Prospect Park | Reading’s largest open space

Prospect Park is Reading’s largest open space and gets its name from the fine views across the Kennet Valley and beyond, public park in the western suburbs of Reading situated north of the Bath Road in the English county of Berkshire. It is the most popular park in Reading, and includes a large regency style house, now known as Prospect Park Mansion House and previously as Prospect House. There are also sporting facilities and the Prospect Park Miniature Railway within the 50 hectares (120 acres) of parkland, and a restaurant in the Mansion House.

The park is listed as Grade II in the English Heritage Register of Historic Parks and Gardens whilst the Mansion House is a Grade II listed building.

Their facilities include The Mansion House in the centre of the park which houses a Harvester restaurant, you can also enjoy a number of sports, including rugby, tennis, bowls, basketball, and table tennis. It also hosts a weekly parkrun, held over a distance of 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) every Saturday at 9:00 am.

The first race in the Hampshire League Cross Country series in 2013 was held in the park. Other races in the park have included The Color Run and Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life.

The area surrounding the Mansion House has broad sweeps of short cut grass, with areas of meadow grassland. A pond lies to the south of the house and attracts an assortment of wildlife, while ‘The Rookery’ can be found to the north – a mature oak woodland and Wildlife Heritage Site. In the south-eastern corner of the park, the Reading Society of Model Engineers runs a miniature railway, which is open to the public on certain days.