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For families across the UK, a festive Christmas Day walk is a much-loved part of the celebrations. After a morning of unwrapping presents and a day filled with indulgent food and drinks, heading outdoors offers the perfect chance to stretch your legs, walk off the festive snacking, and enjoy some quality time together before celebrations continue into the night.
With this in mind, the experts at idealo analysed over 50 parks across the UK to uncover the nation’s most popular green spaces and highlight the perfect settings for a festive Christmas Day walk, using key metrics such as park ratings, monthly Google searches, and the number of Instagram and TikTok posts.
Heaton Park is one of the best places in the UK for a festive walk 
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Ranking in sixth, Heaton Park offers a 4.1 rating and 135,000 monthly Google searches, making it Manchester’s standout choice for a Christmas Day walk. The park features a Grade I listed, 18th-century country house – Heaton Hall – woodlands, ornamental gardens, and open spaces, providing the perfect setting for a festive stroll.
Having played host to the mighty Oasis reunion shows, and being close to the hearts of many in Manchester, Heaton Park is a staple in the city, so we’re not entirely surprised it appeared in the rankings. Families can explore the woodland paths and enjoy the winter fresh air, making it an ideal destination for quality time outdoors on Christmas Day – or indeed any time during the festive season.
Other lovely UK parks for a festive walk 
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Richmond Park tops the list as the perfect setting for a Christmas Day stroll. With a 4.7 rating, 301,000 monthly Google searches, and over 500,000 Instagram posts, this iconic London park transforms into a winter wonderland during the festive season.
London is particularly lucky when it comes to Christmas Day walks, with four of the UK’s top parks located in the capital. Richmond Park, Hyde Park, Greenwich Park, and Hampstead Heath offer families a variety of festive strolls, from scenic woodlands and historic landscapes to open lawns perfect for winter picnics or spotting wildlife.
Top 10 UK parks for a festive walk (with park rating)
- Richmond Park, London (4.7)
- Hyde Park, London (4.6)
- Greenwich Park, London (4.6)
- Sefton Park, Liverpool (4.6)
- Hampstead Heath, London (4.7)
- Heaton Park, Manchester (4.1)
- Victoria Park, Bath (4.5)
- Roundhay Park, Leeds (4.6)
- Sutton Park, Birmingham (4.6)
- Weston Park, Sheffield (5)