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!

Balls Wood is the hidden gem of Maghull for those who love parks and the great outdoors in general…read more You could walk right by this park and not notice it--in fact I did at first. Through this camouflaged archway lies a hidden little patch of green. If you long for green and trees and fresh air as much as I do, this is a great place to walk, sit, breath, and drink in the natural world around you. I was taken aback, actually, because it reminded me a little bit of the fields across the road from my grandparents' old stone house back in the USA. As you walk through the arch you have trees on both sides of the mown grass, and you have to walk quite a ways before you come to the open clearing. Apparently this patch of land is home to a bit of wildlife as well so if you're lucky and you time it right, you might spot some cunning and adorable critters.

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.

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.

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.

Marbury Park is a lovely green space in Northwich. The park has a play area for the kids, lots of…read morepicnic tables and a café. There are a few walking trails around the park that take you through the fields, woods and along the canal. The park used to have a hall but unfortunately that was knocked down in the 1960s. Definitely a place to visit on a nice sunny day.

Nice little park near to Comberbach. There is a small fee for parking but its not much can't…read moreremember off hand. We usually go in the summer and there is always an ice cream van in the car park. There are a number of different ways you can walk and there is an outdoor swimming pool but you have to be a member to enter. there is also a small play area with a climbing frame. Park is used by a lot of people walking their dogs. There are a few animals as well as wild rabbits.

Very beautiful scenery, a good place to be closer to nature, many trees and lawns, there is also…read moresome architecture in this park, Went there about a month ago, worth visiting.

Great park for walking, two childrens playgrounds (one toddler/preschool age with half a ship &…read moreanother with obstacle course for older kids) If you're going to the cafe for a coffees and a scones, please note you collect food at counter they likely will not offer table service (although I did see a staffer take an elderly couples brunch order at the table so it might be just a communication issue)- so you have to take your scalding hot coffees and scones on a catering tray while navigating the tables/weekend crowds and wait for someone to open the front door if you're sitting outside - just something to be aware of when you have a bunch of running toddler/kids that keep bumping into you and no additional adult to assist - patrons helped out but just something to be aware of as I almost gave my toddler 2nd degree burns without foresight