Sport on parks

We provide a programme of outdoor recreational activities in parks, playing fields and open spaces throughout Leicester.

Update regarding national restrictions

Following the government’s announcement on 23 November organised outdoor sport can now return across all tiers from 2 December. Organisations and clubs participating in outdoor sport will need to follow their NGB guidance regarding Covid-19 control measures and have risk assessments in place to manage their sport in a Covid-secure manner.

Informal or self organised sport in Leicester must adhere to Tier 3 restrictions:

• Tier 3 - households or support bubbles indoors and outdoors only (except in some public outdoor places such as parks and sports facilities, where people can meet in groups of up to 6).

Full guidance on how to participate in grassroots sport and physical activity during COVID restrictions can be found at GOV.UK.

Bowls clubs

There are 10 bowling greens throughout the city, all of which have their own individually clubs, catering for men's, women's and mixed games. Situated in eight of the city's parks.

• Abbey Park - Abbey Park Mixed Club
• Aylestone Hall Gardens – Aylestone Hall Gardens Mens and Aylestone Hall Gardens Ladies Bowls club
• Evington Park - Evington Park mixed club
• Humberstone Park - Humberstone Park Mixed and Humberstone Park Ladies Bowls club
• Monks Rest Gardens – Old Humberstone Mixed Bowls
• Rushey Fields - Rushey Mead Mixed Bowls club
• Spinney Hill Park – Spinney Hill Mixed Bowls club
• Western Park - Western Park Men's and Western Park Ladies Bowls club

Cricket

We have four grass cricket wickets and nine artificial wickets for both junior and senior play. Subject to availability, wickets are prepared from mid-April to mid-September at nine different parks and open spaces. Three-hour slots are available for casual bookings.

• Aylestone Playing Fields – one artificial wicket
• Evington Park – two artificial wickets
• Humberstone Park - one artificial wicket
• Knighton Park - one artificial wicket
• Rushey Fields - one artificial wicket
• Spinney Hill Park - one artificial wicket (recreational use only)
• Victoria Park  - one artificial wicket
• Welford Road Playing Fields - one artificial wicket
• Western Park  - four grass wickets.

Cricket tournaments need to be booked as an event. For more information, please see the link below:

• Booking a park or public space

Croquet

The Leicester Croquet Club was established in 1985 and is based at the pavilion and croquet green at Monks Rest Gardens. The season runs from April to October. New members are welcome. Full tuition and introductory courses are organised by the club through the season. For more information please visit the Leicester Croquet Club website.

Fitness on parks

A range of organised fitness programmes are available in Leicester parks including Park Run at Victoria Park and at Braunstone Park, Aylestone junior park-run, Kids run free at Knighton Park and at Braunstone Park.

See our section on Fitness on parks.

Football

There are a total 60 football pitches on our parks. Football pitches are prepared from September to mid April at a number of parks and open spaces. All games must be booked in advanced through the office giving at least seven days notice.

Further information about local leagues can be found on the Leicestershire & Rutland County FA website.

Orienteering

Orienteering is a challenging outdoor adventure sport enjoyed by people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Courses are available at Abbey Park, Braunstone Park, Castle Hill Country Park, Evington Park, Arboretum, Knighton Park, Watermead Country Park South and Western Park. You can download maps from the British Orienteering website. 

Courses are normally named after colours of the rainbow and are graded from easy to moderate. Leicestershire Orienteering club runs an event every week in the summer and alternate weeks in the winter. Advice and guidance on how to improve your skills is available on club training nights. More information is available on the Leicestershire Orienteering club website.

If you are looking for an orienteering challenge for your school or youth group, please email the Leicestershire Orienteering Club.

Ping!

Ping! tables are permanently installed at seven parks across Leicester:

• Abbey Park
• Evington Park
• Jesse Jackson Park
• Knighton Park
• Spinney Hill Park
• Victoria Park
• Western Park

Leicester Blue Sox baseball club

The club are now permanently based at Western park. For more information please see the following link:

• Leicester Blue Sox website

Tennis

The 11 locations below have courts that are free to use:

• Abbey Park - five courts
• Aylestone Playing Fields - two courts
• Aylestone Hall Gardens - two courts
• Evington Park - six courts
• Humberstone Park - four courts
• Knighton Park - two courts
• Monks Rest Gardens - five courts
• Mowmacre Sports Ground - three courts
• Rushey Fields - four courts
• Victoria Park - four floodlit courts.
  • More information and coaching
• Western Park - six courts

Find out about the Leicester Tennis League.

Play tennis at Victoria Park for £42 a year

Victoria Park, located just five minutes from the centre of Leicester, has four full sized floodlit tennis courts, so you can continue to play tennis as the evenings draw in.

There are opportunities to play in competitions and leagues, as well as casual play if you only want to enjoy a game or two with friends and family. There’s access to tennis coaching for both juniors and seniors of all abilities. There’s no dress code or joining fee.

Contact Us

Send us a message