Clissold Park

When the sun peeps out in Stoke Newington, you won’t catch locals diving into their hatchbacks and racing to the coast. Stroll down Church Street towards Green Lanes and you’ll see them sprawled in Clissold Park, with sunglasses or children clinging to their faces. Its compact 54 acres allow ample space for hipsters to hang out undisturbed, but it’s still big enough to get lost in. Clear-cut paths lead to Clissold’s seven gates, while cyclists and joggers can also use the bark-strewn track that circles its perimeters. The park has an animal enclosure housing deer and goats nestled in its centre, alongside a butterfly dome and an aviary. Sporty locals can make use of tennis courts, table tennis tables, a skate part and a multi-use cage with basketball hoops and goals. The kids playground features a zip wire, sand pit, metal slide and wooden shipwreck climbing frame, while a splash pad offers a variety of water play features ideal for hot summer days. For light refreshments, head to Clissold House’s café, which serves fairly priced nibbles, or grab a coffee to go from Fink’s Pump House. And be sure to look out for special events, from a thrice-annual ‘feastival’ with local food stalls, live music and comedy, to the Clissold Park Funfair, which usually visits for a couple of weekends in late spring.