Eastrop Park is one of the main green spaces close to Basingstoke town centre. The River Loddon runs through the park alongside lakes, play areas and surfaced paths.
Before it was a park
Eastrop Park opened in 1972, as the expanding town was being rebuilt around it. In the 1870s the site held Basingstoke’s corn mill, also known as Penton’s Mill, and the boating lake is its old mill pond. The name is Saxon for the eastern settlement.
The River Loddon runs through the park and feeds a balancing pond in the wildlife area, where kingfishers are sometimes seen. It is the same river that later winds through the water meadows at Old Basing.
What to know
The park is at Eastrop Way, RG21 4QE, a short walk from the town centre and Festival Place.
- Toilets: next to the boating lake, including an accessible toilet.
- Play: a play area open all year, plus a trim trail with monkey bars and pull-up bars.
- Paddling pool: open in spring and summer, but closed until midday on Wednesdays for maintenance.
- Boats: seasonal boat hire on the main lake, weather permitting. The smaller lake belongs to the model boat club.
- Café: an outdoor café, usually open late morning to early evening at weekends and in school holidays between Easter and September.
- Parking: two free car parks off Eastrop Way. One is locked overnight, and getting your car out costs £50, so don’t leave it late.
In summer there are band concerts on some Sundays. First-hand local tips will be added as the guide develops.
Location
