Health and Outside Spaces
Being outdoors can be a great way to help your physical health and wellbeing. Click on each of the links below to find out more about the different ways you can enjoy outside space.
Parks, Green Spaces and Visitor Centres
Allotments and Community Spaces
Activities for Children and Young People
Activity and Visitor Centres, Playschemes and Family Friendly Days Out
PARKS, GREEN SPACES & VISITOR CENTRES
Ashfield District Council's website has lots of information about the parks, green spaces and visitor centres throughout the district. Click HERE to find out more about the facilities available in each area.
Mansfield has over 150 parks and green spaces throughout the district. Click HERE to go to Mansfield District Council to find out more about these free community spaces.
Local nature reserves - provide a wonderful world of wildlife right on your doorstep just waiting to be explored.The nature reserves offer footpaths, cycle ways and bridle paths and are open for everyone to enjoy. Each offer special habitats, such as woodland, heathland, wetland and grassland and are home to a variety of wildlife including bats, birds and insects. Mansfield has 9 local nature reserves, click HERE to go to Mansfield District Council find out where they are, and what they offer. Ashfield District Council has a list of ancient woodlands and local wildlife sites and 4 local nature reserves - click HERE to find out what's on offer in Ashfield.
There are walking groups for all ages and abilities throughout Mansfield and Ashfield - Mansfield CVS has a list of 'Walk and Talk' walking groups in Mansfield and Ashfield. Click HERE to find out more.
Ramblers, Britain's walking charity, has information about wellbeing walks in your area. Ramblers Wellbeing Walks are free, short walks that take place all across England. They’re designed to help you take the first step towards better health, wellbeing and happiness – and with hundreds of walks happening every week, you’re sure to find one right on your doorstep.
There’s no need to book or plan a route. All you need to do is pull on your shoes and come join them! Click HERE to find out about what's happening locally.
AGE UK Nottingham and Nottinghamshire 
offers free guided walks around the County, led by trained walk leaders. Walks are FREE and everyone is welcome, though they ask that people under the age of 18 are accompanied by an adult. They also offer Gentle Walk & Talks which are slower paced and are aimed at people who are wanting to become more mobile and may struggle with long term health conditions. The Gentle Walk and Talk goes from Sutton Lawns.
They also run a Veterans Camaraderie Walk at Kingsmill Reservoir
Click HERE for information about the walks and when and where they are happening.
Walk Notts 
Walk Notts aims to inspire people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to walk more often. Particularly those who don’t usually walk in their everyday lives. Walk Notts wants to change the way people think and behave around walking and help people to find their own motivation to walk.
May is national walking month and Walk Notts aims to:
- Celebrate what’s already happening around walking.
- Promote special or new walking/wheeling projects in May through the Enabling fund.
- Be at the Notts County Show on the 10th May, 2025.
- Highlight walking/wheeling projects though social media throughout May.
- Give out bingo cards of walking/wheeling activities to help people to make walking part of their everyday lives.
There are lots of ways in which you can get involved.Click HERE to go to the Walk Notts website to find out how you can join in.
Ashfield District Council has 16 allotments sites across Ashfield in Hucknall, Sutton in Ashfield, and Kirkby in Ashfield. There is also a community-run allotment site in Kirkby. If you live in Ashfield you can apply for one or more of their allotments. There is currently a waiting list as all plots are taken. Allotments are a great way of growing low cost food, getting exercise and being social. A green space within our towns they also offer a way for skills to be shared and passed on. Click HERE to find out more.
Ashfield Voluntary Action has its own community garden and associated gardening group. Click HERE to see how you can join in.
Mansfield District Council has 14 allotments across Mansfield and Mansfield Woodhouse and 5 community allotments which give residents the perfect opportunity to get involved with gardening – without the responsibility and cost of running the plot. Click HERE to find out more.
parkruns - in the Ashfield and Mansfield area there are five parkruns; Brierley Forest, Mansfield, Sherwood Pines, Vicar Water Country Park and Bestwood Village. parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. parkrun is 5k and takes place every Saturday morning. Our Events and Activities Officer, Yvonne, (pictured right at Brierly Park) is a keen runner and she and her husband Paul take part every weekend. parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive, there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along. Click HERE to find out more.
ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE
For low-cost and no-cost activities for children and young people which enable them to be active and enjoy outside spaces, click on the links below to find out what is happening in your area.
Junior parkrun - junior parkrun is 2k, dedicated to 4-14 year olds and their families, every Sunday morning. You can walk, jog, run or spectate this free community event. For information about the junior parkrun at Sutton Lawn and other parkruns across Mansfield and Ashfield please click HERE.
Click HERE to find out what's going on at your local Leisure Centre.
Outdoor recreation and sports - click HERE to find out what is on offer in Ashfield (with an interactive map) including, BMX courses, cricket pitches, fitness areas, hockey, football pitches, MUGA or ball courts, skate parks and parkour or free running.
Events, activities and roadshows - Ashfield District Council also runs one-off events and actitivites throughout the district which include fun activities for children and young people.
Feel Good Families is a scheme run through Ashfield District Council which aims to provide opportunities for families in Ashfield to move, play and smile together through community based activities and events. This could include cookery, arts and crafts or sport and physical activity. You can sign up online HERE for free and search for activities by age and type of activity.
Parks - local parks have plenty of facilities which can be enjoyed by children and young people including play areas, children's play trails, mountain bike tracks, picnic areas, horse routes, cycling trails, skateparks, fishing platforms and community allotments. Click HERE to find out what is on offer in Ashfield District.
ACTIVITY & VISITOR CENTRES, PLAYSCHEMES & FAMILY FRIENDLY DAYS OUT
Ashfield and the surrounding area has a number of fun activities and family friendly days out for children and young people to enjoy, Some of these activities are only accessible by car, are further afield, and there may be a charge for using them. Click on each of the links below to find out more.
Ashfield Playcare Scheme - at Lammas Compound in Sutton-in-Ashfield provides a holiday play scheme for children aged 4-11 years. Activities range from arts and crafts to indoor and outdoor games. The Scheme also offers a pool table, a large varied outdoor play area with swings, climbing frames, a large grassed area and a wide range of indoor toys for the children to play with. As well as supervised times on computers and game consoles. The charge for a full day is £33 per child or £17 for a half day. and after-school club.
The Mill Adventure Base Holiday Club - offers adventurous holiday clubs for children and young people aged from 7 -13. The clubs run during February half term, Easter, May half term, summer holidays and October half term. At The Mill Adventure Base holiday club, your child will get to try new activities, learn new skills, and make new friends all while having fun! Young adventurers will experience at least three fun activities each day, ranging from climbing, canoeing, zip wire and many more. Bookings are for the whole week.
Rufford Abbey County Park - offers adventure play, adventure golf, archery, boating lake and a busy events calendar (some activities are only open from Summer 2025 onwards). Activity passes include archery, boating and adventure golf and cost £12.50 per person, or £40 for a group of four. Click HERE to access the events calendar to plan your visit, some events and activities are free or low cost, but car park charges (£7.00 per car) apply.
Sherwood Pines offers activity trails, play areas, bike hire, wild running and mountain biking trails. Click HERE to find out more about the Go Ape zip wires (age, weight and height restrictions apply). Parking ranges from £3.80 for up to 1 hour, to £12 for an all day ticket.
Sherwood Forest offers a range of family friendly events and activities in the heart of Sherwood Forest. Click HERE to check out the events page, HERE to plan your visit and HERE to find out more about the highly popular Robin Hood festival. Parking is £6 per day.
