Hillsborough Park

Is it right for my child?

• Toddlers and young children: the council lists junior and toddler swings and climbing units, a basket swing, a roundabout, springers, a rotator and a snake slide climbing unit.
• Room to roam: the council also lists an embankment net, earth mounds and grassy banks at the playground.
• Older children and teenagers: the council lists a climbing forest for older children and teenagers.
• Wheels: the council says the pump track opened in 2022. It is open all day, free to use and popular with all ages and abilities.
• Quiet time: the walled garden dates back to 1779. The council says it suits a picnic and offers a stimulating sensory experience.
• Water: Courtside lists a large pond among the park’s attractions. Keep toddlers close by the water.

Plan your visit: a parent’s checklist

• Check café hours before you go. The council page and the café’s own site give different times for the Coach House.
• Plan toilet stops around the Courtside hub’s café hours, when its toilets and baby changing are available.
• Bring wheels for the free pump track. Welcome to Sheffield calls it an ‘all wheels’ track.
• Driving? The car park is pay and display. The tram to the Hillsborough Park stop avoids it.
• Keep little ones close near the pond.
• Wrap up warm in winter. The cafés and the library offer indoor breaks.

Prices and tickets

Entry is free. The council says there is no admission charge and the park is open at all times.

• Free: the park, the playground and the pump track. The council calls the hub’s games area free to use. Courtside says table tennis is free; ask at reception for bats and balls.
• Pay and play: the council says Courtside runs mini golf, tennis and padel on a community pay and play basis, with no membership fees. Courtside says mini golf has adult, child and group rates and is paid on the day at reception. Its pages do not list the prices.
• Booking: Courtside takes online bookings for courts, activities, coaching and camps.

Pushchairs, babies and toilets

Courtside says its hub has accessible toilets and baby changing facilities, available during café opening hours. It also says everything at the hub is on one level.

The council lists disabled toilets among the park’s facilities, plus a Changing Places toilet (see below). AccessAble’s guide also notes toilets in the library and café on the outskirts of the park.

For pushchairs, the council calls the land relatively flat, allowing good access around the site. AccessAble’s guide notes uneven path surfaces and some slight and steep slopes. The official pages do not mention a feeding room.

Food and drink

There are two cafés in the park.

• The Coach House (Depot Bakery): the council says the renovated Coach House houses a café run by Depot Bakery. On 12 November 2026, Depot Bakery’s own site listed Monday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm, with the kitchen open until 3pm daily. The council page gives 9am to 5pm, seven days a week, in one place, and Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, in another. Check before you travel. Depot Bakery suggests booking but says it always accepts walk-ins and takeaway orders.
• Courtside Café: on 12 November 2026, Courtside listed 8am to 9pm on weekdays and 8am to 7pm at weekends. It runs flexible hours in line with the weather. There is a kids menu and a takeaway hatch.

Picnics: the council says visitors can have a picnic in the walled garden. Courtside lists picnic benches outside its café, including wheelchair accessible benches.

Getting there and parking

The council gives the park’s address as Parkside Road, Sheffield S6 2AB, about 3 miles north west of the city centre.

• Tram: the council says the park has its own Hillsborough Park tram stop on the yellow route to Middlewood. Courtside also names Leppings Lane as a nearby stop.
• Bus: Courtside names the Penistone Road/Parkside Road and Penistone Road/Beulah Road stops as the nearest to its hub. The council points to Travel South Yorkshire for routes.
• Car: the council lists a pay and display car park off Parkside Road and Hawksley Avenue. Courtside says it is run by the council and includes disabled spaces. The official pages do not list the charges.
• Blue Badge: for the car park off Parkside Road, AccessAble’s guide says parking is free for Blue Badge holders and records 6 designated bays.
• Cycling: Courtside has bicycle racks beside the hub.

When to visit

The park is open at all times, according to the council. Facilities inside it keep their own hours.

• Hillsborough Library sits in the park in Grade II listed Hillsborough Hall. On 12 November 2026, the council listed 10am to 5pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. It is closed on Thursday and closed for lunch from 1pm to 2pm. Sunday hours are not listed.
• The walled garden: the council page gives no hours for it. AccessAble’s guide records October to March hours of 9am to 2.30pm, Monday to Friday, closed at weekends. Check before you travel.
• Winter evenings: Courtside says its games area, mini golf and courts are floodlit.

The official pages do not mention Christmas or New Year arrangements for the cafés, the hub or the library. The park does not suggest a visit length. Our own unverified estimate is 1 to 2 hours.

Additional needs and disability support

The council and Courtside describe several facilities for disabled visitors.

Frequently asked questions

Is Hillsborough Park free?

Yes. The council says there is no admission charge and the park is open at all times. Mini golf, tennis and padel at the Courtside hub are pay and play.

What age is Hillsborough Park suitable for?

All ages. The council lists toddler and junior play equipment and a climbing forest for older children and teenagers. It says the pump track is popular with all ages.

Are there toilets and baby changing at Hillsborough Park?

Yes. Courtside says its hub has accessible toilets and baby changing, available during café opening hours. The council also lists disabled toilets and a Changing Places toilet.

Is there a café in Hillsborough Park?

Yes, two: the Coach House, run by Depot Bakery, and the Courtside Café. Official pages give different Coach House hours, so check before you travel.

Is Hillsborough Park good for autistic children?

The official pages do not mention quiet times or sensory resources. The council says the walled garden offers a quiet space and a stimulating sensory experience, and there is a Changing Places toilet.

Checked on 12 November 2026 against the official Sheffield City Council Hillsborough Park, council libraries, Courtside at Hillsborough, Depot Bakery Coach House and Welcome to Sheffield pages. Prices and times can change, so check before you travel.