Capstone Farm, Riverside Country Park and the Strand lead 16 Medway playgrounds, with closing times, parking charges, cafes and toilets from council pages.

The Medway playgrounds most families head for are the two Green Flag country parks, Capstone Farm in Chatham and Riverside on the estuary at Gillingham, each with a cafe, toilets and a car park, and the Strand in Gillingham, with two play areas, a summer splash pad and a new PlayZone. Every entry checked against Medway Council’s own park pages on 26 October 2026.

We have not reviewed these playgrounds and nothing here is a rating. Each entry sets out what Medway Council publishes in its directory of parks and play areas and on its country park and project pages: the equipment it lists, the surface, whether there is parking, step-free access, a cafe or toilets, and when the gates close. Where the council does not say, we have not guessed.

Locked at night. Several of these parks are locked every evening, with closing times that follow the seasons. If you find yourself locked in, the council’s number is 0333 0155 777.

Gillingham

1. The Strand Leisure Park

The riverside park off Pier Road, best known for its saltwater lido, which the council says opened in 1896. The council’s facilities page lists two children’s play areas, a parkour area, an outdoor gym, a new picnic area and a miniature train ride.

The play area directory entry adds a paddling pool, crazy golf, a sand pit, a toddler area and “parent and me” swings, on wet pour and tigermulch. The free splash pad keeps the lido’s hours, so it is a summer-only treat.

In May 2026 the council opened a new PlayZone for basketball, football, netball, cricket and pickleball, one of three in Medway paid for by a £694,488 Football Foundation grant.

Address Strand Approach Road, ME7 1TT
Open locked in the evenings; splash pad keeps the lido's summer hours
Parking pay and display; car park has a height restriction
Toilets public toilets
Cafe hot food and ice cream; not run by the council
Access disabled access listed
Good for summer splash pad, paddling pool, crazy golf, parkour area, PlayZone sports, miniature train ride

2. Gillingham Park

The town park on Canterbury Street. The council’s park listing lists a playground with more unusual pieces than most: a small trampoline, musical pipes, a stand-up wobble board, a springy see-saw and a swing with a “car seat”, alongside climbing units, a slide and toddler swings.

Older children and adults have a circular walk, a sculpture trail and a mile marker trail, and there is a winter garden.

Address Canterbury Street, ME7 5LA
Parking no car park
Toilets nearby on Canterbury Street
Access disabled access listed
Good for trampoline, musical pipes, sculpture trail, circular walk, winter garden

3. Hillyfields Community Park

A park with woodland, a wildflower area and a picnic area off Parr Avenue, open every day of the year according to its council listing. The play area has climbing units, a slide, toddler and basket swings, a tyre swing and two roundabouts, one at ground level, on a mix of grass, bark, wet pour, tigermulch and sand.

There is a football pitch.

Address 33 Parr Avenue, ME7 1UL
Open 365 days a year
Parking no car park
Access disabled access listed
Good for woodland, wildflower area, picnic area, football pitch, tyre swing

4. Hempstead Recreation Ground

The recreation ground on Hempstead Road. Its council listing gives junior and toddler multi-plays, an adventure trail, a rope climber, a slide, springers and swings including toddler swings.

It is one of the few smaller play areas in Medway with its own parking.

Address Hempstead Road, ME7 3RH
Open locked every evening
Parking own parking
Access disabled access listed
Good for adventure trail, rope climber, toddler swings, junior and toddler multi-plays

Chatham and Walderslade

5. Capstone Farm Country Park

More than 114 hectares of woodland, meadow and lakes, and a Green Flag park. The council’s country park page lists a play area with a cable runway, a climbing frame, a balance beam, talk tubes, a slide, an inclusive roundabout, swings and multi-plays for juniors and toddlers.

The visitor centre, with a gift shop and a display on the park’s frogs, opens daily from 9am to 3.45pm.

