Magnificent old deer park - worth a walk at any time of the year.read more

Try this company, your dog will be very happy you did :-)read more

Mediocre dog walking service. They are often walked in the Roundhay Park area through the gorge in…read moregroups of 6-8 dogs and the walkers never clean up after the dogs. The lady that runs the business also provides a home boarding service but I certainly cannot recommend that. I got in touch for two weeks board for my two working dogs. She put me in touch with a lady (very nice though she was) who had a small spaniel. We met at Temple Newsam and the dogs got on well but when I visited her home she was a bag of nerves and my dogs were only looking around. She clearly could not cope with two lively dogs. I have come across much better walking services

Good bit of woodland for dog walking!read more

After last years epidemic of baby births, sorry that sounded shallow. After the delight that was…read moremany of my friends and colleagues creating or expanding their families (better) the seasons are changing and as we move out of Winter into Spring and hopefully balmier climates, talk has turned on where's a nice and safe place to take the kids that isn't pure saccharine wacky zany child fun, and is parent and friends of parent friendly, eg, friends of parents won't balk at the idea of spending time with the kidlets because it's "just too much fun(!)" Anyhoo, an excellent compromise or combination, of green, flowers, pretty, play areas, etc is Pudsey Park. My idea to take friends kidlets here stemmed from the glowing reports this park has. Prior job projects included something on open spaces in West Yorkshire, and Pudsey Park comes in top of the list with regards to awards and such. It's been a Green Flag award winner every year since 2003, a worthy acheivement. The park is always clean, and I've never had any trouble, plus in half term and Summer holidays, there's plenty of families about, which is nice for the kids to play about, without being too loud and annoying for anyone enjoying the park sans child. So what's to do here? If you enter the park at the Car Park side, you'll immediately notice the playground, and there's a basketball court, and a skate park. Wandering through there's a bowling green, flower gardens, a glass house filled with exotic plants and a pets corner and aquarium and aviary. For replenishments there's also a little cafe too. At the moment the park is undergoing some regeneration, so there are some major developments going on, and the structure and layout of the park is changing. But when it's all done and dusted it should be even better than ever.

I'm feeling the love for all things slightly off centre. No I'm not having another Mel meltdown, I…read moremean I'm quite liking exploring the deeper depths of our beloved Leeds and it's Pudsey. Since I'm on a park ting (getting all street again, word up), I thought it'd be rude not to look this bad boy up. Now most of the parks have been reasonable to good it has to be said but this one is a perfectly formed package. It should shout about itself, it's a Greenflag winner and has been on many occasions. That's probably because it's very well maintained and has loads of stuff for the kids. Pet's corner is a nice touch and they keep on reconstructing areas left, right and centre so it's only going to get better. You've got exotic fish and birds and a tropical greenhouse. So get your best silly hat and cargo shorts out and go jungle trekking in your own back yard. There are plenty of flowers and tree lined walks. Plus, skate park, green bowls and a bandstand. Altogether with some air trumpet now.

Excellent walk dog friendly tea room. We walked around the lakes, good paths the hills were a…read morelittle steep but the dogs enjoyed it

I take my dogs walking here on a regular basis as it is just round the corner from where we live…read moreand it's a lovely little place. On the top of the hill is cusworth hall which I s magnificent old hall which is open to the public as a museum and a lovely cafe within the building. From the there is a steep hill leading down to 3 large ponds that's full of wildlife ducks and swans etc. the far third pond has a wooded area around it where the dogs can roam free a little and maybe a swim!! (We have two cocker spaniels and they absolutely love the water). Also at the top of the to the side of the hall is a nice kids play area as well as a picnic area. There is ample parking but be warned you do have to pay!

Just had a lovely half hour with our two spaniels. It was very hot but the dogs found shady places…read moreunder the trees. Lovely meadow, well fenced in. Easy parking. Will definitely book again.

