When I lived in Whitworth Park (the halls, for I am not a vagrant) my parents came to pick me up on…read morethe way up to visit family in the north-east. Due to the fact that my Mum is always early and my Dad is always thrifty, they had brought a picnic and suggested eating it in the park. The problem was that it was March and not even a particularly warm or dry March, so we huddled up against each other and sat on a cold, graffitied bench and ate our tuna sarnies. That was the only picnic I've eaten in Whitworth Park and pretty much the only time I've sat down in there. On the other occasions I was put off by the combination of tramps, builders and school kids, which made it hard to relax. I found it much more pleasant to sit in Whitworth Park (the halls) or walk for 20 minutes to Platt Fields Park. But still, I quite like this park. It is a nice green break from the monotony of curry houses (if approaching from Rusholme direction) and university buildings (if approaching from other direction). I just want to know how they keep on putting the cone back on top of King James' head. Anyone?

After trekking around, looking for a place to relax, I saw this well-sized park and figured it'll…read moredo. And it did! Fairly decently sized, this is a good park right near the university that offers visitors the chance to choose from a plethora of space. Thankfully, my visit did not coincide with hordes of screaming children, so I was able to stroll about and find a seat and enjoy a quiet park. Even sitting next to the playground I was free of yelling and gallivanting children. Although there was a random woman who walked up to the Hamster Wheel and decided she needed a workout (she seriously just walked in it for a couple minutes like it was a treadmill...see my photo for proof!). Granted, this time of year the ground was a bit wet and muddy, but I think this could be a lovely space on a warm (and dry) day to just sit under a tree and breathe the fresh air.

Undoubtedly my favourite park in Manchester. There is everything: trees, flowerbeds, a little lake,…read moretables to have a picnic, benches. Also, there's usually plenty of events going on, such as markets, cricket matches and other cultural or social activities. It is the ideal place to do sport. Running is a standard thing to do, and it is possible to find some panels around the park which show the various lengths for the paths you can choose, so that you are always able to figure out which distance you have covered. There is a cricket pitch, where local teams plays over summer, and four tennis courts, which can be booked online for free. In most cases there are a few available, so you can just turn up and play, but especially on weekends I would recommend to book in advance. Recently I have noticed that a ping pong table has been installed close to the tennis courts. Close to the lake there is a cafe that is actually run by Tea Hive, the coffee shop in Chorlton. On weekends it is open until 5pm, while on weekdays it closes at 4.30pm.

In the whole of the United Kingdom, Alexandra Park Manchester comes second! Yep, that's rights, out…read moreoff the whole country, it's the second best... in the category 'parks called Alexandra Park'. Beaten only by its London rival Alexandra Park, which features miles of hills and a palace, this medium sized green space in Moss Side can hardly complain about its ranking. Plus it couldn't complain anyway because its a park not a person. Apparently the park was an important space in the Victorian period, but I've forgotten what it was like then, so I'll just focus on the now. Basically it's a big green space with some nice paths to stroll around and a nice little lake. More impressively is the fact that it plays home to an annual Caribbean Carnival! Less impressive that that but still worth of note is that it host many amateur football games an an annual 5K run. For this kind of thing you'll want the athletics webpage rather that the park one displayed above, that's at : www.openathletics.org.

A bittersweet experience was had on my first ever visit to Chorlton water park. Driving here is a…read morelittle strange with it being situated in such a densely populated area. You get the feeling your Satnav is taking you to the wrong place. Don't worry it's not. An old reservoir was transformed into a huge lake a while back and that's the park's main feature. A mile radius around the lake acts as a perfect biking/ hiking trail which isn't too strenuous and is littered with relaxing spots with great views. There's an icecream van to cater for all your refreshment needs and does a lot of business on a hot summer's afternoon. It's a perfect venue to have a picnic and for young families (There's a large play area for kids) All in all a lovely green space in a heavily populated urban area. My only beef with the place was the unsafe nature of the car park. Make sure you park in an area that's camera visible. I returned after a pleasent afternoon to find my windscreen cracked quite badly. I hadn't parked under a tree, falling debree was thus out the question so I suspected some sort of foul play. My little trip therefore cost me nearly £150. Perhaps the place is cursed for me, but don't let that put you off.

When I first moved to Chorlton and I heard people talking about this water park I had visions in my…read morehead of chutes and river rapids. Sadly, the water park bears absolutely no resemblance to Stoke-on-Trent's Water World or Florida's Blizzard Beach. Instead it is a large man-made lake with a path around the edge which attracts walkers, joggers and cyclists. The path is well-surfaced and links on to the Mersey Valley trail, which is unsurfaced. However, there is a car park and visitor centre if you don't fancy the trek down from Chorlton or Didsbury. The water park was formed in the 1970s when gravel was dug up from this area to build the M60, and the area was flooded to form the lake. Despite the fact that the water park is surrounded by the M60, the busy Princess Parkway and Chorlton town centre it is a surprisingly peaceful and serene place - so peaceful that it is the place that the hippies flock to for the summer solstice.

Platt Fields is the biggest and best park in the area. Its green hills stretch out, well, about a…read morefive-minute walk, behind Fallowfield. So Manchester is not the best for green spaces. Nonetheless, Platt Fields isn't bad. I couldn't recommend it for a long afternoon walk or a day-trip with the extended family, but for a kick around with a bunch of mates or walking a dog it'll do just fine (as long as your dog isn't a fussy one). Its got plenty of open green space for football, and during the summer its pretty busy so you can always find people to have a game with. It does have a little cage for 5-a-side games but its gets so muddy its practically unplayable and you're better off setting up your own goal posts with jumpers just like you did as school. If you didn't do this at school, its achieved by taking two jumpers and placing them on the ground, creating a space in between them that serves the function of a goal. You then kick the ball into this structure. Its also got a skate park, if that's your thing, but later on this tends to be frequented by hoodlums and WKD. The lake is absolutely the highlight, and contains plenty of floating birds to feed. It does have boats which apparently can be rented out, though I have yet to see this occur, possibly through lack of demand, as you would be able to cross the lake in well under a minute. The boats can be put to good use collecting balls that are inadvertently kicked into the lake, but the park wardens are an obstacle. It also has some swings, but they're rubbish.

