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

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

Normally come to this park to see the Darlington fireworks display, well organised with a funfair &…read morelarge fire.

Great large park with an open field to let my dog have a run about, great location to run around…read moreand often there on a Saturday morning for the timed parkrun 5km event even tho that last little bank kills my legs at the third asking I come back for 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.

Lovely local park especially in the summer. Nice views and lots of space for the kids to run about…read more Great little animal area where kids can get close to nature!! Only bad point is that maybe there should be a larger playground or more than one like there used to be.

The best public park. We had an afternoon here with four…read morekids. Quite a bit to do. We all went on the cheap splashboat at 80p a go. Which was a laugh. Then on the amazing value swan pedaloes at only £2.50 for a boat full. We walked through the gardens and looked on at the great splash world for little ones, which is enclosed and full of outside water things to along a man made river which is safe and fun. Didn't see any unruly teenagers or witness any anti social behaviour at all, didn't even see any threatening dogs which is amazing for an inner city park. The animal discovery centre wasn't very good. There wasn't any information about the animals and the walk through aviary had very few birds in it. Also on offer was fishing in a large lake, special hire bikes for disabled, tennis, a 'Khyber pass' ravine for kids to climb and play in. loads of space to play, boating lake for model boats and the pavilion cafe which served a can of Coca cola at only 60p A good couple of hours out

An undiscovered part of the East coast. Several beaches for kids & adults to be on…read more Other than that there isn't much to see, a small car park that is FREE & public toilet that is also FREE.

i always visit the park every sunday , i carnt belive its actualy free its like something you see…read moreand think you would have to pay a entrance free , a massive pond for fishing , park for the children , sand pit , slides and swings. i usualy go fishing on the pond with a reasonable price to fish , lovely people and litter free!

Having lived in the NE for a number of years iv only recently visited this park. It's an ideal…read morelocation for young & old to have a walk, feed the Canada geese/swans & ducks. There is a small cafe & gift shop, Iv not used the cafe so cannot comment. Toilets are available in the same vicinity & a rather large pay & display car park, £3 all day. One circuit of the park is about a mile on good walking paths, just watch out for goose poop. Ideal for wheelchair users. Keep an eye out for the wicker Gruffalo! Now bring my granddaughter to feed birds from her hand!

The only place or should that be plaice... that sells chips cooked in vegetable oil…read more Do you know how many chippys we tried before we finally found this little box of delight? The answer would be pretty much every other chippy in town. *Go into chippy* 'Do you use dripping? We'd get told yes. And we'd move on. No matter that google & numerous websites say that chippys did veggie chips. They'd be out of date or straight out liars So when they said yes they use vegetable oil & I bit down on the lovingly prepared butty, I may have had a mouth & taste orgasm! They lovingly craft the butty. Making sure you put the salt & vinegar in the right places. That it's slightly squashed so that the chips won't fall out. They care out their buttys... Wunderbar!

This place is a little gem. Also they have Henderson's Relish, please scarborough splash some on…read moreyour chips, fish, sausage and pies it's awesome. Buy a bottle there and smash it back!!!!