This is a lovely little park in Trafford between Urmston and Flixton and has a minature steam…read morerailway that is run by a small group of dedicated steam engine enthuastics and cost 20p for a ride around the park. It runs on sunday and is really popular with parents with children. There is also a small playground and the icecream van is usually there to serve the public. There are a number of events staged at this park throughout the year including Fireworks on Bonfire night and Railway engine steam and track weekend.

I think this is a really lovely park. Theres a large grass field that people walk their dogs on,…read moreplay football, frisbie or fly a kyte when the weathers nice. Then there are 2 seperate play areas, that aren't so new nowadays, but are still relatively modern and in good condition. The smaller park is for younger children, sort of 6 and under ish with a climbing frame and young child swings. And a larger park with a spiders web climbing frame amongst other things for older children. Theres a bowling green too and a minature steam train track that runs round the edge of the park. When I say minature, I mean in comparison to the real thing, but these tow seats around the track behind the train and its driver. Its about 20p, something which inflation doesn't seem to have effected, as its beenthat price for about the last 15+ years. But the trains are perfect for any small child who loves Thomas. They usually only run on a sunday. Theres usually an ice cream van around as its a popular park. There are events on throughout the year, usually around the 1st bank holiday in May for May Day Steam where the trains run for the whole weekend and theres a beer tent, model trains, boats, planes, crafts, sweets, bouncy castle, mini fair, steam engines, old bikes, cars, tractors and a good way to spend a day or afternoon over the Bank holiday, especially if the weathers not so good or you don't want to travel too far. They usually do something around Bonfire night too, although sadly I don't think they have the huge bonfire anymore that they used to have.

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!

Victoria Park in Swinton used to be occupied by the now extinct Swinton Old Hall. Interestingly,…read morenot far from the park there is a private house that used to be a part of the estate. I doubt they let casual visitors in; as for me, I was lucky enough to visit the house with a friend of mine. The dining room downstairs preserves the original wooden beams and a bit of decor that dates back to the first half of 18th c. The land was purchased by the Borough of Swinton and Pendlebury and converted into a park in 1897. An impressive bandstand commemorates the 60th anniversary of the reign of Queen Victoria. These days there are tennis courts and children's playground. Close to the part is a private nursery, and it is easily accessible on foot from Swinton Shopping Precinct, or by buses 12, 36, and 37 (among a few others). The park is by no means huge, but is a lovely place to walk on a lazy afternoon.

One of our favourite Bolton parks -- small but perfectly formed, as they say. There's an excellent…read morechildren's playground: the Council have recently spent a huge amount of money updating the swings, slides and so on and it's been money well spent. Our kids (aged 3 and 5) love going there and letting off some steam. Apart from the playground there's a bowling green and plenty of grass to play football/cricket/whatever -- although to be honest that's about it. It's just over the road from a local secondary school so it may be best avoided at certain times of the week, but during the holidays and at weekends it's a good place to visit.

It's always nice to have a public park on your route home from Deansgate. Walking through it…read morethough, well... that's a different story. Because Islington Park is scary. And I don't want to sound like some naive little middle-class flibbertigibbet who's been wrapped in cotton wool during her upbringing and writes about life rather than living through the gritty realism of it, but when you see someone peeing in the middle of an open grassland area, near what presumably is supposed to be a scenic little bench to sit on, it unnerves you slightly. It's a popular spot for dog walkers, and not the kind with poodles and schitzus, the kind with illegally bred pitbulls. (Oh my, imagine if they cross-bred a pitbull and a schitzu! You could call it a schitpit.) I've also seen many a can of Special Brew consumed with relish on the presumably urine-ridden bench by unkempt looking gentlemen in clothes older than them. It's a very strangely emblematic borderline between Chapel Street's more affluent residences, healthy and wealthy Spinningfields, and the crumbling ancient and burnt out buildings, the boarded-up newsagents and the council habitation area. Talk about a buffer zone. I'm not trying to cast snobby aspersions on anybody here, but there's a reason the street's being regenerated. I just hope the TNT doesn't destroy entirely the old-world Salford charm. You have to squint to see it, but it's there. It's there in pubs like the Crescent, King's Arms and New Oxford, it's there in beautiful buildings like the Courthouse, and it's there in the converted Royal Hospital in which I reside. The plan is to enlarge and modernise Islington Park, and I for one think this is a great idea... if it works. One cannot forget that right behind this park is the dubious area around St Philip's Primary School where fireworks are set off in broad daylight, a tower block more depressing than your average Mike Leigh film resides and the streets around Islington Mill which look to be the perfect setting for a horror film. As it stands now I don't like to spend too much time here. It looks to be a dangerous hotspot and one of the reasons Salford gets an undeserved bad reputation. So let's watch this space and see if the regeneration breathes some much-needed life into this park, but manage to keep that almost intangible sense of Salfordism rather than brainwash it into the 21st century. Because just think, if the park epitomised the best of both worlds, it'd be the ideal place to walk your aptly symbolic schitpit.

Great park. Nicer than the main Royton park. Quieter, more spacious and it doesn't seem like your…read morein Royton A good play area to kids, great for riding bikes, jogging etc. Great for picnics as well, however on the downside is there is no toilets.

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.

A small children's play area off Wigan Road…read more There's a very good playground there: Bolton Council have recently invested some money in their children's play facilities, and they have put in quite a bit of new equipment here. As a consequence it's a really good facility with plenty to keep the kids amused and to help them burn of some energy. Apart from the playground, though, there's not much here! And the parking isn't great either -- you have to park on Wigan Road itself really. But all in all, it's a decent resource to have in the neighbourhood -- we certainly like it!