Canoe Lake

About

A popular park dating from 1886 with some of the mature evergreen oaks planted in 1910, Canoe Lake has an impressive range of floral bedding on display at the water's edge.

The main attraction to the area is the man made boating lake which has pedal boats available for hire. There is a large and very popular children's play area with equipment for all ages and includes a zip wire, sand pit and water area.

Adjacent to the lake are the remaining walls of Lumps Fort which is now a peaceful and restful setting for Southsea Rose Gardens. It is also home to the Model Village where everything is on a miniature scale.

Canoe Lake is known as a swan's nursery as it is one of the mute swans' chosen sites in the Solent. At times up to 60 juveniles can congregate here for comfort and security during the winter. Bread can be harmful for the swans as it is difficult to digest. Wheat grain is a much healthier alternative and is usually available at the Canoe Lake cafe that is located nearby.

The park is accessed from St. Helen's Parade, where you can enjoy free entry to Portsmouth's Natural History Museum at Cumberland House (see 'External Links'). The museum tells the story of the wild things of the riverbank, marshes, woods and urban areas of Portsmouth. It also has an aquarium and butterfly house (only in the summer).

There are many sports facilities available, ranging from a putting green, grass and tarmac tennis courts, and a basketball court. Further east is St. Helen's Cricket Field and Southsea Mini-Links - a challenging 9-hole golf course.