Dulwich Park covers 29 hectares and is packed with historical features, exciting facilities, and perfect picnic spots.
The Green Flag award-winning park offers a large children's playground, an excellent cafe, and a popular cycle hire outlet. The Francis Peek centre has a varied programme of activities to suit everyone.
Opening times
Dulwich Park's gates open daily at 7.30am. Closing times vary throughout the year.
Location
Dulwich Park is located at College Road, SE21.
The park entrances are:
- College Gate
- College Road
- Queen Mary’s Gate
- Rosebery Gate
- Dulwich Common
- Court Lane Gate
- Court Lane
- Fireman’s Alley via Lordship Lane
How to get there
You can travel by:
- rail, West Dulwich or North Dulwich
- bus, College Road P4 or Dulwich Common P13
- parking, car/bike parking areas can be found at the College Road entrance and in the car park
Facilities and features
- toilets - located by the main car park, in the Francis Peek building and in the middle of the park behind the café
- boating lake - offers children and family-sized pedalos and traditional rowing boats
- the Dulwich Clock café is open 8am to 5.30pm, except for Saturdays 8am to 6pm
- playground for children
- large children's playground up to age 14
- contact Sharvina Watson-Idverde on 020 770 882 806 for room booking enquiries only
- dog walking area, dogs may be walked off the lead on the perimeter path around the park
- Francis Peek Centre, the centre is available for hire and is ideal for parties and other events, with panoramic views across the park and plenty of space
- cycle hire, recumbent, open daily except Christmas 10am to 5.30pm with the last hire at 4.30pm
- dry garden, aims to demonstrate the wide range of plants that can be successfully grown with little water
- winter garden, specially planted for winter colour
- Dulwich Vegetable Garden, location is at the back of Rosebery Lodge near Rosebery Gate
- Whippersnappers at College Lodge is open for classes, workshops and parties
- find out about Dulwich Park activities (PDF, 1.4mb)
Sports facilities
- football, to make an enquiry or book email southwarkpitches@everyoneactive.com or phone 03330 050 403
- the bowling green has closed down
- tennis
- outdoor gym, free for the public to use
- outdoor table tennis - 4 tables available in the play area (limited bats and balls available in the café; you're free to bring your own)
- cricket nets - free availability for use on a first come first served basis besides the sports fields
Activities
- Dulwich Park Friends - Tend the park is a volunteer programme on the first Saturday of the month from 10am to 1pm; activities vary with tools and refreshments provided
- organised walks - Wednesdays at 10am; the group meets inside the college gate entrance
History of the park
Created in 1890, Dulwich Park began as farmland and a group of meadows known as "five fields". Many of the ancient boundary oaks survive today.
Queen Mary was a regular visitor to the park. She loved to view the American Garden, famous for its rhododendrons, which are spectacular when they're in bloom in May. One of the park gates is named after her.
Friends of Dulwich Park
Get involved and join Dulwich Park Friends.
