
5 great things about Riverside Park in Glenrothes after £5m revamp
The 18-month refurbishment included the installation of a £1m adventure playpark.
It features two huge hippos with slides and climbing areas.
And it has already proved a huge hit with younger visitors.
Families have been flocking there in their droves and the car park is full every weekend.
However, there is a lot more to Riverside Park than state-of-the-art play equipment.
It includes a pump track capable of hosting international biking competitions, a labyrinth, scenic walks and a new disc golf course, among many other attractions.
We went along to see what else it has to offer.
Artist Tom Bell spun some magic three years ago to turn the skatepark into an impressive spider's web.
It's near the new play area and it well used by skateboarders from Glenrothes and beyond.
The Riverside Park bowl was created in memory of Glenrothes teenager Stefan Drummond, who died in 2005.
Known as Skate Heaven, it's also used by BMX bikers and scooters.
As its name suggests, Riverside Park sits next to a river – the River Leven to be precise.
You can walk along a marked trail, which takes you under a suspension bridge and continues for more than four miles.
It includes views of Leslie House, once home of Titanic survivor The Countess of Rothes.
And a wildlife garden, mosaic and the iconic Glenrothes hippos all feature on the circular route.
Some parts are unpaved so can become muddy but don't let that put you off.
A maze is a great way to lose yourself on an afternoon out.
The Riverside Park maze is found next to Leslie Road, near the white suspension bridge.
Turn right out of the main car park and up some steps.
Then walk across the path and through a gap in the trees and you'll find it.
Glenrothes is famous for its public art, found throughout the town.
And Riverside Park has no shortage of sculptures, totem poles and, of course, hippos.
A group of yellow UFOs also feature within a smaller playpark area.
There's a colourful mosaic along the riverside.
And beautiful metallic carved screens sit close to a stone picture frame, which many visitors use as a backdrop to their own photos.
Many parts of Riverside Park enjoy views across Glenrothes, and beyond.
However, a fairly new addition is a very welcome viewing platform.
It offers panoramic views over the wider park and also to the Lomond Hills beyond.
The platform can be found on the approach to the park from Fullerton Road, close to the Lidl store.
You have to walk up some steps to get to it but there are benches at the top.

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