Roundwood Park offers a quiet getaway from the pressures of daily life with 26.5 acres of beautiful greenery to explore. Originally called Knowles Hill (after the nearby Knowles Tower), it was turned into the park we know today during the Victorian era and now has a grade II listed status. Around the entrance and flower garden areas there is a dog control order, but otherwise they are allowed to roam freely. Inside you’ll find a wildlife area, children’s playground, areas for basketball and 5-a-side football, bowling greens and the ever-popular Roundwood Lodge Café.

Opened close to the start of the 20th century, King Edward VII Park attracts locals of all ages right throughout the year. Tennis fanatics are able to pre-book the three courts that are available at a reasonable price. There are also 7-a-side and full-size 11-a-side football pitches, along with multi-use game areas and bowling greens for those who prefer their sports at a more leisurely pace. Healthy walks through the park are regularly organised by Brent council, and with more than 20 acres of lush Northwest London greenery to explore, it’s a local park used and cherished by thousands living nearby.

Mapesbury Dell is a relatively new green space in Willesden Green, having only been made available to the public since 1979. Historically it was owned by All Souls College Oxford (a constituent college of the university) before serving as farmland in the late 1800s. There is a dog control order for this park, so be sure to read up about the restrictions in full if you have a four-legged best friend in need of a walk. Venture inside and you’ll find a beautiful pond filled with wildlife and plenty of spaces and places to lounge around with friends and family on hotter days. Local events are also held in Mapesbury Dell throughout the year, more details of which can be found on their website.

Gladstone Park was originally known as Dollis Hill Park, but due to its strong links with former Prime Minister Sir William Gladstone (who died the previous year and spent much of his time there) the name was changed in December 1899. It offers 97 acres of open green spaces to explore and is the most heavily used park in the borough of Brent. Thanks to its high environmental standards it is also the holder of the prestigious Green Flag Award. Duck ponds and woodlands are popular areas for visitors, and views of Wembley Stadium, London Eye, the Shard and Parliament can be seen from the top of the hill on clear days.

From the pitch-and-putt golf course and six all-weather tennis courts, to the children’s paddling pool and animal farm, it’s easy to see why Queen’s Park attracts so many visitors every day of the year. It is also a holder of the Green Flag award due to the consistently high standards of care and conservation it provides to the space. Queen’s Park originally opened towards the end of the 19th century during the Victorian era and features an iron/timber-clad bandstand that has been Grade II-listed since 2000. The park serves as the centre point for the local community and provides 30 acres of reflective escape away whenever you need it.