When the Queensway Tunnel was dug beneath the river, the subsequent rubbish pulled from the ground…read morewas dumped and landscaped into what is now Otterspool Prom. Here you can do everything there is to possibly do on a riverside promenade; things such as walk, ride a bike, look at the water and...um...well that's about it. I suppose you could rollerblade if you wanted. If it's a warm day and you don't mind the style your hair will be sculpted into by the blustering gales, you can follow the prom and its interconnecting paths right up to the Pier Head. If you don't fancy that, try and unearth the ruins of the 1984 Garden Festival, which lies hidden by tree trunks and weeds. You don't know how overtly creepy something is until you accidentally stumble across a kid's overgrown swing park. I still have nightmares.

What a spectacular view. Did you ever see such a coastline? Especially when the waves are choppy…read moreand the wind blustery. I absolutely love the promenade; walking along beside the river with the breathtaking view of the Welsh hills in the background is really relaxing, there's lots of cyclists and dog-walkers around and it's a lovely environment on a clear sunny day. The park which was renovated through the 'Pride in our Proms' project is Amazing. It's a mini world of Big Kid heaven... for me anyway I regressed about 10 years and was on the swings, seesaw and monkey bars, and when we'd totally worn ourselves out running around and taking cool scenic pictures of the sunset we went for a well earned pint from the Otterspool pub which is handily a hop skip and a cartwheel across the park. Go fly a kite, see the sights, play on the park and grab a pint!

In the verdant solitude of Woolton, Reynolds Park lies hidden like a chest of buried treasure, or…read morethat cockroach in your bed. Once the estate grounds of the Reynolds family, the parkland has passed through many owners, ranging from a scarred old slaver to the man who set the standard gauge for the British Rail system. Excited? For only fourteen acres, it crams a lot in. There's a walled garden, a topiary garden and a sunken garden. Still in formation is the old arboretum, as well as a wild flower meadow and even something called a ha-ha. Yes it's real, look it up. Whether it's a stroll through the gorgeous summer sun or a confused, drunken stagger home, Reynolds Park will enhance any trek you may be going on, without caring a jot for what you think of it.

The Estate has been in the ownership of many families of mixed fortunes over the past two…read morecenturies. The park as we know it today, with the addition of Dove Park in 1907, has developed over the past years and now stands within the boundaries of the 1929 bequest. Unusually for its period the 14-acre park has not been eroded by land sales and provides a key asset to the immediate local community. The original parkland was of fairly modest proportions until that date having been sub-divided in accordance with the requirements of the Enclosures Act 1805, to provide common grazing lands. The Park has been gradually acquired over the past 200 years, with its current boundaries and artefacts remaining mainly unchanged since the original bequest. The 14 acre park is bounded by Church Road, Woolton Park and Woolton Hill Road, Liverpool 25. It contains listed features including the Walled Garden, Gatehouse, and perimeter walls and is set within the Woolton Conservation Area. It could well be described as a 'hidden gem', providing an area of passive recreation and contemplation, with the capacity to absorb limited informal recreation for families, and a safe and secure haven for young children.

You could walk around Sefton Park every day for a century and not see it in the same way twice. I…read moredon't know what would be so special about that 36,501st day but that'd be the one you get bored on. A mighty, verdant wonderland of precise landscape design, the park has everything- a lake, a cricket club, a cafe, tennis courts, an obelisk, a grotto, a dingly dell, a palm house, a nature reserve, an iron bridge, a swing park, a bowling green, fountains and a bandstand. Once upon a time, there was also an aviary, an open-air theatre and even a freaking pirate ship. Nowadays it plays host to the jangly joy of the Africa Oyé festival, as well as whatever circus has thundered into town from across the eastern horizon. Opened in 1872 by Prince Arthur (Queen Victoria's son) who dedicated it "for the health and enjoyment of the townspeople", the park received a vital face-lift in 2009. The lake was cleaned, sloppy grass banks were resculpted, signposts erected, statues polished and view-blocking trees were sliced down, somehow making the vast park seem even more open and welcoming. Oh yeah, I forgot ducks off that list before. It has ducks. Ooh and grass.

Wow, on a sunny day people sure do know how to kick back and relax! The best place to do this in…read moreliverpool has to be Sefton Park. Out of the city and into the countryside, or so it would seem! Big open fields, winding tree-lined paths, a boating lake (not that I've ever seen a boat on there), greenery galore. The Palm House is beautiful and having seen it in the midst of a deep snowy winter and it's reflective crystal maze esque glory of summer, it's always amazing. Today, we were strolling around the lake and there wasn't just one swan or two, but a whole family with their little cute baby signets just catchin' the sun on the path and people were just sitting watching them, almost cooing in appreciation at them they were so gorgeous. The park has also opened up a little cafe that serves yum stuff like rum and raisin and mint choc chip (my fave!) icecreams, coffees teas and lollies etc from a little glass pod on the edge of the lake, the seating outside gives a great view of the park to enjoy your surroundings and relax! So pack a picnic or a barbie, throw down a tartan rug and soak up the sun in one of the most mesmerising parks in the world! (Well, in our lovely little Liverpool bubble anyway!)

