Portland Park

Portland Park is situated directly to the south west of Kirkby in Ashfield around a 15 to 20 minute walk from the town centre. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). 

What you'll find at Portland Park

Portland Park has a Green Flag award:

• website: Green Flag award

There are also these amenities at the park: 

• Wild Rabbit Café, including display areas and tea room facilities on the first floor - check their website for opening hours  
  • website: Wild Rabbit Café
• 3 pond areas
• extensive footpath network around the park and leading further afield (various gradients due to nature of the local area)
• car parking including disabled spaces at the visitor centre
• the site includes garden areas, woodland paths and a rare limestone quarry face which was historically used as a rifle range.

Car parking

There is a large main car park situated off Lindley's Lane and a smaller car park a short walk from the visitor centre with disabled parking situated directly in front of the visitor centre.

Portland Park stream restoration consultation

We're working with Trent Rivers Trust on a project to restore the stream between the ponds at Portland Park. You can view the proposal and the results of our recent survey on:

• link: Portland Park stream restoration consultation page  

Park history

Portland Park covers 15.2 hectares of informal open space, including 10 hectares of woodland in the valley of a tributary of the River Erewash together with several areas of species-rich grassland and a number of wetland areas.

The site is partly bounded by used and disused railway lines that form part of a once extensive local and regional network. The meadow area to the north west of the main car park was once a limestone quarry which was infilled during the 1950s. Parts of the woodland are thought to date back to at least 1600. Some areas have been quarried for limestone and the park is known locally as ‘The Quarries’.

The site is unique in Nottinghamshire, being located on a band of magnesium limestone, part of a narrow band running northwards up the west side of the county. This enables many rare plant species to grow, creating an area which is abundant with fascinating natural history and making it a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The limestone supports important 'calcareous' vegetation that is rare in Nottinghamshire and uncommon in Britain generally.