down and over priced."
• "The cafe could be a little better."
• "The shops are expensive (£12 for 1 water and 3 small slushies) and the toilets near the paddling pool were dirty and smelly."
• "Ice cream a little expensive (accept cards, lol)."
• "Queued a whole hour to get an ice cream as there is only one shop selling food/drinks (at rip off prices for what you get)."
• "Very nice park but was a bit expensive on the stalls serving food and ice creams."

General Experience

Pros:

• "Love love love this entire space and area!"
• "Overall a lovely day out for all the family."
• "Definitely worth a visit!"
• "A lovely park that we will definitely visit again."
• "We managed to spend an entire day there without getting bored."
• "It's no wonder why it's one of my favourite places to visit in Derby!"
• "Absolutely amazing park, best one I have been to yet."

Cons:

• "Don't go on a really sunny day, as every person in derby and beyond goes it seems, and it's just way too hectic."
• "Can be overcrowded on bank Holidays and during the summer holidays."
• "Gets very busy during the summer holidays."
• "The toilets we're generally a wet dirty mess."
• "My advice is don't go rubbish everywhere, fallen trees are left where they fell."
• "Went today only to find it was £5 to park my car..absolutely disgusted no discount for disabled people."
• "The paddling pool grates the skin of kids as very rough. Poolside is slippy."