A family festival will mark the end of a £12 million project to transform parts of Greenwich Park, including restoring 17th-century giant steps on the hill next to the Royal Observatory.

Royal Parks, the charity that runs the open space, has re-established the Grand Ascent, giant grass terraces created in the 1660s, that it said had almost disappeared because of erosion. 

The Greenwich Park Revealed project also included replanting avenues of trees and reinstating parterre banks that had framed the Queen’s Field  beneath the hill. 

More public space has also been created around the General Wolfe monument at the top of the hill, although the hill itself – once a popular sunbathing spot – is now fenced off from the public.

A new learning centre has been built while a new café has also been created in the southeast of the park in an area that was previously off-limits to visitors.

Greenwich Park giant steps
The steps recreate a 17th-century feature of the park. Image: The Greenwich Wire

Royal Parks said it had also planted thousands of shrubs, trees, and pollinator-friendly flowers to create new meadows and boost biodiversity, while mowing regimes had been changed to help the acid grasslands.  

The Finale Family Festival includes a silent disco skate jam and tango classes on Friday evening by the Wolfe statue, while there will be a farmers’ market, a canine circus and yoga classes on Saturday. 

Much of the money for Greenwich Park Revealed came from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Community Fund.

Ignatius Sancho Café
The Ignatius Sancho Café opened as part of the Greenwich Park Revealed project. Image: Royal Parks

Clare Lanes, the park manager, said: “It’s wonderful to welcome everyone back to these much-loved and much-improved spaces in Greenwich Park. The park is a space where nature, people, and heritage meet, and through this significant project, we’ve been able to protect the landscape for centuries to come.

“We have one of the best views in London, and now everyone will be able to enjoy it in a more accessible way. We hope everyone will enjoy visiting, whether for a walk, a coffee, or to uncover the fascinating stories of the park.”

Earlier this week plans for a major refurbishment of Royal Observatory Greenwich were made public, including new landscaping to make blend more closely with the surrounding park.

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