Phoenix Park
Location - Phoenix Park, Thurnscoe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S63 0BD - (what3words location approx)
Distance (around) - variable distances, depending on your choice
Accessibility at a glance:
Access: ⭐⭐
Dog friendliness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Facilities: ⭐
Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
More in depth:
Parking and entrance:
No marked out spaces, no specific accessible
No payment
Ground is sandy, can be a bit unstable
Barrier with a fairly wide gap suitable for mobility scooters and wheelchairs
Paths and distance:
Mixture of surfaces - mostly compacted but uneven in places
Different gradients depending on where you walk
Some areas, especially downhill sections, may be challenging and skidding is possible.
Most paths are wide enough for a scooter and a someone walking side by side.
Length of walk is really dependent on choice
Facilities
Occasional benches throughout, though limited shade
No toilets on-site
No cafe or other services
Very limited dog waste bins
Phoenix Park sits in Thurnscoe, in the heart of South Yorkshire’s former mining landscape. The park stands on the old Hickleton Colliery site, which closed in the 1990s. Since then, The Land Trust has transformed the area into a peaceful, community-friendly green space that honours its industrial past while offering a relaxing place to wander.
Parking is straightforward, and from the car park you’ll find a barrier with a side gap wide enough for my mobility scooter. Once through, we turned right and followed a circular path that runs alongside a wall painted with a phoenix.
The path leads you around sweeping open grassland dotted with quirky ornamental animals, including sheep and a cockerel. Betty had plenty of room to run on her long lead, though I’d recommend keeping an eye out for off-lead dogs.
There are a couple of benches scattered along this stretch, which made for helpful rest points. However, shade is non-existent, worth knowing if you’re visiting on a hot day. We found ourselves stopping often to keep Betty cooler. Dog waste bins are limited too, with only a few near the path entrance and exit.
Once we completed the loop, we turned right again and made our way uphill. On the left, a dinosaur shape made from stones and rocks added an unexpected novelty to the walk.
At the top of the hill, a large wheel structure stands, decorated with hanging items that reflect the area’s mining heritage a boot, an axe, a snap tin, a miner’s lamp and more. A few benches were there to show the views from the hill, views across South Yorkshire, stretching towards the Peak District. It’s a lovely spot to sit, cool down, and take in the scenery.
After a rest, we continued forward and crossed a tarmac cycle track, which provided a nice smooth moment for the scooter, before returning to the bumpier park paths. Most of the routes here were wide enough for my scooter and someone walking alongside, which made the experience easy and social.
Throughout the walk we came across several small stone bridges. We're not entirely sure of their purpose, but they added charm and character, and made for great photo opportunities.
Other than this, the park is mostly open grassland with little areas of shrubs and wildflowers. We spotted a variety of insects and birds, and the whole area felt peaceful. We saw very few people, and those we did pass seemed to be local residents enjoying a dog walk.
The last stretch took us downhill towards the car park, and this was the trickiest section for the scooter due to the uneven surface. We crossed the same smooth cycle track again before rolling back to the car.
Phoenix Park is very much a local walk, ideal if you live nearby or enjoy discovering places with layers of history beneath the greenery. The scenery is lovely, the atmosphere calm, and the nods to the colliery’s past give the space meaning and character. We’ll definitely be adding it to our list of nearby walks, especially when the ground is dry.
Tip: there is no shaded areas so make sure it’s not too warm.
