Rowntree Park

Rowntree Park in York is one of the city's best proper reset spots, sitting by the River Ouse just south of the centre and mixing green space with plenty to do. Dogs are welcome on the paths and green spaces, so it works well for a slower stroll or a longer mooch without the pavement-waiting shuffle.

It has that rare balance of peaceful and useful, with an ornamental lake, tennis courts, a skate park, reading café and level paths. The history gives it extra weight too, as a 1921 gift to the city and a memorial space, but day to day it simply works as a generous patch of breathing room.

For dog owners, it offers the kind of park visit that keeps both ends of the lead happy: enough space for a proper sniff, enough structure to avoid aimless wandering, and a riverside setting that feels like a small escape without leaving York.