Address Capstone Road, ME7 3JG
Open park and play area 7.30am to 6pm in October; 7.30am to 4.30pm November to February
Parking all day £3.50 a car; free for blue badge holders
Toilets 9.30am to 4pm October to March; 9am to 5pm April to September
Cafe 9.30am to 4pm October to March; 9am to 5pm April to September
Access disabled access throughout, the council says
Good for cable runway, inclusive roundabout, lakes, visitor centre, Green Flag park

6. Victoria Gardens, Fort Pitt Hill

Gardens on Fort Pitt Hill, with a bandstand and, according to the council’s listing, “3 large wooden arches for aerial view”. The play area has a junior multi-play and swings including toddler swings, on wet pour.

Address Fort Pitt Hill, ME1 1DZ
Parking pay and display
Access disabled access listed
Good for bandstand, wooden arches with a view, junior multi-play, toddler swings

7. Luton Millennium Green (Daisy Banks)

A community green in Luton with an amphitheatre, given a larger play area for toddlers and juniors, a community orchard and new paths in a project the council completed in January 2024, paid for by the Levelling Up Parks Fund and developer contributions. The Mayor of Medway opened the play area on 21 February 2024.

The listing gives a natural play space, a junior multi-play, a balance beam, a log walk, a see-saw, springers and swings.

Address Albany Road, ME4 5DR
Parking no car park
Ages toddlers and juniors
Access not listed by the council
Good for natural play space, amphitheatre, community orchard, log walk

8. Hook Meadow, Weeds Wood

A meadow off King George Road with football pitches and a multi-use games area for older children. The council’s listing gives junior and toddler multi-plays, toddler swings and a swing with a car seat, a ground-level roundabout, a see-saw and springers, on wet pour.

Address King George Road, ME5 0TZ
Open open site
Parking no car park
Access disabled access listed
Good for football pitches, multi-use games area, car seat swing, ground-level roundabout

Rainham

9. Riverside Country Park

A 100-hectare Green Flag park of mudflats, salt marsh, reed beds and grassland on the Medway estuary, on the Sustrans cycle path. The council’s country park page lists a playground with a climbing unit, a slide, swings with toddler seats and swing-boat seats, hopscotch, play houses and a climbing and balance trail.

The visitor centre opens from 9am to 3.45pm.

Address 333 Lower Rainham Road, ME7 2XH
Open 8am to 6pm in October; 8am to 5pm November to February
Parking all day £3.50 a car; 6ft 6in height barrier at the main entrance
Toilets every day 10am to 4pm
Cafe every day 10am to 4pm
Good for Sustrans cycle path, salt marsh walks, play houses, climbing and balance trail, Green Flag park

10. Rainham Recreation Ground

The recreation ground on Station Road. The council’s listing gives a climbing wall, climbing units, toddler swings, a dish roundabout and a hang-on roundabout, a wobbly balance board and an outdoor gym, with football pitches.

Address Station Road, ME8 7PR
Parking pay and display car park nearby
Access disabled access listed
Good for climbing wall, outdoor gym, football pitches, two roundabouts

11. Cozenton Park

A park off Bloors Lane with a skate park and football pitches. The council’s listing gives a toddler climbing unit, a slide, swings with toddler seats, a sit-on roundabout and springers.

There are four entrances: Bloors Lane, Cranford Close, High Elms and Birling Avenue.

Address Bloors Lane, ME8 7EG
Parking no car park
Access disabled access listed
Good for skate park, football pitches, toddler climbing unit

12. Cherry Tree Orchard

A one-hectare open space with an orchard, off Mierscourt Road. The council refurbished the play area for children up to 11, in work finished at the end of February 2025, along with a new stepped gated entrance from Mierscourt Road, a self-closing gate on the play area, more seating and new cherry trees.

The listing gives a junior multi-play, springers, roundabouts, a rotator and swings.

