Beautiful Aberdeenshire beauty spot voted the best park in Scotland

A POPULAR park in Aberdeen has been crowed Scotland’s favourite in a nationwide search to find the UK’s best-loved green spaces.

Led by royal environmental charity, Fields in Trust, the competition saw over 360 parks nominated by those who use and love them.

4

And following the summer-long campaign, the charity announced stunning Seaton Park as ‘Scotland’s Favourite Park 2022’.

In total over 30,000 people cast a vote for their favourite park and Penrhos Coastal Park in Holyhead, Wales emerged as the overall winner for the UK.

Blackpool’s Stanley Park won the crown in England and Craigavon City Park was named the most well-loved in Northern Ireland.

Fields in Trust has also published a list of ‘Local Favourites’ – parks which placed in the top 20 per cent of the public vote, demonstrating the love their local communities have for them.

And in Scotland they include Aden Country Park, in Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire; Starbank Park in Edinburgh; Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline, Fife and Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick.

4

4

4

Located just north of Aberdeen on the banks of the River Don, Seaton Park is home to several features of historical interest, including the Wallace Tower, a mound which dates back to the Bronze Age.

Mr Therm, a former steam engine once used to transport coal from Aberdeen harbour, is also located in the park and has been converted into a play sculpture.

Commenting on the announcement of Seaton Park as ‘Scotland’s Favourite Park 2022’, Chief Executive of Fields in Trust, Helen Griffiths, said: “We’re incredibly excited to announce that Seaton Park has been voted as Scotland’s Favourite Park 2022 by those who use and love it.

“It is clear that this park is a very special place to a lot of people and we are thrilled to officially crown it Scotland’s favourite.

“We’ve had a fantastic response to the competition from all across the country and I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and voted for parks over the past few weeks.”

Securing more nominations than ever before, the campaign has illustrated how appreciation of our local parks has grown since the pandemic.

As concerns mount over the climate crisis, green spaces have been proven to improve air quality and significantly limit the impact of heatwaves, by lowering urban temperatures.

With Fields in Trust’s annual Green Space Index, published earlier this year, revealing that 2.8 million people don’t live within a ten-minute walk of a local park and only six per cent of green space provision in Britain is legally protected, the campaign has highlighted the financial and developmental threats to green spaces.

Ms Griffiths added: “The UK is home to such a diverse range of green spaces, and we hope that this award has encouraged people to truly appreciate their local parks.

“Our work to legally protect green spaces for good means we’re well aware of the threats they face and how important it is value and celebrate them.”

To find out more about the ‘UK’s Favourite Parks’ award and the work that national charity Fields in Trust carries out, see fieldsintrust.org/favourite-parks

We pay for your stories and videos! Do you have a story or video for The Scottish Sun? Email us at [email protected] or call 0141 420 5300