Preston Park, Stockton-on-Tees

Preston Park (officially referred to as Preston Hall Park) is a 2.4-square-kilometre (590-acre) public park located next to the River Tees, in Preston-on-Tees, England. It is highly popular and it hosts many events each year that attract people from across Teesside and further afield. Entrance and parking on site is usually free, though some events may charge.

The land was originally a private residence with large grounds but has since become the property of Stockton Borough Council.

Areas of interest

The space is broken into several diverse areas:

Hall

Preston Hall is an old mansion house dating from 1825 which is now a museum.

Showground

The flat, grassed area in front of the main house is now the main staging ground for large events held in the park. It is easily able to hold the largest of circus tents and other temporary structures. When not being used for an event, this area will often contain people playing sports or picnicing with their children. The field is used for training by a number of football teams, and a local frisbee team. The field does however suffer from drainage problems meaning that it often becomes waterlogged.

Butterfly World

This building houses an environment specially controlled to allow a variety of exotic butterflies to thrive. There is a charge for entry.

Café

Beside the main car park is a café.

Children's playground

Adjacent to the café is a play area containing a variety of traditional swings and more adventurous climbing equipment. This is enclosed by a fence to help prevent children wandering off.

Crazy Golf

In front of the café lies a simple crazy golf course. Originally quite open, the bushes and trees have grown, leaving most of the course hidden from view.

Miniature railway

Across the showground from the car park is a miniature railway with two trains. This only operates during the summer months.

Quarry Wood

This is a popular place for younger mountain bikers, with the main attraction being "The Dippers". These are a series of dirt jumps and gravel corners created by the natural terrain. They are mostly fenced off in an attempt to protect the public from out-of-control bikes.

"The Big Dipper" is a 15ft-deep cut in the ground which is used as a kind of half-pipe. From the top of the slope, riders can aim at a variety of take-off points on the other side, each of which provides differing amounts of "air time".

There are a variety of smaller jumps nearby, as well as some rougher cycling routes.

Previous attractions

The world's first passenger railway ran through the grounds beside the main road in the 1800s. There was no station.

In the 1970s and 80s there was a small zoo within the park, partly covering the area now used by the playground and stretching down to the hall. It famously had a penguin enclosure. There were also llamas and chipmunks, among others.

External links

• Preston Hall Museum and Park
• Butterfly World