Lime Pits

Updated June 10, 2025

## Lime Pits (Old Basing, Basingstoke): What to Know Before You Go — Trails, Play Area, and Practical Tips

Lime Pits is a public green space off Redbridge Lane in Old Basing (Basingstoke) that mixes open parkland with family facilities and easy walking links. It’s not a “destination attraction” in the ticketed sense—it’s the kind of place you use: a quick outdoor reset, a low-stakes picnic spot, somewhere to let kids burn energy, or a starting point for a longer walk that strings together nearby commons and historic sites.

What makes Lime Pits unusually useful is the combination of parking + picnic infrastructure + a modern play area, all in a space that began life as excavation pits and is now landscaped into trees and hills. Basing

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### Quick facts (verified)

– Location / address: Redbridge Ln, Old Basing, Basingstoke RG24 7HB, United Kingdom
– What it is today: A landscaped public open area with trees and hills, used for walking and picnicking Basing
– Site origin: “Remains of aggregate excavation” Basing
– Facilities called out by the parish council: picnic benches, barbecue sites, children’s play areas, and car parking Basing
– Size: 7.28 hectares (as stated by Old Basing & Lychpit Parish Council) Basing
– Play area upgrade (opened 2023): includes a 30-metre zip wire, decked slide, tractor multi-play unit, and an agility trail; the play space is described as zoned for multiple age groups
– Walking link: forms part of the Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath, described as running about 2 miles (3.2 km) from where the canal left Basingstoke Wharf to the ruins of Basing House and Deane Borough Council

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## What Lime Pits feels like on the ground

Lime Pits reads as a “useful park” rather than a manicured showpiece. The landform is part of the appeal: because it’s shaped by former excavation, you get gentle rises and dips instead of a single flat field, which makes short walks feel less repetitive. The parish council specifically describes it as landscaped with trees and hills, and set up for picnics and play. Basing

That matters if you’re traveling with kids (or just want a walk that doesn’t feel like pacing a rectangle). The little changes in elevation create natural “micro-zones”: a place to sit, a place to run, a place to stop for snacks, a place to regroup.

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## The play area: why families detour here

If you only remember one practical detail, make it this: the 2023 refresh added a 30-metre zip wire and other contemporary equipment, with the space described as supporting “children of varying ages and abilities.”

From the same local publication, Lime Pits’ play upgrade includes:
– 30-metre zip wire
– decked slide
– tractor multi-play unit
– agility trail
– zoned areas for toddlers / pre-schoolers, juniors, and teenagers

This isn’t just “a swing set next to a field.” It’s designed to hold attention longer—especially useful if you’re trying to stretch an outdoor stop into a proper break on a day of moving around Hampshire.

Practical implication: if you’re planning a short outing with kids, Lime Pits can work as the “main event,” not merely the warm-up.

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## Walking: how to build a better stroll from Lime Pits

Lime Pits isn’t isolated; it’s described as part of the Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath, which is presented as an approximately 2-mile route to the ruins of Basing House. and Deane Borough Council

Even if you don’t do the full line-walk, that’s a useful planning anchor because it tells you this is a place designed to connect, not a dead-end park. For travelers, that means you can treat Lime Pits as:

– a start point (park, then walk)
– a midpoint (break, playground, picnic, then continue)
– an end point (finish a longer walk where the facilities help you decompress)

If you’re building a low-stress plan: pair a short Lime Pits walk with a visit to Basing House (if that’s on your itinerary), since the footpath route is explicitly described as finishing there. and Deane Borough Council

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## Picnics, barbecues, and “stay longer” infrastructure

A lot of UK parks are fine for walking but awkward for lingering. Lime Pits is explicitly described as equipped with picnic benches and barbecue sites, which is a strong signal you’re allowed to settle in rather than just pass through. Basing

That makes it a good option for:
– a mid-day food break without needing a café
– small-group meetups where you want space and minimal fuss
– decompression time after driving or before heading onward

Note: I’m not including opening hours for the park itself because I couldn’t verify official hours for Lime Pits access from a reliable primary source in the material available here.

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## Who this park works best for (and who should think twice)

### Best fit
– Families who want a modern play area plus open space
– Walkers who like stitching together short routes into something longer (via the Canal Heritage Footpath) and Deane Borough Council
– Picnic planners who want benches and designated barbecue sites Basing

### Think twice if…
– You require guaranteed step-free, surfaced paths for mobility access. (I can’t confirm path surfacing or accessibility specifics from a primary source here, so plan for a typical park mix and consider scouting via satellite/Street View before committing.)

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## Stewardship and safety: a practical, non-alarmist approach

You included a visitor-style comment suggesting the area can be “trashed” and attract behavior “people shouldn’t” do. I cannot verify that claim with a trustworthy source, so I won’t present it as fact.

What I can say, grounded in the official descriptions, is that Lime Pits is a multi-use public space with facilities that encourage longer stays (picnic benches, barbecue sites, play areas, parking). Basing That combination is great for families—but in any public park, it also means you should treat it like a shared space:

– If you’re visiting with kids, choose a spot with clear sightlines.
– If you’re planning a picnic or barbecue, bring bags to pack out everything you bring in (and a spare bag for unexpected litter).
– If something looks unsafe or damaged, use the local “report a problem” channels (the parish council site provides a general “Report a Problem” section, though not Lime Pits–specific in the excerpt captured). Basing

That’s not fear-mongering; it’s the same “be a good park user” standard that keeps places like this enjoyable.

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## Two contextual internal link opportunities (editorial suggestions)

Because I don’t have your RealJourneyTravels.com URL structure, I’m not going to invent exact links. But these are two high-intent internal link placements that typically improve session depth:

1. Link to your Basingstoke guide (anchor: “best things to do in Basingstoke”)
2. Link to your Basing House article / Hampshire heritage walk (anchor: “Basing House ruins” or “Basingstoke Canal Heritage Footpath”) and Deane Borough Council

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### Bottom line

Lime Pits is a practical, family-friendly park with verified picnic and barbecue infrastructure, car parking, and a play area upgraded in 2023 with standout equipment like a 30-metre zip wire. Basing If you’re in or near Basingstoke and want an outdoor stop that’s easy to execute—especially with kids—it’s one of the more functional choices in the Old Basing area, with the added bonus of being tied into a named walking route toward Basing House. and Deane Borough Council

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