Coming from a village where it cost you about 3 quid to see a rubbish fireworks display, I was…read morehappy to see the abundance of free bonfire night celebrations organised by Manchester Council. This bonfire night is not as big as those in Heaton Park and Wythenshawe Park, but unlike the village celebrations, it is always on bonfire night itself (remember remember the 5th of November, not the 9th or 10th!) and is always packed with students and families. It's a pretty standard affair - everyone crowds around the barriers forgetting that the fireworks are actually going to be high in the sky, then rushes over to crowd around the giant bonfire. There are of course the obligatory hot dog and donut stands with plenty of rides including the one which launches a pair of you high into the sky above the park (it's good fun, trust me). If you want some free bonfire night fun but don't have a car and don't fancy the crush on the metro to get out to Heaton Park, then PFP is the place to go.

The Sackville gardens are now filled with those lapping up the sun, idyllic. This nice piece of…read moregreenery near the Piccadilly station and Canal Street is a perfect haven for the students at the North campus, the average shopper or stroller by. Ran by the Friends of Sackville Gardens, a voluntary group set up in 2008 consisting of residents and general volunteers, the gardens remain a great place to relax. In 2006 it was awarded a Green flag award which recognises quality in parks around England and Wales. I definitely encourage those walking near by just to stop by and have a sit in the gardens.

Okay so it's not exactly Central Park but this small garden which is located almost exactly half…read moreway between Oxford Rd and Piccadilly train stations has a great bench and memorial to Alan Turing the mathematician and pioneer of computer science.

I've never really been *to* this park, but I have walked through it on numerous occasions, as it…read moremakes for a more scenic walk from Didsbury to Tesco/the cinema/Nando's than the main road does. For a Manchester park it seems to have very few scallies hanging about in it, making it a very pleasant place for a quick stroll or even a picnic (maybe). There is a football pitch, which apparently has an air raid shelter underneath it, a kids play area and a bowling green. Alongside Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens, Old Parsonage Gardens, Marie Louise Gardens and Fog Lane Park, Didsbury Park contributes to the leafy green spaces which make a welcome break from the café culture and bus fumes of Wilmslow Road.

A last minute decision on a damp, drizzly winter Sunday, but a good one. Forgot how vast this place…read moreis! Walked down the hill past the hall and round the lake, slowing to admire the signets and stop the dog munching all the food left for the birds! Round the other side of the lake, the woods are incredibly quiet; it's easy to forget you're right on the edge of such a large city and the motorway is about a mile away. This is the highest point in the city and the views are amazing.

Fancy a picnic in Manchester? Don't look at me like I've escaped from a mental unit, there's plenty…read moreof places to take a basket, blanket and a punnet of Scotch eggs in the city. If you don't believe me, you've clearly never seen the rural idyll that is Heaton Park. Easily accessible by the Metrolink from the city centre, Heaton Park in Prestwich is historical, green and gorgeous. It's home to a golf course as well as Heaton Hall, a beautiful manor which you can view by partaking in guided tours, the exciting kind where people wear costumes. There is literally far too much going on here for me to include in this little introduction but some noteworthy events include Oasis's huge homecoming gigs where they decked Heaton Park out like a festival. Technologically it was a nightmare, but good old Noel Gallagher promised refunds if they didn't get the sound sorted. Another thing you must, MUST do in Heaton Park is try and catch an open air Shakespeare production. They make the most incredible use of the surroundings, but an insider's tip is to bring a mackintosh, umbrella and perhaps even a flask and foldable chair. The former two are obviously due to the inclement Manchester weather, the latter... well, we all need our home comforts. Actually, add some kind of chewy sweets to that list, you choose your favourites. Just don't rub it in, the poor actors have to do this in all climates and are probably dying for one of your Skittles. Anything more I can add? Relay races for dogs (I'm totally serious, it's an opportunity for dog owners to meet and interact), health walks, horse riding, learning activities... the list goes on and on, and look out for the festivals and music performances. Heaton Park is a buzzing, thriving community all its own, so if you fancy some fresh air and culture, hop on the tram and bring sensible shoes. You'll love it here.

Sandhills is one of the small parks near to where I live that I love to have a wonder about on a…read moresunny Sunday. It's part of the Irk Valley redevelopment project. It actually used to be a quarry, 's just a pleasant sweeping field of lush, green grass. It's perfect for walking the dog or for having a short stroll. Exactly what a park should be good for. Obviously at night time it's a place for young 'uns to have a drink from a plastic bottle of cider, but during the day it's a nice place to get some fresh air. This park isn't suitable for football though - it's on a big hill!

Considering I eat and drink out as much as possible, there has to be some sort of action plan when…read moreit comes to shifting the pounds. That's why I'm exceptionally lucky to live next door to Alexandra park, a leafy oasis in the red brick jungle of Edgeley. Not only are there 3 reservoirs with a multitude of fishermen hogging the banks, there's also tennis, basketball and football courts all free and fully unlocked to the public 24/7. There's also the Edgeley crown green bowls pitches to the north of the park which are super popular with an older clientele, plus there's all ages going for it in the tai chi each morning. It's a great place to go for an early morning run, walk your dog (wow - everyone seems to know each other!) and I personally go to shoot a few hoops most morning to get my basketball on (wind permitting...) Perfect for folks with kids - there's a huge playground onsite!