A nice place for walking dogs. It's had millions spent on it…read moreover the last year but I'm not sure it's been improved. Most seem to think it's an improvement though. The modifications need time to bed in before they can be judge properly. The next 12 months will see how it develops. There are paths along the Mersey, Through the meadows, along the newcut canal and now an additional board walk. There are 100's of years of history assiociated with the area. A very nice place to walk. Parking is at the newcut lane end near woolston tip.

A superb place for a full afternoon's wander. When my wife was mobile, we used to walk all over…read morethis area at most times of the year. For those with some rural knowledge, it is an invaluable source of free ingredients for home baking and wine-making! There are at least four hazelnut trees and plenty of wild sloe bushes as well as the more usual wild apple trees and blackberries. The paths are, in the main, easy to find and to walk on and the scenery is just wonderful especially considering how close to industry it still is. I find it best to start off near to Kingsway along the Mersey, but that is probably because it is nearer to where I live and I don't need to park a car.

Towering 160m above both what was once the old-money village of Alderly Edge (now a mecca for…read morePremiership footballers and Wags) and the Cheshire Plain in general, the edge has some of the best views of anywhere in the area thanks to the dramatic edge - a steep cliff-like drop. The edge has historic associations with, somewhat incongruously, mining and wizardry, but these days it's a great place to go for a walk with either the kids, the dog, visitors or even a solitary stroll. There are car parks at both the foot of the edge and the top (the latter is the main one) giving the option of a quick trip to the edge itself and back or a longer, more demanding up-and-down walk.

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!

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.

Reasons to visit this great park! 1. It has beautifully…read morelooked after gardens for you to explore the shrubs, bushes, flowers, trees and wild life. 2. Waterfall and pond in the garden. 3. The pathways are well tended and the notices at least insist people keep their dogs on a leash (even if the people don't always adhere). 4. Rose garden. 5. Tennis courts which need a little tlc depending on when you visit. 6. Parking nearby. Either £2 in 'The Didsbury' car park or alternatively free street parking. 7. The quietness and tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle of town life. 8. Many seated areas. 9. Coffee shop 10. Errr like if the other 9 reasons weren't enough then I suppose you might be wowed by a stroll along the river Mersey!

There's no better way to spend a sunny afternoon in Didsbury than to join a few friends for a…read morepicnic in Fletcher Moss Gardens. There's some beautiful exotic trees, shrubs and flowers to look at. Not least in the rock garden, which is dog free. The rock garden also has its own pond and I swear I've seen terrapins or turtles in there. Nobody ever believes me, though! Throughout the rest of the park, you'll find plenty of benches where you can bask in the sunshine, as well as a great little café, which does the best flapjacks and cakes in the world! There's also a beautiful arboretum that's lovely to sit in and a couple of tennis courts, which seem to be in almost constant use during the summer months! These tennis Courts are sometimes used for open air theatre productions in the summer. I saw Oscar Wilde's The Important of Being Earnest there one year, and there was a lovely atmosphere.

This is a wonderful place on a good day. As another reviewer has said, it isn't great on a wet day,…read morebut the paths are well made and can be used in most weathers. It really is full of excellent views and chances to photograph nature. The visitors centre is full of useful information, including the many organised events. There is plenty of space to park just off the main road.

A great place for a walk round regardless of the time of year…read more Plenty to keep the kids entertained if they like nature and the outdoors. Bird hides, loacal history. Boots or wellies recommended.

I may not look like the traditional 'outdoorsman' but it may shock you to hear I'm quite the fan of…read moreNational Trust sites and in particular wildlife spotting! And at Dunham Massey there's nowhere quite like it to spot deer, squirrels and pheasants amongst some of the finest woodland the UK has to offer. As is standard at NT sites, it's £5 to park and around £10 entrance to the house, plus there's an excellent restaurant onsite serving homemade food between 12 and 2.30pm (we had the pork and vegetable casserole and mushroom pie and both were of excellent quality, out of a choice of around 6 dishes), with snacks such as teacakes and scones served with tea and coffee in the morning and afternoon. Lunch came to £22 with a couple of soft drinks. As is usual with National Trust sites, it's an extremely popular day out for older people, parents with pushchairs and young couples enjoying a romantic day out - saying that, there is plenty of room in the park to find your own piece of paradise so don't worry about it being too claustrophobic!

"Dunham" is gorgeous, beauty personified. It's places like these that make you appreciate the UK,…read moreregardless of the unreliable weather. It's perfect. So much so I've declared I'm retiring in Cheshire, fact. I'm a big fan of Cheshire in general, home to many pieces of greenery similar in purpose. I'm quite sad I do not possess a car any more, although there are good public transport services that get me to Dunham which are a jolly old ride. I've had indulging picnics, lay endlessly making animals and faces out of the clouds. I've perused the gardens, gone for lengthy walks, always ending up discovering something new. It's times like these I really really appreciate The National Trust. With a National Trust card you can get in for free other wise it's £6.50 for an adult, £3.35 for a child for entrance to the garden and £9 and £4.50 for the house and garden combo. There's also a special family rate too. I'm yet to explore the house that lies in this estate but you apparently they tell the stories about the Georgian scandal about the Earls and their domestics. Coronation St eat your heart out. What I adore are the deer and the ducks and swans. There's something so serene about watching the wildlife here, they look so carefree, the feeling I somehow achieve along with them. Warning, bring a picnic blanket to lay on, this is their home! Amongst the ancient trees and Britain's largest winter garden also lies a restaurant, souvenir shop, and the sale of ice-cream which wins me over every time. Children, dogs, parents, teenagers, Dunham is enjoyed by all. Just venture that bit out from the Cosmopolitan of Manchester and you can find one of Britain's beauty's. The opening hours are seasonal and vary with each attraction. The ones listed are for the current to the 31st October for the gardens, my favourite part.

Mam Tor is a hill overlooking a spectacular part of the Peak District National Park, near to…read moreWinnats Pass, the Blue John mines and the village of Castleton. It is an invigorating, rather than challenging walk up to the top from either the NT car park (charge for non-members) or the A6187 where you can park by the side of the road. The route is quite steep, but stepped, with fantastic views from the top.

Stunning views across the Peak District and all in all a pleasant walk. We packed some sandwiches…read moreand parked for a few quid near the entrance. There are random sheep on the hills and it's a great day out - be it with family, friends or a date. This is a beautiful walk but it definitely gets windy up at the top!

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.