By definition, parks aren't normally things that get bunched up together but in this area you can…read morewalk between Clarkes Gardens, Allerton Towers, Woolton Woods and Camp Hill in a matter of minutes, if you run. Although relatively small, near a village and technically a 'wood', there's something primeval about Woolton Woods, as if it's the last surviving remnant of some ancient, tangled, nation-spanning forest. Emerging out the back of it you find yourself stood on the crest of Camp Hill, which offers views right across the Mersey, Wirral and on to the Welsh hills. It's not difficult to see why an Iron Age fort once occupied this spot (hence the hill's name) and it's nothing to do with rent prices. Camp Hill is a a sweeping swathe of grassland that always looks like it should have a TV historian walking sideways across it, speaking to camera. If no battle has ever taken place here I'll be both surprised and disappointed and will probably organise one myself. You're welcome to come along. Bring a trebuchet.

Even though it's situated in the leafy suburb of Woolton, Camp Hill still stands out. At the top of…read morethe hill you can see past Garston and over the river on a clear day. The woods, while only small, are regularly full of chatty dog owners ready to show their love and do the poop scoop. Don't worry; I'm not talking about some new fangled dance style! Perhaps the best feature is a walled garden dating back years and years and years, which is a real find for anyone who likes flowers. In summer the walled garden is a veritable feast of colour, its beds stuffed with a multitude of different flowers and in winter, if there is any snow Camp Hill is an amazing place for sledding. The only drawback is that there isn't a designated car park but as it has several entrances, all of which have ample roadside parking.

The National Wildflower Centre is an award winning independent charity funded through public…read moresupport. They run a seasonal visitor attraction that showcases wildflowers in a natural environment with lots of ideas that you can replicate at home. As well as this, they provide information and raise awareness about the importance of wildflowers and encourage people to learn about the creation and management of new wildflower habitats (which they call creative conservation). The centre has a mix of refurbished old buildings and new architecture, with courtyards and a walled garden demonstration space where they show seasonal displays of wildflowers. As well as this, there is plenty for children to do such as explore woodland, find minibeasts and burn off some energy on their climbing wall and play equipment. For a plantastic day out, choose the National Wildflower Centre in Knowsley!

Like flowers? Of course you do, you'd have to be the ultimate miserablist not to like flowers…read more Heck, Morrissey's a miserablist and even he likes to swing a bouquet around onstage. So if Moz is in need of more blooms to enhance his performance, you might want to point him in this direction. Certainly the place to appreciate a good plant, the National Wildflower Centre is the work of registered charity Landlife, so get ready to feel good about yourself. A great visitor attraction, the idea behind the centre is to allow people to enjoy the habitats they've created for wildflowers, raise awareness of the importance of foliage and enable wildlife to thrive and multiply. Birds, bugs and animals alike have found the environment perfect for settling down since the centre opened almost ten years ago, and the fact that it's part of Victorian Court Hey Park, a 35 acre attraction in itself, speaks very highly for it. A peaceful ambience and a superb family environment, it's well worth taking the bus ride out of the city centre for. Not only is it good for sightseers, there are also unique conference facilities available if you fancy holding an event with a little bit of pizzazz. You'd have to be very hard of heart not to be inspired by this place, there's no other word for it - it's truly gorgeous. Any money the centre raises goes to the charity so just by visiting you'll certainly make a difference. Do take the time to stop and smell the roses.

A little know gem of Warrington with bucket loads of history attached. It's got 2 main areas, open…read moregrass land and the willow marshes. Great dog walking area.

This is a wonderful, natural environment. Excellent for those who like to walk away from all the…read moretraffic and noise, but still be in contact with civilisation. It can be accessed from Farrell Street or Manchester Road (via Peacock Avenue) and has some pathways laid out, suitable for wheelchairs or buggies. Once again, it is often necessary to watch out for bicyclists, but most are very courteous here. The odd kids on stolen and/or illegal motorcycles are not. Contrary to popular knowledge of the law, these are not legal on what used to be called common land and still need a license, tax and insurance - none of which they have. Rant over! Just off the laid paths is a quite large area which is the actual twiggery - water and marshland completely enclosed in shrubbery which is more akin to jungle than parkland. The authorities have had built raised, wooden walkways throughout this area without destroying the natural aspects - it is possible to see all manner of animal and birdlife if one is quiet enough. I have watched heron fishing in the pond near the entrance as well as kingfishers and wagtails. On St George's Day, we usually manage to pick enough dandelions for the next year's dandelion wine - more than two gallons some years.