Address Mierscourt Road, ME8 8JF
Parking no car park
Ages up to 11
Access disabled access listed
Good for orchard, gated play area, refurbished 2025, extra seating

Rochester and Strood

13. The Esplanade play area, Rochester

The play area in Esplanade Gardens, beside the river, with views of Rochester Castle from the formal gardens. The council’s listing gives junior and toddler multi-plays, a balance beam, springers, a see-saw and swings.

Change is coming: the council says it plans to completely refurbish the play area, with money from a nearby development, and its consultation on the design closed on 7 December 2025. Check before a special trip in case it is fenced off.

Address Esplanade, ME1 1QW
Parking pay and display
Access disabled access listed
Good for riverside, Rochester Castle views, formal gardens

14. Jacksons Field, Rochester

A large recreation ground next to the A2 and City Way, part of it on the old Fort Pitt site and a scheduled monument. The council’s listing gives a skate area, a climbing frame, junior and toddler multi-plays, stepping stones, springers and swings.

The council plans a second skate facility and a refurbished skate park, with a planning application due later this year and work expected in 2027 if approved.

Address New Road, ME1 1BD
Parking no car park
Access disabled access listed
Good for skate area, stepping stones, scheduled monument, climbing frame

15. Broomhill Park, Strood

A park of woodland and wildflowers in Strood, with steep paths, viewpoints and sculptures. The council’s listing gives a play area with climbing units, multi-plays, a seesaw, springers, a tyre swing, a swing bed and toddler swings, plus fitness equipment and a picnic area.

There are five entrances.

Address car park on King Arthurs Drive, ME2 3NB
Parking car park
Access disabled access listed
Good for viewpoints, sculptures, woodland, fitness equipment, picnic area, tyre swing

16. Strood Waterfront (Watermill Gardens)

Gardens on Canal Road by the river, also known as Watermill Gardens. The council’s listing gives climbing units, a climb and balance trail, springers, toddler swings, a ball court and an outdoor gym, on wet pour and bitmac.

Address Canal Road, ME2 4DR
Parking no car park
Access disabled access listed
Good for riverside, ball court, outdoor gym, climb and balance trail

How we chose

These are the Medway playgrounds families search for: the two country parks and the Strand, the parks the council has rebuilt or improved since 2024, and the bigger play areas spread across Gillingham, Chatham, Rainham, Rochester and Strood. The facts come from Medway Council’s park and play area directory, its country park and Strand pages and its greenspace project pages, all checked on 26 October 2026. Where the council does not mention toilets or a cafe, we have not filled the gap, and closing times change month by month, so check the park page before a long trip. Run a park cafe or a Friends group, or spot something that has changed? Email newsdesk@medwaylive.co.uk.

For more ideas, see things to do in Medway, what’s on in Medway this month and the story on Vinall Park in Twydall becoming a town green. For a meal afterwards, try our guides to Medway restaurants, the Sunday roast in Medway and Medway pubs, or browse the Medway business directory.

Frequently asked questions

Which Medway playgrounds have a cafe and toilets?

Capstone Farm Country Park and Riverside Country Park both have a council cafe and toilets: at Riverside they open daily from 10am to 4pm, and at Capstone from 9.30am to 4pm between October and March (9am to 5pm from April to September). The Strand in Gillingham has public toilets and a cafe that the council says it does not run. Gillingham Park has toilets nearby on Canterbury Street.

Is the splash pad at the Strand open all year?

No. Medway Council says the free splash pad at the Strand has the same opening hours as the lido, which opened for 2026 on Saturday 23 May, ran at weekends until the school summer holidays and daily through them, and closes at the end of the summer holidays. The two children’s play areas, the new PlayZone and the outdoor gym are there all year.

How much is parking at Medway’s country parks?

All-day parking at Capstone Farm and Riverside country parks costs £3.50 for a car, and is free for blue badge holders and motorcycles in marked bays. A £75 annual season ticket covers every Medway country park car park. Riverside’s main entrance has a 6ft 6in height barrier.