Barking Park
Located in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, Barking Park is a beautiful green space covering 30 hectares. It’s perfect for nature lovers, sports fans, and families.
Our park is more than just a place to relax; it’s a community hub. With facilities like the boating lake, splash park, and sports courts, there’s plenty to do. Plus, our Green Flag Award shows how well-maintained and valuable the park is to the community.
Barking Park was opened in 1898 as the Recreation Ground by the Barking Town Urban District Council, making it the oldest public park in the borough.
The Boating Lake, the park’s most significant feature is a 910-metre-long boating lake, which has been a popular attraction since its introduction.
The park contains a war memorial, renovated in 2000, dedicated to the men of Barking who fell in World War I and World War II .
Between 2010 and 2012, the park underwent significant restoration, and improvement works funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, including new pathways, a children’s play area, and a splash park
Discover the beauty and diversity of Barking Park. Whether you’re looking to engage in sports, enjoy a peaceful walk, or participate in community events, Barking Park has something for everyone.
Key Information
Getting There
Location
Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8TA
Contact
Email parksandenvironment@lbbd.gov.uk
Parking
Available on-site (Charges apply)
Accessibility
The park is accessible with well-maintained paths and seating areas.
Green Flag Award
Barking Park is proud to be a Green Flag Award site. The Green Flag Award is an international mark of quality for parks and green spaces. It sets the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces, ensuring that they are well-managed, accessible, and meet the needs of the community.
Sporting Facilities
Football pitches available for booking. Email pitchbookings@lbbd.gov.uk
Tennis courts available for booking with Clubspark
One basketball court, free to access.
Barking & District Bowls Club. Founded in 1965 and officially opened in 1970, Barking & District Bowls Club is the only purpose-built indoor bowls club in the area. It offers both indoor and outdoor bowling facilities and welcomes new members. Telephone 020 8594 9250.
Play Areas
Children’s playground, a fun and safe area for children.
Splash Park
A water play area for children to enjoy during the summer months.
Company Drinks
Company Drinks is a community enterprise based in Barking Park. It brings people together to pick, make, and sell drinks, while also offering workshops and events focused on nature, wellbeing, and community.
Feed the Ducks
We have installed duck food feeding stations at the lake, allowing visitors to purchase high-quality duck food to feed the swans, geese, and ducks. This ensures that the birds receive the correct nutrition, promoting their health and well-being. Bread and leftovers are unhealthy for birds as they lack essential nutrients and can cause malnutrition, digestive issues, and obesity. Additionally, feeding birds bread and leftovers can pollute the lake, leading to water quality issues and harming the ecosystem.
Do's
Be kind to wildlife – Enjoy watching animals and birds, but don’t disturb them.
Walking your dog? Keep them under control and always keep them on a lead near:
- Playgrounds, play areas
- Lakes (to protect nesting birds)
- Public buildings
- Always clean up after your dog using the bins provided
Picnics are welcome! Just remember to take all your rubbish home with you.
Countryside byelaws
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, like other councils, has wide powers to make byelaws in relation to a range of areas under its control. Generally, byelaws seek to uphold good order, government and public health
Report to us
Please help the Ranger Service by reporting any problems you see or ideas that you have that will improve your enjoyment of the parks and nature reserves in the borough.
Don'ts
Don’t harm or disturb wildlife – It’s against the law to hurt or scare wild animals or birds.
Don’t damage or disturb animal homes like nests or burrows, especially during breeding season.
No hunting or capturing. No traps, nets, or snares – These can harm protected animals.
Birds of prey can only be brought in with permission. Please see the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
No fishing, except at Eastbrookend Country Park (with a valid rod licence). Check fishing rules here.
No swimming in lakes or walking on them when they are frozen.
No model boats.
Fires, and barbecues are strictly forbidden.
Camping is not allowed.
No setting up tents, gazebos, or marquees without permission.
Don’t climb on:
- Fences, walls, or railings
- Trees or park structures (enclosures, posts…etc)
- No motorbikes in the park
- No model aircrafts or drones
- No selling or trading in the park
Boating Lake
Just imagine beautiful Unicorns gliding peacefully on the lake! It is not a fairy tale but a reality! Welcome to the Magical Unicorn Lake nestled in the heart of Barking Park, Essex!
Skate Park
A dedicated area for skateboarding and rollerblading.
Cafe
A place to relax and enjoy refreshments.
Walking and Picnic Areas
Benches, picnic tables, and weather shelters are scattered throughout the park, making it an ideal spot for family outings and picnics.
Keep an eye on our events calendar for upcoming events
Barking Park hosts a variety of community events and activities throughout the year. Keep an eye on our events calendar for upcoming events.
Wild and Free in LBBD
Each year the Barking & Dagenham Park Ranger Service invites local residents to share their experiences of LBBD’s parks through the Wild & Free Photo Competition.
Friends of the parks
Are you interested in making a positive contribution to the management and development of your local park? Then please join the Friends group to help make a difference.
Community groups
Read more about some of the brilliant local organisations (that we sometimes partner with) who support the local community and help make our borough a better place to live.
Things to do -
Click on the icons to find out more!
More Information
