On one of our little family trips to the beach to get fish and chips and take the dog for a walk (wow such a long winded sentence.) We decided to wander off the sandy track slightly and go to Roker park.

Firstly, I didn't even know there was a Roker park and secondly I didn't know it was literally seconds away from the main beach area. I love it when you get surprised like that and end up exploring somewhere new when you go to your favourite spots.

You pass under a little bridge and there are just massive caves and walls everywhere. It’s something different and kind of brings the park and the beach together in a way.

We saw these massive musical instruments. Well, not really instruments, but massive metal pipes and things that sound like music when you bang them. Me being the big kid that I am I just couldn't resist. I grabbed the biggest stick I could find and got to hitting them.

There was a gorgeous little house too. I don’t know if it belongs to the park inspector or something, but it just looked so quaint and the garden filled with flowers and buzzing bees.

There’s a lake. I can only describe it as being the colour of this limeade drink that I used to have when I was a kid. It looks so cool though. Kind of tropical/kind of toxic. The ducks didn't seem to mind though.

We let Poppy run crazy in the scented garden that we stumbled upon. It was filled with roses. The only smell in the air was curry. I don’t know how. Maybe there is a certain plant or leaf that gives off that kind of scent. Who knows… We found a stick and took it in turns throwing it. My attempts might have, maybe ended up in the rose bushes a couple of times. The poor roses. I like how it was enclosed so Poppy couldn't get distracted. I would have liked to smell a bit of lavender or even rose, considering the sheer amount of roses, but never mind.

Overall it was a nice park. I think it’s quite big, despite us only going to a few bits of it. The pond won me over if I’m honest. I’ve just never seen anything like it before. I also love how this park is just hidden away between the caves behind the beach. Sure you can probably get to it other ways, but just the way we entered seemed so magical almost.

I love spending time among nature and at parks. I’d definitely give this one a try again. I mean they have pipes that make music…who needs anything else…

Have any of you been to Roker Park recently?