Raphael Park

We love this Park ,we go every time we have the chance ,kids love it . They love the play ground and the ducks. They still have some work to do at the play ground but is nice to enjoy the good weather.

Very nice restaurant. Relaxing with good food and drink. They also do a nice takeaway coffee or cold drink at the bar. I would recommend it. Access is easy for everyone with no steps and friendly staff. Free 3hr parking on the opposite side of the park off Main Road

Lived here all my life. Gorgeous park, lovely people, friendly dogs, and wonderful upkeep by the park rangers and bin men who maintain the park like a private garden. If you have a puppy or are looking to socialise your dog I would highly recommend Raphael's as there is a brilliant mix of small, large, young, and old dogs, to expose your dog to. The two stars I have to remove is during the summer months when inconsiderate people chuck litter all over the park. On the field, the forest, and in the river. As a dog owner I am disgusted by people who don't pick up after their dog, but there are signs and fines to dissuade people from doing so. There are NO signs or fines to dissuade the lazy picnickers who leave their food/bags/and children's NAPPIES over the park. There needs to be more penalties for doing so, and I would even go as far as to suggest cameras over the field where the worst offenders are. Not only are they ruining the image of the park, they harm the wildlife, dogs, and create more work for the keepers. I am unsure how someone can be so completely inconsiderate of others, but it seems like there is a epidemic of such people during the summer months in Raphael's.

EDIT 9.8.22- added a few more photos from 2 more visits this week

Great local park with an interesting history. The lake is huge and popular with anglers; the bandstand is a beautiful feature, and the wooded area to the rear is a lovely, less-manicured part of the park. There’s also a bank of tennis courts, sizeable childrens’ play area, public toilets, a kiosk for ice creams/ casual snacks, and even a more formal restaurant. Parking available in Lodge Farm car park just opposite.

Fantastic place to take pictures and entertain kids. Good to sport walking and juggin. Parking available a cross the street

A beautiful park indeed. Lot of space to walk and cycle around in the lovely town of Gidea Park. The lake is just beautiful. Lots of benches as well. Great place to bring your kids.

Like all parks, this one probably looks a whole lot better during the sunny seasons. I visited on a cool winter's day.

What I liked: the lake is quite large, plenty of space for the waterfowl to swim around, and even has its own fountain. There is a machine where you can but duck food for 20p. There are woods that you can explore through, as long as it's not too muddy. Also the park has a cafe on the far side, with benches outside. I recall that they sell German sausage (Bratwurst). Also there are placards with information about the history of the park.

However, the lake is only accessible on one side of it. The other side belongs to the residents who live adjacent to it, so they have a fences/gate separating it from their gardens.

Always a nice experience, good for walking and seeing wildlife close to town!

Nice to use for lunch on work days in the summer!