As picturesque as it gets in Bolton, the Jumbles is a firm favourite for locals and outsiders…read morealike. This was at full testimony on my last walk (Sunday) when the weather had perked up a little as almost half of Bolton had decided to do the same! That could sound quite negative but it's definitely not, theres room and space for all. Most would say it's better when the sun is shining and you don't need to wrap up like you're about to tackle an blizzard on Snowdon, but sometimes it's just as beautiful to walk round when it's bitterly cold and the trees are frosting in stead of blooming. I'm very lucky to have this on my doorstep although I don't utilise it enough. If you're looking for a new walking route or a different reservoir to explore, make the Jumbles your next stop - and call in at my house for a cuppa on your way out!

So my quite frankly surreal and random love of water is a bit of a problem for someone living in…read moreYorkshire isn't it? Ha, I laugh in the face of your chortles. Of course not. We have water and plenty of it. We've also got electricty and phone lines outside of London too. I know, it's surprising. What I'm talking about is "real" water and what better place to go than Eccup Reservoir. It's a pearler of an area for some real clarity and fresh air. Beautiful walks ahoy then sailor and more natural splendor than you can shake a stick at. They've also invested heavily in preserving the glourious Red Kites and it is now home to over 100 of the bad boys. Great to see them in full flight. So twitchers can have a field day and the rest of us can also enjoy the array of wildlife on offer. There are also rumours and various sightings (not sure if Special Brew was involved) of a mysterious big cat in the area. Personally I don't believe them as the Yeti would've eaten it. A sure fire hit and worth a trip out to Alwoodley for anyone's money.

My boyfriend convinced me to go on a cycling mission to Eccup reservoir recently. He has a knack of…read moremaking a million miles away sound really close and as I was pressed for time I began to whinge part way there when I realised this wasn't the 15 minute bike ride I'd planned for, being about seven miles up hill! Upon arrival I stopped whingeing immediately. The sun was just beginning to set, and the reservoir, which is HUGE looked absolutely breathtaking! We stopped to catch our breath and as we gazed out across the water I couldn't believe we were within cycling distance of home. Before it got too dark to see much we cheekily jumped a couple of gates to get closer to the water. The reservoir was so still and the trees formed silhouettes against the darkening sky as we stood on the pebbly shore. If you feel the urge to get out of the city for some peace, fresh air and beautiful views, Eccup reservoir is the perfect place!

i always visit the park every sunday , i carnt belive its actualy free its like something you see…read moreand think you would have to pay a entrance free , a massive pond for fishing , park for the children , sand pit , slides and swings. i usualy go fishing on the pond with a reasonable price to fish , lovely people and litter free!

This is one of my favourite places to go for a local walk. Its great, at any time of day, and any…read moretime of year. You can stroll round the lake, at an easy pace. The walk is approx. 2.5miles long and can take you anywhere between 45mins to 1 hour+, depending on speed. At the back of the lake, you may get a chance to spot rabbits & bird-life. There are also, a very small cafe, toilets & a small play area for children. There is also, a Visitors Centre, where you can park, on a 'Pay & Display' basis. The centre provides the interested, information on the Lake, Local history, Childrens Activities & there are toilets & a small cafe. You can also, buy souveneirs. There are also, a range of food & drink facilities, in the locality. My suggestion is to try some fresh fish & chips, at 'Mr Thomas's' Fish & Chip shop. I dont think you will be disappointed! :o) For the more avid walker, there are plenty of trails to follow in the surrounding area. Or, if you are a watersport buff - you can partake in an activity, at The Water Sports Activity Centre. Word of Warning: Make sure you park in a legitimate spot, as Traffic Wardens are very keen to make a living! Also, Sunny days/Bank Holidays - it can be a very busy/crowded area to visit.

Hollingworth Lake is a "lake" in Littleborough. It has a lot of history dating back to 1794 when…read morethe Government sanctioned the construction of Rochdale canal and even Matthew Webb trained here, before becoming the first man to swim The English Channel in 1875. Getting here is relatively easy via car or rail links, with it being served by the 455 and 456 buses from Rochdale, as well as being fairly close to the Smithy Bridge and Littleborough rail stations. If you're driving here, you could actually go over the train tracks, and may have to wait for the train to pass. It is a bit rural here, despite the appearance of a few independent cafes and restaurants and houses. As a child I remember coming here to Hollingworth Lake, but now the surrounding areas have changed, for the worse. For example, The Beach which I remember as a nice, friendly pub has had a worse change than Bolton Wanderers FC turning into a messy, rowdy children's dumping ground, where I wouldn't even want to use the toilet, let alone eat! Parking at the lake can be difficult, it is all paid for which could be a few pounds in the beach, other than the few disabled spaces at the front of the lake, which can often be taken up. It really does seem this lake and the surrounding area has gone down-hill, it has changed from somewhere you could spend time around the lake and in the surrounding restaurants, to somewhere you'd struggle to kill half an hour now. It isn't terrible, but still I sadly can't think of a reason to warrant anything over 2 stars now, and this place really needs a revival, otherwise it could end up more like Portsmouth FC.

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.

