Getting drunk and falling over can be fun. Drinking enough coffee to stay awake for a decade can…read morealso be fun. Sometimes though I need more in my life. Unfortunately Johnny Depp doesn't see it that way so I turn to something else extremely cute instead; animals. There are plenty of places in Leeds where you can get up close and personal (not too personal mind, there is a name for people like that) with various creatures of the animal kingdom and Ponderosa serves as a great example of that. What's also immense about this place are the facilities offered to disabled and able bodied children alike. Indeed, it did start off as a place to help disabled children and has grown to open it's doors to all. You'll get to see allsorts of animals. You'll even get to see llamas and an emu. How cool is that and no Orville or that silly man who sticks his hand up puppets for a living, in sight. You'll also get a chance to see pigs, peacocks, highland cows, goats, horses, donkeys and birds of prey. It's a cracking day out Wallace and one I highly recommend. Just remember to take a kid with you or you may look a bit daft like me.

Ponderosa Farm, I was delighted when a friends took me to this little gem hidden away in…read moreHeckmondwike West Yorkshire. I couldn't believe the huge range of animals they have far better than anything similar I have visited in the past. This place is really child friendly with so much for them to see. We bought a bag of feed for 50p to feed the farm animals and it was a lovely experience seeing the animals so close. The farm animal include pigs, goats and sheep as well as rabbits. But whats great about Pondarose is all other animals they keep. There were birds of prey which included a beautiful Kestrel. Also Meerkats which were just having there feed when we saw them first which happened to be baby chicks which I found a bit gross and perhaps might have been a bit upsetting for children to see but when we went back later they were playing around and were very cute I would have loved to have taken one home. There was also a reptile house which we went to. I was slightly surprised they as we walk through part of the house in the tropical plants was what appeared to be sum kind of large lizards just wondering about which did make me feel slightly uneasy but I just stayed where it was and I am a bit of wimp. They had a snake out with a handler in one room and I was too scared to go in but its a great way to get kids interested in animals we saw them handling lots of animals so its great fun as well as they learning lots too they staff we were friendly and seem to enjoying sharing all there knowledge about the animals with everyone. Also whats great is dotted around the site are many different play area's for the children with tonnes of climbing frames and slides for them. There is a coffee shop serving cold sandwiches, toasted sandwiches, ice cream & refreshments. Disabled access. As well as plenty of picnic areas. there are toilets and a nice little gift shop. There is so much to do make sure you allow yourself enough time to see everything. I recommend going on a dry day to get the most out of Pondarose. Open from 10am - 4pm 7 days a week Monday through Sunday. We are open all year round only closing for Christmas and New Year. (Dates are confirmed nearer the time). Admission 4.00 pounds adults 3.50 children under 2's are free From Manchester: Come off the M62 at Junction 26 - turn right onto the A638 - Follow this road through Cleckheaton - Turn right at the clock tower in Heckmondwike centre. The centre is sign posted on the right. Turn down Station lane, under the railway bridge, past Al Murad tiles and we are the next left turn. From Leeds: Turn off M62 at Junction 27 (Showcase Cinema) and pick up the A62 towards Huddersfield. Through 6 sets of light and turn left into Heckmondwike centre - then turn right at the clock tower in Heckmondwike centre. The centre is sign posted on the right. Turn down Station lane, under the railway bridge, past Al Murad tiles and we are the next left turn

I'm happy to say that I seem to be clocking up the hotspots of Yorkshire for lovely walks and trips…read moreout - and here is another one! Situated near the wee village of Thorner, Hetchell woods was a regular haunt for my partner during his boyhood years and so for his birthday a few years ago we decided to go there for a visit. It is a beautiful picturesque woods that cover about 11 hectares, so there is plenty of distance to get a good walk on! We took a picnic which was great as fortunately the weather was beautiful, which we sat and ate at the top of a sort of rocky-cliff bit that my boyfriend and his mates used to enjoy climbing! It's another beautiful piece of Yorkshire that you shouldn't miss out on. The website added isn't exactly a site purely dedicated to Hetchell Woods, but it certainly offers up an extra bit of information just in case you wanted to know! For a beautiful day out and a great way to get some exercise with the added bonus of nature at it's most plentiful, try a visit to Hetchell Woods.

