Park of the week

63. Claremont Park and Exploratory Park

Claremont park, Barnet’s newest, opened in the Brent Cross Town development on June 9th, 2022. It has over three hundred new trees including apple, pear and cherry, wildflower meadows, green space with sports facilities, water features including a large pond with viewing deck, sandpits and water pumps for play, and nature trails. Natural materials have been used throughout – for example, the children’s climbing structure uses reclaimed timbers from Pier.  There are drinking fountains, a community-run ice cream kiosk, and toilets. There’s emphasis on ecology with bat boxes, and houses for solitary bees; unfortunately, neither are large enough for me to fit inside. 

Next to Claremont Park is Brent Cross Exploratory Park, described as a temporary park. It was built on what had been the similarly named Clarefield Park , which we had visited in early 2020 when it consisted of a strip of grass with a few trees. It’s been completely transformed and was opened later in 2020. The space will be available for several years until Claremont Park is completed (I don’t know what more is to be done), when the equipment, trees and spaces will become part of it. The trees in Exploratory Park have been planted in pots for planned relocation.

Exploratory Park has a variety of play equipment for children. It has three main spaces: a paved area for events and games, an open grassy area, and an area with new play equipment. There is also outdoor table tennis, an outdoor gym, basketball court, and places to sit.

Visitors to both parks are ‘invited to walk, cycle or use public transport’, which is all very well for those without mobility issues or who fancy cycling along the Benighted North Circular Road. Parking is difficult and I had to drive round for some time before finding somewhere to park on the street. I asked Brent Cross Town about this, and in fact there’s a car park further along Claremont Way on the right – drive past Exploratory Park and follow the road round.

Both parks are closed overnight. At the moment, they are open from 7am-8pm.

Judith Field

Claremont Park and Exploratory Park, Claremont Way, London, NW2 1AJ