Massive lake I like going with my dog to watch the boats and people trying to sail lol and round it…read moreis a near by woods were I can take my dog for a walk and at the end of the woods there a canal were you can have a seat and watch the barges go by

Jan 2017 - OK, so the lake is now called Queens and is run by Leigh Angling Association. It is not…read moreas well looked after as some venues, but for me this is half the attaction. That it not to say it is not comfortable to fish - it is, it ha gravel most of the way round and comfortable well spaced pegs (about 16-18 of them). It is just the vegetation is slightly overgrowing, though the small venue means that casting never really is an issue anyway. Fish are clearly healthy and not overfed, I have seen all sorts caught - gudgeon, perch, roach, bream, crucians seem to be there in the right proportions. And of course carp - there is a good stock of fish in the 8-14lb region, enough to keep you busy but not overstocked. The biggest I have seen out of there is 17lb, but I have been told that there are 2 20lbs+ there. Tactics - most seem to work, depending on the day. I have noticed that in the summer they seem to go mad fro krill-based boilies and paste. In the winter, I have been very successsful with corn and boilies (not so much maggots for some reason?), with up to 5 carp in a short 5-6 hour session, and only 2 blanks! People - at it's busiest on a summer weekend, I have never seen more than half of the pegs filled. And that was a one-off! average number of taken pegs in busy times is about 4-5. I guess it's not a really challenging water, with no monsters..with Fan Lodge just down the road too! But the people that are there are extremel friendly, polite and respectful. It is also fairly suited to kids as it is so quiet, plus ther are huge bushes full of blackberries which keeps them extremely busy in the summer!

Just 20 minutes by train from Manchester and around 30 minutes from Leeds - sandwiched in the…read morePennines is the glorious Dovestones. Most people walk around the 1st reservoir and enjoy the stroll. You can however walk around as many as 4 reservoirs in total and increase the challenge. If your particularly fit or an experienced Walker then walk to the tops and enjoy some fantastic views. The place changes every day with the weather, and lots of different routes to take so you won't get bored. Always wear good shoes/boots and take your waterproofs just in case. There is ample parking on weekdays, but very busy at weekends.

Our mission to go for at least one walk in the great outdoors each month of 2016 continues - at…read moreDove Stone Reservoir up in the hills of Saddleworth. Hoping lots of folks would have been put off by the cold weather and fallen snow, our group were met by total carmageddon at the official car park (which was full on a Sunday lunchtime and proved difficult to find a space). After a couple of circuits without success, we drove back to the main road, up the hill a few hundred yards and found plenty of room at the Binn Green car park. It's supposed to be pay and display but there were no machines - double winner. We took a stepped path down from this car park (it's a tad muddy in winter so choose appropriate footwear) and then eventually met the main paved/gravelled route around the reservoir. It's pretty flat all the way and there are gorgeous views to be had, so lots of photo opportunities. The shorter circular route is about 3 miles, whereas if you include the route past Yeoman Hey and Greenfield Reservoirs this increases to 5 miles. We were getting hungry by this point so decided to just do the former!

A great adventure playground that will keep all but the most fussy of kids entertained, be warned…read morethough it can get a bit muddy. The grounds of the estate have miles of paths to explore/walk the dog and alarge lake give ample oppurtunity to feed the ducks/fish.

Although not exactly in the middle of the countryside, St Ives lets you get away from the…read morerelatively busy hustle and bustle of nearby Bingley and offers beautiful woodland walks, tasty food and a bit of something for everyone. St Ives boasts it's own golf course so if you are that way inclined you can while away a few hours hitting balls into holes (can you tell I'm not a fan!) It also has a beautiful lake with a lovely walk around it which is ideal if you have youngsters who will enjoy feeding the various ducks and other wildlife. They recently introduced a wildlife viewing area where you can sit and watch squirrels and various birds eating from conveniently placed feeding tables. There are lots of paths and walks you can enjoy around the estate, including one which takes you through a large woodland area with many large carved statues for you to discover - the dragon is our favourite! Extra points if you can find the massive carved wooden chain (hint: it's in a tree somewhere near the lake!) There are several large car parks and a children's playground and also tearooms to enjoy, so there really is something for everyone. Definitely a place where you can go have fun with your family, or even relax and get away from it all.

Yeadon Tarn is a lovely place to visit if you have small children or dogs that need walking. With a…read morenice dam to walk around, plenty of ducks and concrete pathway, its a surefire winner. It features a bandstand, childrens park area and even has its own sailing club. The park is open to the public all year round and has exciting views of the aeroplane strip at Leeds Bradford Airport. There are numerous picnic areas and fishing opportunities. I prefer to visit extremely early in the morning to have a run and I must say, it is rather beautiful at sunrise...

This is a great place to stretch your legs on a weekend. No matter what the weather this place…read morealways seems to be busy. The path way around the tarn is suitable for little ones on bikes or wheel chairs. There's a children's play area, band stand, picnic tables, bike track, benches and plenty of parking. I love visiting in the winter when the water is frozen over and the ground is covered in snow. It's beautiful! Just a note: as I am local to the area on my last visit I noticed a fair bit if litter not exactly at the tarn but the surrounding areas.. If we all club together and bin our rubbish or even pick other peoples up and dispose if it we can all help keep this place looking nice for others :-)