Holy cow, I'll be getting a reputation soon. No not that kind of reputation, I've long since…read morestopped dancing on tables. I'm talking a budding David Attenborough here. So my back pack goes a wandering across to Middleton Woods. What a pleasant and tranquil area this is. Yes, Melissa has gone and found another chill out haven of the highest order. Its woodland is really quite beautiful. Serene and peaceful is the order of the day and that is actually what you'll get. You are surrounded by oak, birch, beech and sweet chestnut trees. Not to mention the array of ferns and forest flowers. As the sun decides to creep away you may even see one of the many bats and through the days plenty of birds and insects frequent the reserve. There are also former tram routes and bell pits to explore. Another environmental gem in God's own county.

Just beyond Adel is Golden Acre Park, a place I've gone to regularly since I was a child, and loved…read moreevery time. You can get to it from the main road out of north-west Leeds, or, like I do, through the woods between Adel and Cookridge. It's perfect for any outdoor time you need - walking, running, dog-strolling or just chilling out and tossing a frisbee around. It's a very well preserved park - there is never any litter or stray dog muck, and the warden and gardeners do a splending job keeping it looking pretty whatever the weather. In the middle of the park there's a huge pond with loads of interesting wildlife to look at - but don't anger the geese (I've been chased by them a few times) by just feeding the ducks. There's ample free parking and a nice little cafe, making it the perfect park.

This is the sort of place that really, I mean *really*, makes me miss being at home in…read moreGloucestershire. It is just so beautiful. I think the fact that we are so lucky here in Leeds so as to have such a well maintained and beautiful green space just on the outskirts of the city centre is a real marvel. I can't imagine many other cities being so lucky! The main deal here is the walking. I won't bore you with more detail than that, I am sure you'll know how to put one foot in front of the other, but this is what we're talking about here. Sunny/crisp days and a lengthy stroll - it's great for the system and great for the soul. Bring your dog, your wife, yourself, your camera. Use your imagination, if you will, there is more fun to be had here and it is all for free. Whether it's the wildlife, the greenery, the air or the escape there are endless reasons to come and see what this place is all about. I heart WY and I heart Golden Acre Park. The end!

A few friends were students here when it was Bretton- so we had a lovely trip. It is strange to see…read moresome old barely touched campus buildings fenced off with building site style fences, but ithwr than that, everything is beautiful. It's a lovely large space, with plenty to explore with art dotted throughout in still an accessible enough manner. We took a picnic, but there is a cafe and the like

BIG... really really big. The Yorkshire Sculpture park is absolutely huge. We're pleased we went…read morehere, it just happened to be on an unusually warm day, so it was a bit exhausting. The park is huge. It used to be a a stately home and the grounds are now scattered with medium to very large installation art pieces. There is also a museum for indoor art and installations. The park is huge and the maps are ok, but be prepared to wander. Some of the installations are REALLY far away, so do a reality check before you start walking. Also, this park is NOT flat, so be prepared to go up and down hills dodging sheep, sheep poop, and goose poop as you go. We really enjoyed wandering the park and finding many cool pieces of art. Some of my favorites were the giant sliced up bunny (not quite as weird as it sounds and not gory) and the illuminated "everything is connected". There were several pieces I would have liked to see, but they were just too far away and up hill. When I say far away, it would have taken me an hour+ to walk to them. Did I mention that this park is big? Before we ever went to the park we had lunch at the cafe. Skip it. They try to be all fancy with their expensive food options and they aren't great. The fish cakes were so over seasoned, it was more seasoning than fish. After we wandered around, we got some icy treats from the small shop on the first floor, much better decision than the cafe! There is also a second car park next to a kids play area and what appeared to be an ice cream shop. So there are lots of options. There is no cost to wander the park. The only cost is the car park cost. It's a confusing system to park. You have to go to one of the machines, put in your license plate number, and pay when you are ready to leave. The park says they have some license plate scanning device. If you don't know your license plate (or "registration" as the Brits say), do what I did and take a picture with your smart phone. It's always with you then :) I highly recommend this park. Wear walking shoes and bring some bottled water. It's a great place to let kids run around and then can even climb on many of the pieces of art (there are some pieces that it's ok!). Carpool because you pay per car, not per person. Don't come here if you have limited time. Make a day of it. Bring a picnic and enjoy.