On the whole, Bowland Wild Boar Park is an enjoyable day out, especially for children under the age…read moreof 10. It is open everyday 10.30am - 5.30pm, is very reasonably priced and the owners are genuinely enthusiastic and friendly, with bigger and better ideas for the future. It has come on in leaps and bounds since I first visited (roughly 6 years ago), when it was home to just a few small animals and several stinky cattle sheds. All the animals here do appear to be well cared for, have adequate room to roam and have plenty of food and water available. The drive to the park is an adventure in itself. It really is out in the sticks! If you start questioning whether you've gone the right way, you're probably on the right road, so don't worry. When you do arrive at the park, chances are you'll be greeted by one of the family members that own the park, and/or a peacock. Entry into the park is payable by cash or cheque only. Once you've paid for admission, the park areas and children's play activities are free. If no-one is at the gates to greet you, there is an "honesty box" for you pay into. Adults £4.50 Children (2 years and above) £3.50 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) - £14.00 OAP's - £3.50 Children under 2 years - free The wild boar in the park actually tend to be the least most favourite attraction. Most kiddies just want to bottle feed the lambs and hold the chicks, which they can do at set times during the summer months. Lamb feeding is at 11am, 2pm, 4.30pm Chick handling - 11am, 2pm, 5pm. The park's owners bring them out and then allow all the children who want to have a go, to have a turn. Nobody is pushed out or missed because they get everyone in one big circle to make sure. On top of that, baby wipes are freely available for anyone who happens to get pooped on by a fluffy cute little chick! When the lambs and chicks aren't out, there are lots of other animals to see around the park including red deer, reindeer, donkeys, goats, llama's, skunks, wallabies, owls, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. Visitors can hand feed many of these as well as go into the open pens of the smaller animals. Animal feed is available for visitors to use, for which they like you to make a donation of about 25p. When you have finished feeding, there are lots of small wash basins, hand soap and towels for you to use and clean up with after. Obviously, there are some animals which you cannot feed and must not attempt to get near, (the wild boar for a start). Notices are clearly displayed and animals which can be particularly nasty are behind fences and secured safely. Tractor trailer / barrel rides run throughout the day, with the park's owner simply jumping into his tractor and taking kids and adults alike, on a sightseeing tour of the area. These are £1.00 per person and last about 15 mins. The park has an adventure playground which is excellent. Along with the usual swings and slides, it has a zip wire and a sand pit, complete with spades and a ride-on digger. There are smaller pedal tractors available for younger kiddies to play on and a large "rabbit warren" is just outside the adventure playground, with large adjoining tunnels for the kids to crawl through and meet each other at end the end. What does seem to be particularly fun for the kids is a very large barn filled with nothing but hay bales. The bales are tied securely and stacked to make deep tunnels, bunkers and steps which are great for playing army or hide and seek. Also on site is a large education centre which is used for school and group bookings, and a small touring caravan area / children's birthday party can be arranged as well, but I don't know what these are like or how much they are; you'd need to contact the park directly. The park is very pleasing on the eye, with several gorgeous woodland walks and lots of picnic tables, some of which are right beside the river Hodder. You're likely to see lots of wild birds and animals if you walk round the outer areas of the park. In spring, the woods look superbly colourful; even more so at Easter when children can take part in an Easter egg treasure hunt. Wear comfortable stuff - preferably hiking boots or wellies. As its mainly grassy area, the chances are that you'll get muddy. Also, the footpaths can be uneven and in some areas are pretty steep. All visitors are given a map with info about the different routes to take though, so you won't get caught out. Toilets are available and have always been clean and tidy when I've visited. There is a small cafe and shop as well which sells the usual tea, coffee, soft drinks and even its own meat produce. (This grosses me out just a bit actually) The small gift shop sells predictable but nevertheless, nice little things such as key rings, pencils, soft toys etc. The one fault I have with this park is that there is very little in the way of shelter if the weather is poor, so ensure you pack up warm gear if

Now it's my welcome pleasure to say that the parks in Leeds are pretty much spot on. They all have…read moresomething good to shout about and yet are all that little bit different. East End Park is a good example of that. It's a Victorian Park (although I didn't see any corset clad women to speak of) and pretty too. The main appeal though is it's encouragement to keep the kids off the streets and active. That's not to exclude other age ranges but the facilities include tennis courts, football pitches, basketball court, playground and even a teen shelter. You've also got a bowling green for those a tad older. They are also big on sports camps throughout the summer months and have a popular annual bonfire. The Friends of East End Park are also devoted to improving and maintaining the park itself, so it's pretty much well looked after. You could do far worse than a trip out here if you want something of an outdoors nature to do.

Not so long ago I decided to get into the "going green" boat, see if it floated well. Part of this…read moreenvironmentally friendly plan of mine consisted of discovering new places closer to home as supposed to a trip beyond these shores involving carbon footsteps and what not. The lake district is fantastic, and it is right on our doorstep. Whilst I was there I bumped into a Canadian couple, a Korean family, and a Brazilian supermodel. Ok fine the last one is a fib, the point is, this place is Internationally known yet somehow overlooked by most people for their summer plans. Lake Windermere has always been a favorite of mine. I have fond memories of camping here as a grumpy but secretly loving it 13 year old. Fell foot park however is a recent discovery on a visit to Lake Windermere. I came upon it by chance in fact as I drove away from the south shore of the lake. With 18 or so acres to play with it is spacialicious indeed with incredible picnic space overlooking the lake. You don't have to watch the boats go by either as you skittle through your picnic food, you can enjoy a boat ride or hire a rowing boat to enjoy the stillness of the lake. There is also a tea room overlooking the lake and shop where you can buy souvenirs. This hidden treasure really demands a cheeky visit.

Set on the shore of Windermere, Fellfoot is a lovely park with bags of space for picnicers,…read morechildren playing football, cricket etc. There is a childrens adventure playground that has just been updated. A cafe and boat hire are also available. The lake is normally full of children during the summer months but its all very safe and boats passing by must stick to the 10mph speed limit. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on a lead. Plenty of parking which is free for National Trust members, but pay and display for others.