Weston Park/Crookes Valley Park

(outside Dam House)

Weston Park/Crookes Valley Park, also known as Izzy's local - We're in these parks every day as it's just outside our house and they are situated next to eachother with only a one way road between them. You can find these parks in the Walkley area of Sheffield next to the children's hospital and Sheffield University arts tower. 

Parking

Mushroom lane runs between both parks, although parking on sides road and the main road does have parking limits and some are pay and display. There is 3 disabled bays between both parks on mushroom lane as well as more pay and display. Cost and times vary. 

Crookes Valley Park (CVP)

This park is centred around a fish pond where fishermen often sit around to fish, it's not a dog friendly pond, although try telling Izzy that...

There is plenty of grass areas, most are quite hilly apart from an old bowling green that's now overgrown. However next to it there is a bowling green that is still in use !DO NOT! let your dog play on there if possible, it's not taken nicely. 

Next to the unused green is a fenced in playground (no dogs) for children. The paths are cemented so this park is good for a clean walk or a muddy one if you aren't likely to stay on the path. You can do this park on its own in half an hour easy. I often come across local dog walkers who we are on first name basis with (not just dog name basis). The park itself is fenced in, however one if not both, gates are usually left open. There is an entrance that has steps but the other hasn't. It goes deep enough that you can just lead your dog nearer to the gates on the way out, if they're not likely to wander too far. 

Also Dam House is a restaurant/bar on the other side of the fish pond which you can take your dogs to, inside or out, so long as they behave, the food is average but the drinks are flowing and can be a nice meal out towards the end of summer (Too overcrowded during summer for us). 

Behind Dam House is a sport centre for the university so this park is often used for students to cut through to get there. The pond is also used a circuit to run around. 

Summary - 

No water, muddy areas in bad weather but clean paths.

Joggers and kids all year round but can be overcrowded during summer. Occasionally this park is empty, either to bad weather or time of day. 

Weston Park

This park is a bit nicer than CVP in my opinion and the fields are flatter (although the main field is very muddy in bad weather, sometimes used as a rugby field). Weston Park also has a duck pond, also not dog friendly, but again, try telling Izzy that. There is a museum so can be congested with visitors and school visits, this park is also used as a cut through from one side to the other so people traffic can be quite bad at certain times of the day. It is a no cycling park but people still do cut through there on bikes and both gates are open at all times. Again this park can be done on its own in half an hour so combining the two makes for a good hours walk. 

Summary -

No water, muddy on the grass but clear footpath. 

Joggers and people can be very crowded especially during summer. I do avoid this park during the summer season sometimes as it can get overcrowded (next to the university, and hospitals)