Who's your daddy? I am! Okay maybe not but in terms of outdoor areas to go in the area, Otley…read moreChevin has a real claim at using that statement. Otley itself is a wonderful retreat in the heart of some stunning countryside. So it makes sense that the Chevin is a quality place to go. I go purely for the views. Anything else is just a bonus but that's a bonus it can boast. Not only do you have a wealth of wildlife and conserved areas but you've also got loads of activities to get stuck into. There are plenty of events spread throughout the year and copious amounts of guided walks. I can highly recommend a guided walk to get the most out of your trip. Not only that, try your hand at orienteering or it's sister sport Geocaching. Don't worry I'd never heard of it before either but if you want to find out more check out www.geocatching.com. See I'm a walking public service machine. There is even a wildlife group and the friends of the park are always looking for volunteers to help out with the general maintenance so if you're feeling generous give a little back. All in all this is a must for outdoor lovers', walkers or people who just love the sensational county that is Yorkshire. Sheer class.

Chevin Forest is a place I stumbled across by accident when I was out for an afternoon drive with…read moremy friend. We went to one of the many car parks spread around over Otley and decided to go for a little walk. We came across some amazing views where we could see the whole of Otley, really beautiful. It's a great place for serious walkers as it's so huge and has so many alternative pathways. It's also a nice place to go for picnics with children or just friends as there's lots of beauty spots with benches and tables to sit down at. Beware though, the Forest is literally huge. We turned up unprepared, got lost and ended up wandering around a village on the opposite side to where we'd came from! It was quite an adventure though, and one we've re-created many times since!

My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed the grounds. There's so much to see, including a pond with water…read morefowl, and an old mansion that looks right out of a book! There are so many green fields, I wish I were a native, so I could bring my dogs out here to run.

Roundhay park will always be a special place to me, I have so many memories here!…read more Situated a short drive from the city centre and with plenty of bus options, it's a MASSIVE expanse, with green areas, woodland, a lake, a cricket ground and more. There are other options in Roundhay, such as Tropical World (paid entry- animals and plants, a great day out for kids and grown ups!), as well as gorgeous flowered gardens to wander round. If you've got a dog and want to explore, it's perfectly dog friendly, but obviously you must clear up after them, and in the gardens it might be best keeping them on the lead. Within the park itself you can stroll around the massive lake (or jog if you're that way inclined!) or sit in one of the bandstands or on the grass and have a picnic. There's a kids park, and a gorgeous restaurant right on the lake, which I've never been to but hope to eventually. In the wooded bits there's plenty to explore, with some little ruins dotted around to get the kids' imagination going. Roundhay is a fantastic and free day out. I've never had any problems with crowds, yes it gets busy but it's so big there's plenty of room!

A fantastic park in Leeds -- comparable to Heaton Park in Manchester in terms of size and…read morefacilities. There's certainly lots to do for all ages. As one might expect, there's acres of space to walk the dog, run around in, play games or just explore; there are several very attractive more formal gardens; there's a children's playground, two lakes, bandstands, a folly, a Visitor's Centre, at least one cafe, etc etc. And, of course, there's Roundhay Tropical World, which has a Qype entry in its own right. Car parking isn't too bad, although on the day we went (admittedly during half-term) we were lucky to find a space. There was also a slight lack of signage -- since this was our first visit, we could have done with more maps around. Some of the maps we found seemed to be Emergency Maps designed to show where the nearest life-belt was rather than anything more substantive about the place. That said, it is an excellent place for some fresh air -- highly recommended.

This park is huge and has something for everyone - Flat areas of grass for sports and picnicing;…read moreplay areas; wooded areas for mountain biking and dog walking; lakes for rowing; The Mansion and Cafe for food and drink..... It can get very busy when there is the slightest bit of sun. But there is another car park on Weatherby Road, or on street parking on Princess Road or Park Lane. For dog walkers - 'The Gorge' is always a lot quiter than walking round the lakes!