The London Borough of Islington is short of large parks and open spaces, given its status in recent decades as a desirable place of residence. In fact, Islington has the lowest ratio of open space to built-up areas of any London borough. The largest continuous open space in the borough, at 11.75 hectares (29 acres), is Highbury Fields.
Islington has access to large open spaces in neighbouring London boroughs. The Islington district of Finsbury Park is next to the southern end of Finsbury Park, in Haringey. The "Green Route" of the Regent's Canal tow path provides access to Regent's Park to the west – in Camden; and Victoria Park to the east – in Tower Hamlets. Many other open spaces such as Clissold Park in Hackney are situated on the borders of the borough. Islington also contains many well-kept public squares and greens, such as Canonbury Square and Thornhill Square.
Because of the perceived open space deficit, many small community gardens grew up in Islington from the 1970s on. Created and maintained by local residents on sites made derelict by the Blitz and redevelopment, not all have survived, but one notable remaining example, open to the public, is Culpeper Community Garden, near the Angel.
Barnard Park 3.66 hectares (9.04 acres)
Caledonian Park 7.40 hectares, (18.27 acres) - on the site of the former Caledonian Cattle Market once the biggest cattle market in North London
Elthorne Park 2.45 hectares, (6.06 acres)
Finsbury Square 0.70 hectares, (1.74 acres)
Fortune Street Park 0.36 hectares, (0.89 acres)
Gillespie Park 2.56 hectares, (6.32 acres)
Highbury Fields 11.75 hectares, (29.00 acres)
Joseph Grimaldi Park
Laycock Street Open Space 0.89 hectares, (2.20 acres)
Paradise Park 1.85 hectares, (4.57 acres)
Rosemary Gardens 2.63 hectares, (6.48 acres)
Tufnell Park Playing Fields {1.92 hectares, (4.73 acres)
Whittington Park 4.09 hectares, (10.11 acres)
The Artillery Ground is an 8-acre (3.2 ha) open space on the edge of the City. It has belonged to the Honourable Artillery Company since 1638. While it is not normally open to the public, the ground contains many sports facilities that are used by local schools.
Bunhill Fields is a 4-hectare (9.88-acre) burial ground, adjacent to the Artillery Ground. It contains many dissenter burials, including Daniel Defoe, John Bunyan and William Blake. It is administered by the Corporation of London. Part contains historic graves; but part is laid to a pleasant and quiet park.
Claremont Square is a former reservoir that is closed to the public.
Freightliners City Farm is located in Lower Holloway in Islington. This small urban farm contains a wide range of animals from rabbits to cows to chickens and pigs.
Islington Green
King Square Gardens is a large park in the St Luke's area (1.18 hectares, 2.92 acres)
New River Walk 1.41 hectare, (3.48 acre) - linear walk that connects the Angel and Canonbury along the bank of the New River.
Newington Green
The Regent's Canal enters the Islington Tunnel, near City Road Lock. A linear walk is marked through the streets and parks above the tunnel.
St Mary Magdalene Gardens
Parkland Walk a linear park along the route of a disused railway line from Finsbury Park to Highgate Woods, a small part of which is in Islington with the rest being in Haringey.
Crouch Hill Park located about halfway along the Parkland Walk. It will soon (October 2012) contain Ashmount Primary School.
There are three Local Nature Reserves in Islington, Gillespie Park, Barnsbury Wood, and the part of the Parkland Walk which is in the borough.
