Ilminster Recreation Ground

The pirate ship in the sandpit is honestly the main event here — kids go absolutely feral for it, and there’s enough sand to keep them occupied for a solid hour while you grab a shaded bench and decompress. There’s a proper inclusive swing too, which you don’t always see at parks this size, and the climbing structure gets a good workout on weekends. Beyond the play area, there’s a football pitch, a bike track, and open grass that people use for everything from kite flying to just letting dogs have a proper run. The pond nearby adds a nice backdrop, and with toilets on site and decent tree cover, it’s the kind of place you can actually stay at for the afternoon without suffering. Ilminster locals know it well — it pulls a crowd on sunny days for good reason.