Nature

Carlisle Park Flies the Green Flag Again in 2026

Morpeth's flagship riverside park has once again met the national Green Flag standard, one of 14 Northumberland parks recognised in the award's 30th year.

Morpeth.net·22 July 2026

Morpeth's best-loved green space has kept its national badge of quality. Carlisle Park, the riverside park on the southern bank of the Wansbeck, is once again a Green Flag Award winner for 2026, meeting the standard that marks out the country's best-managed parks and open spaces.

It is one of 14 parks and green spaces across Northumberland to be recognised this year, the highest number the county has ever achieved. The line-up spans the whole county, from Ridley Park in Blyth and Hirst Park in Ashington to the country parks at Bolam Lake, Druridge Bay and Plessey Woods. The Green Flag Award, run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, is marking its 30th year in 2026.

For anyone who spends a summer afternoon in Carlisle Park, the reasons are easy to see. The formal gardens, the William Turner Garden with its Tudor knot beds and viewing mound, the aviary, the paddling pool and the working floral clock are all kept to a high standard, alongside the play areas, tennis courts, bowling greens, skate park and woodland walks that make it a genuine day out. Admission is free and the gates are open all year.

The award is judged against criteria covering horticulture, cleanliness, safety, sustainability and how welcoming a space feels, as well as community involvement. Much of that community effort in Morpeth comes from the volunteers of the Friends of Carlisle Park, whose work through the year helps keep the park at flag-flying standard.

You can read the full county round-up in the Northumberland Gazette.

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Good to know: Carlisle Park is free to enter and open all year at Castle Square, Morpeth. The floral clock and formal bedding are at their best through the summer, and the Pavilion Tipi is in the park until the end of August.

A retained Green Flag is not a headline-grabbing change, but it is a quiet reassurance that one of Morpeth's finest assets is still in good hands, and a fitting recognition in the award's 30th anniversary year.

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