wellbeing walks: three beautiful north east parks to visit

a stroll in the park can do wonders for my mental health so welcome to the first instalment of wellbeing walks. I'm writing this in the midst of an endometriosis flare-up and wanted to let you know about three beautiful parks we have recently visited. they each provided a change of scenery and a moment to connect with nature. they are all fantastic small walks in north east, perfect for when something a little slower and easier is needed.

1. locke park, redcar

what an absolute delight of a park. we couldn't believe the amount of wildlife that we saw! squirrels chomping on scraps of food, mice scurrying along the grass, geese strolling around, the fluffiest cygnets and not one but two herons!! Lucy and I really enjoyed looking at all of the beautiful planted flowers, wildflowers and they have a sensory garden full of herbs and bee-friendly shrubs as well as a garden of roses. we couldn't believe our eyes as the squirrels approached people and took food from their hands (?!) so will definitely be attempting this in the near future! they have a café, toilets and you can even hire a peddle boat to enjoy the delights of the water.

2. ward jackson park, hartlepool

we often visit hartlepool and I've never visited this park! although I have frequented the wetherspoons with the same name, haha. I was pleasantly surprised and very happy to learn that this park also has water. we saw fish in the shallow areas and lots of ducks wandering around! the park looked beautiful in the late springtime with it's colourful trees and blooming flowers. it was very peaceful and we both enjoyed watching the birds in the trees. a well maintained park that was quiet but bustling with wildlife. they have a café and toilets.

3. ropner park, stockton-on-tees

ropner park also has a beautiful body of water at it's heart. we saw two swan families that had the fluffiest cygnets and I loved watching the geese on their little floating islands. I spied a swan looking after a nest of babies but they were very well tucked in between the reeds and hard to photograph. the park had beautiful planted flowerbeds and plenty of paths to follow. the sun decided to make an appearance so a minty magnum was also enjoyed! they have a café, toilets and pay-to-play tennis courts if you fancy it.