what shall I replace my gravel with?

[Flingingmelon]

Bought an Edwardian cottage with a lovely established cottage style garden. We have a York stone patio and a listed tiled path down the centre of the lawn. The rest of the garden is either lawn, planting or gravel. The gravel is looking pretty rubbish as I haven't done anything with it since we moved in last year. It goes right round the house in a mixture of paths and larger spaces (
approx 3m X 3m). I hate it, I hate the weeds and the plastic showing through and that it gets EVERYWHERE. It's also really unpractical for my toddler, who can't scoot on it and gets hurt on it when he falls off his bike etc.

What can I replace it with? I'd love to pave round with York stone and then reclaim some areas for planting, but I'm not made of money. Any alternative suggestions for me to go research?

[Ferguson]

Isn't a NARROW path of the York stone, all or most of the way round, a possibility? And lawn or planting for the remainder?

Or cheaper reclaimed cement slabs to start with, and upgrade to the York in due course.

[Flingingmelon]

That could work. Some of it would need to be wheelie bin width but not all.

[Woopsiedaisy]

I replaced my dirty gravel last year with smooth scottish cobbles. They are larger than gravel (and actually come in several sizes) are rounded pebbles so won't hurt your toddler and become really beautiful in the rain when they show an array of amazing colours.

Moreover, they dont increase my flood risk as water can still permeate through them.

York stone is expensive and lethal when wet when it gets covered in lichen. I have York stone paths and am constantly having to spray them with Patio Magic or power wash them.

[Flingingmelon]

Ooh I'll google that. Much appreciated!