I don’t like to give bad reviews, but sadly, in this case, much improvement is needed.

This is a wonderful space with so much potential. Allestree Park also boasts an 18 hole golf course with clubhouse. However, the grounds for the general public, and especially those with mobility needs, fell short.

The carpark has no markings and is littered with potholes, which became our first challenge. As there were no designated bays, you could return to find the space you require, taken up by another parked car. During the walk, the surroundings change, which was lovely to see. However, we went quite a distance feeling comfortable in the electric chair only for the path to run out.

We took two walks here both with challenging terrain. The first we set off with the house behind us and followed the path clockwise keeping the golf course to our right. When we ran out of the path, we were too far into the walk to turn back, and I was forced to navigate a steep hill, and cut across the golf course, in fear of running out of battery if I turned back.

The second walk (shown in the video) took us again away from the house and around the lake anti-clockwise. The path changed so much, going from hard stanging, wide path to very narrow bumpy path very quickly. I did manage this in my electric chair but would advise caution depending on your transport and ability.

The accessible facilities are in the clubhouse, so they are only open when the clubhouse is open. The day we visited, the ramp was not accessible due to cleaning equipment being left out, and nobody around to ask if they could move it. The non-accessible facilities have a small single step to access them.

The Hall has been boarded up and left to the elements, which is sad to see, as it is such a lovely building. Overall the lack of care and attention here is clear to see and spoils the visit. With some time and money, this park could really be an amazing space, to be enjoyed by everyone. Better pathways, more seating, signage for those less able and better facilities at the main building. It is really a lovely park with wide-open space and enchanted woods, along with a large lake. It would be fantastic if in the future the council could see the positives in investing here.