Calderstones is one of my favourite parks in Liverpool, mainly because of all of it's different…read more"sections". It's a fab place to walk around on a sunny day, one of my favourite places to chill out under the blossom trees. I went along to the tennis last week, which Calderstones has been home to since 2002. It was my first experience of professional tennis, and it was fab.. chillin' out in Caldy's with a cold diet coke, watching Martina Hingis. It's great for the city and I hope it continues to grow.

Calderstones Park is cheating. The areas surrounding it are all so lush and verdant (at least in…read morethe summertime) that the park doesn't really get a chance to outshine anything else. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell where it actually starts. Walking past you tend to just be absorbed into it, like liquid into the kidney. Named after the Calderstones, six neolithic sandstones that sit beneath a glasshouse, the park gets full star ratings for the way it sublimely achieves a sense of infinity. Strolling beneath a canopy twittering with feathered things or past the lake splattered with goose crap, it feels like you'll never actually reach one of the park's boundaries. It's huge. Another historical landmark is the Allerton Oak, an ancient tree that is reputedly a millennium old. Its state of decrepitude is said to be the result of an 1864 explosion of the gunpowder ship Lotty Sleigh three miles away on the Mersey. The fact its peppered with fascinating nuggets of history and is larger than both of our houses put together means Calderstones Park is a great place to pretend to know where you're going.

The Jungle Parc is an absolutely amazing place for kids, and not too bad for adults too. I never…read moreeven knew this place existed until I was searching the net and then came across this place. I would strongly recommend this for age 7 - 10 though smaller ones are able to come along too, height restrictions do apply to certain parts of the adventure courses, so to avoid disappointed I would recommend you go onto their website and check first. This place is all about fun and fitness for the whole family. They have a massive high wire forest adventure course; which is set within the countryside and developed to encourage you to get moving, and trust me by the end you the adventure a good cuppa and sleep is what you'll need, though if it is for the family then keeping the kids active by getting them tired then Jungle Parc is the place to bring them. It is a very safe environment and with all the proper equipment it is very enjoyable. The X-plorer course is for anyone over 1.35m in height and the Adventurer course is for children from 4 years old and with minimum height of 1.05m. The Jungle Parc is situated in Croxteth Country Park which is only 10 minutes from the city centre.

The Jungle Parc which (like Gemma) I also never knew existed until I came across a flyer, is based…read moreat Croxteth Country Park. The site is generally an incredible place for outdoor activities for those looking to burn off more than a bit of energy (adults and children alike). The premises consists of two different courses: X-Plorer course and Adventurer course (for the little ones). Each course is ideally designed with a practical element, almost like an assault course but with the fun involved. There are 40 amazing activities to enjoy as you glide through trees on rope bridges, zip lines and cargo! It definitely sounds exciting as it really is. Adults are just £20 and Juniors £15. Prices include full training and all equipment to make sure you are fully prepared and safe. Not bad at all for an adventourous day in jungle like surroundings.

Walton Hall Park is not the biggest of parks in Liverpool but large enough to say the least! On a…read moresunny day, it is a wonderful place to spend the day with family and friends. If you fancy a picnic, there is plenty of open field space where you can't be noticed or noticed if you wish. The park has one main lake and a smaller pond where you can enjoy fishing or feeding ducks, swans or geese. Having said it is a great day to spend on a sunny day, it is also a great day to spend on a snowy day; back in January's snow flurry, the park had a magnificent white display with lakes turning into an ice rink. The place was beautiful to walk through but naturally hazardous for children and animals. Occasions like this are rare but when the opportunity arises, I would recommend a visit whether sunny or snowy!

I used to live fairly close to this park. It's pretty good sized, and provides a nice place to…read morewalk, play with your dog, take the kids for a picnic, etc. There's a paved track that runs all around the grassy area. I'm not sure how long the track is--possibly a fourth of a mile. Around the edges there are some trees that provide nice shade in the summer months. All in all a clean and pleasant park. :)

Mansion House Built in 1828 the Mansion House is described…read morein the Liverpool Heritage Bureau 'Buildings of Liverpool' as 'asymmetrical and of two storeys in the Georgian tradition'. Today it is no longer a private house and contains offices of the Council, including the Housing Market Renewal Initiative and City Safe. Ornamental Gardens Situated at the centre of the park, this area comprises of three stlyles of gardens, one of ehich is the a Flower Garden. Originally a rose garden, it now provides a quiet area where visitors can absorb the scents and beauty of traditional planting schemes. The other two gardens are the Old English Garden and the Japanese Garden. The Glasshouse Situated in the Ornamental Gardens, this glasshouse displays examples from the city's temperate and tropical Botanical collections. There are plenty of things are and thepark is beautifuk, it has tennis courts too, and cafes etc..

One of the finest parks in Liverpool. A lake. Botanic Gardens. Mansion House. Worth a visit.read more