The Racecourse Play Area

If you’re local to Northampton, you already know The Racecourse is basically the default Sunday morning spot. The play area itself is pretty simple — slides and swings, aimed squarely at toddlers and younger kids — but the slide built into the hill is genuinely good fun and always seems to be a hit. What makes the whole place worth the trip is everything around it: basketball courts, a proper football pitch, and enough open space that older siblings or parents don’t end up standing around bored. There’s a cafe nearby for a post-run coffee, and the paved paths mean pushing a pram while someone else jogs laps is actually a realistic option here.