Address: Mote Ave, Maidstone ME15 7RN
Location
Spread over 440 acres, Mote Park has attractions for visitors of all ages, including its lake, play areas, miniature railway, cafe, and much more. The park is open from 8am to dusk.
Mote Park is a Green Flag Award winner. To win, parks must meet high standards and have excellent facilities. The park also came in third in the 2015 People's Choice Award for their favourite green flag park.
For further information and to find other Green Flag parks and open spaces, visit the Green Flag Award website.
History
In the 13th century, it is believed the area was used as one of the earliest deer parks in Kent. Between 1793 and 1800, the original Mote House was demolished and a new mansion was constructed, which can still be seen today (pictured below).
The park has been visited by many royals, including King Henry V, King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth I. Henry VIII visited the park with Anne Boleyn on 17th of July 1531 prior to their marriage.
For more information on the history of Mote Park Click Here
What's there?
At Mote Park, you will find open green fields and woodlands, along with picturesque views over Mote Lake.
There's also a cafe and plenty of activities for children of all ages.
Park Facilities include:
Three car parks
Accessible public toilets
Adventure play-zone
Maidstone Leisure Centre
Miniature railway
Cafeteria
Angling club
Sailing club
Football, rugby and cricket pitches
Cycling routes
BMX Tracks
Skate Park
Squash club
The cafe is open from 9am to 5pm from April to September, and 9am to 3pm October to March.
Parking
There are three car parks, all with disabled parking. The main Mote car park (next to Café) has 13 disabled bays.
Ticket | 8am - 10am | Up to 6 hours after 10am | Over 6 hours |
Daily Ticket | Free | £2 | £12 |
Residents Annual Season Ticket | -- | £40 | -- |
Parking is free for blue badge holders.
Accessibility
Mote Park has smooth, level paths throughout its grounds; with the only exception being the long, sloped ramp to the lake. Accessing the lake may be challenging for wheelchair users, pictures of the path are included at the bottom of the page.
There are frequent benches and lunch tables at the entrance of the park, near the car park and cafe. There's also a large number of benches at the lake.
The cafe, playground, skatepark and Go Outdoor Adventure Park are adjacent to the main car park, with a maximum walking distance of 100 metres. There are plenty of places to sit throughout the play areas.
The distance from the car park to the lake is around 100 metres, with a few places to stop along the way.
After the main entrance and lake, benches do become less frequent.
The park is suitable for wheelchair and mobility scooter users. The park is also dog friendly.
Conclusion
Overall, Mote Park is perfect for people of all ages and abilities. It can be busy on school holidays but parking hasn't been a problem for me. When visiting during the week, the park is picturesque and relaxing.
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