ACCESS: ENTRANCES & SURFACED FOOTPATHS
Access to Eastfield Park is not a problem. The park has five main points of access, shown by yellow stars in the following map (entrances from Kettering Road, Skiddaw Walk, Booth Lane, Greenside (east) and Greenfield Avenue). The park also has a number of other access points, shown by the smaller orange stars on the map (Baldwin Close entrance, various access points from the Lakeside Housing Estate, and the almost redundant Grange road entrance). Additionally, the park has access from the Eastfield Housing Estate along almost the full length of the Greenside footpath. Access to locations within the park can, however, be a problem, particularly in wet weather when much of the park may be waterlogged. There are few all-weather surfaced footpaths and only one crosses the centre of the park.
The five main entraces were improved in 2011 following petitioing from the Friends of Eastfield Park. Before the improvements, the entrance from Booth Lane, for example, was little more than a gap in the hedge with a few bollards (see below). After the improvements, each entrance had a welcoming sign with a map and a short history of the park. Entrances were also prvided with an all-weater surface and bollards, removeable if access by official vehicles is required. The original improved entrances are shown in the display following the picture of the old Booth Lane entrance.
Entrance onto Appletree Walk from Kettering Road
Entrance onto Mallard Walk from Skiddaw Walk
Entrance onto Cedar Walk form Greenfield Avenue
Entrance onto Appletree Walk from Kettering Road
Eastfield Park is inadequately supplied with all-weather surfaced footpaths. Greenside extends along the southern boundary of the park, separating it from the Eastfield housing estate. Cedar Walk runs close to the western boundary of the park from the Greenfield Avenue entrance northwards to where it meets the southern end of Appletree Walk. Appletree Walk extends from its junction with Cedar Walk to the Kettering Road entrance of the park.​ Mallard Walk is the only cross-park footpath. It extends from the Eastfield housing estate to the Skiddaw Walk park entrance in Lakeview, passing close by the lake. There is also a surfaced footpath running along the backs of houses in Lakeview, separating them from the park. Additionally, there is a length of surfaced path from Greenside to the MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) and a short, surfaced ramp leading from the Booth Lane entrance towards the football pitches. According to the Land Registry, Greenside and the path between the park and the Lakeview Hosing Estate, are not part of Eastfield Park whereas Appletree Walk is part of the park.​
Cedar Walk and Appletree Walk could be considered as one long footpath. However, they have different attributes and different histories. Cedar Walk follows the route of a track that was part of the Weston Favell House Estate. Although that track also extended along much of what is today Appletree Walk, it never reached the Kettering Road. Furthermore, the land that Appletree Walk runs along was not part of the original Eastfield Park. It was purchased by the Council in 1966 to be a public right of way between the Kettering Road and the park.
Cedar Walk
Appletree Walk
Mallard Walk (below) was constructed in 2014 following a public survey carried out by the Friends of Eastfield Park. Much of the land crossed by the path can be very wet and, in one place, the path crosses an old drainage line. However, the southern and northern sections were built to a very high standard. The path was made of self-binding gravel, laid over a rock foundation with a waterproof membrane, and edged with timber. Extra drainage was provided where the path crosses the drainage line. However, the part of the path closest to the lake was built on more solid ground and such a foundation was considered unnecessary and expensive. This is the part of the path that is most easily damaged by traffic.
