You can find me here most days. Or more correctly, you can find my pug here dragging me along on a…read moresniffing tour of everything interesting in and amongst the three tiers of this big, beautiful nature reserve. This may or may not include other dogs butts. (It totally includes other dogs butts). The lower level is a rarely used soccer field and ersatz dog walking park, the middle level is a giant oval sometimes used for sports and the rest of the time is also an ersatz dog walking park plus play / picnic / kick-a-ball-around area. The topmost level houses an enclosed childrens play area, a rec centre and childcare centre, and lots of trees and freeform play equipment like a freaking awesome giant spider web that should be for children but you can totally get on it because like I said it's freaking awesome and how often do you get to pretend to be a giant spider unless you were the guy that played the giant spider in Lord Of The Rings? Come to think of it that may have been CGI, but still. Where was I? Oh yes. Great park, go there, take dog.

If you're the kinda kid that believes in leprechauns (and, let's face it, why wouldn't you believe…read morein small drunk Irish midgets with red beards and avarice) Cortile reserve is where you'll find those bad boys. Less a tiny park than it is a suburban sylvan glade, you'd never know this place was here unless you were looking for it. It sits hidden in the secret heart of a circular block of houses in Castlecrag, the retirement capital of the universe, a place populated by 100-year old ancients and small dogs. It's a real find though, with childrens play equipment, tennis courts local bush trees and an old brick clubhouse for functions.