Great park. Nicer than the main Royton park. Quieter, more spacious and it doesn't seem like your…read morein Royton A good play area to kids, great for riding bikes, jogging etc. Great for picnics as well, however on the downside is there is no toilets.

The Jungle Parc is an absolutely amazing place for kids, and not too bad for adults too. I never…read moreeven knew this place existed until I was searching the net and then came across this place. I would strongly recommend this for age 7 - 10 though smaller ones are able to come along too, height restrictions do apply to certain parts of the adventure courses, so to avoid disappointed I would recommend you go onto their website and check first. This place is all about fun and fitness for the whole family. They have a massive high wire forest adventure course; which is set within the countryside and developed to encourage you to get moving, and trust me by the end you the adventure a good cuppa and sleep is what you'll need, though if it is for the family then keeping the kids active by getting them tired then Jungle Parc is the place to bring them. It is a very safe environment and with all the proper equipment it is very enjoyable. The X-plorer course is for anyone over 1.35m in height and the Adventurer course is for children from 4 years old and with minimum height of 1.05m. The Jungle Parc is situated in Croxteth Country Park which is only 10 minutes from the city centre.

The Jungle Parc which (like Gemma) I also never knew existed until I came across a flyer, is based…read moreat Croxteth Country Park. The site is generally an incredible place for outdoor activities for those looking to burn off more than a bit of energy (adults and children alike). The premises consists of two different courses: X-Plorer course and Adventurer course (for the little ones). Each course is ideally designed with a practical element, almost like an assault course but with the fun involved. There are 40 amazing activities to enjoy as you glide through trees on rope bridges, zip lines and cargo! It definitely sounds exciting as it really is. Adults are just £20 and Juniors £15. Prices include full training and all equipment to make sure you are fully prepared and safe. Not bad at all for an adventourous day in jungle like surroundings.

Sometimes we all need to get a nice big helping of fresh air to blast away those work blues or for…read moreme likely hangover. Luckily we're spoilt for choice here. One such place I love to go is Potternewton Park. It's out of the city off Harehills Lane and is well maintained. You've got formal gardens and picnic areas for a start. The active among you can also feel the deep burn with a game of tennis. Lesser assertion is needed for a cheeky spot of bowls and there is often some football going on. What it's also good for is bringing the community together with some annual events. The West Indian Carnival and Reggae Concert is a must. It's a vibrant mix of costumes, music and food and is great when the sun basks down and lights up a beautiful summer's day. If you feel like some greenery and open space then look no further.

Potternewton Park is a great green space in the Chapel Allerton/Harehills area. The surrounding…read morestreets are full of beautiful old style terraced houses and so it's a lovely addition to the area for the local children and teens to go for a wander. I've driven past it so many times on the way to work it seemed only right to stop by and check it out. At the top end there are some really lovely shrubbery arrangements, which I realise isn't the thing most people are interested in, but I quite enjoyed sitting and eating a sandwich with all the greenery around me. Further down there is a play area for the younger kids, which certainly looks more exciting than the likes of parks from when I was a kid, and there are basket ball courts and a skate area for the older ones too. As an adult there is simply a large expanse of beautiful green parkland for an afternoon stroll/sunny picnic. All in all it's a lovely place to visit if the busy roads and city life is stressing you out.

A last minute decision on a damp, drizzly winter Sunday, but a good one. Forgot how vast this place…read moreis! Walked down the hill past the hall and round the lake, slowing to admire the signets and stop the dog munching all the food left for the birds! Round the other side of the lake, the woods are incredibly quiet; it's easy to forget you're right on the edge of such a large city and the motorway is about a mile away. This is the highest point in the city and the views are amazing.

Fancy a picnic in Manchester? Don't look at me like I've escaped from a mental unit, there's plenty…read moreof places to take a basket, blanket and a punnet of Scotch eggs in the city. If you don't believe me, you've clearly never seen the rural idyll that is Heaton Park. Easily accessible by the Metrolink from the city centre, Heaton Park in Prestwich is historical, green and gorgeous. It's home to a golf course as well as Heaton Hall, a beautiful manor which you can view by partaking in guided tours, the exciting kind where people wear costumes. There is literally far too much going on here for me to include in this little introduction but some noteworthy events include Oasis's huge homecoming gigs where they decked Heaton Park out like a festival. Technologically it was a nightmare, but good old Noel Gallagher promised refunds if they didn't get the sound sorted. Another thing you must, MUST do in Heaton Park is try and catch an open air Shakespeare production. They make the most incredible use of the surroundings, but an insider's tip is to bring a mackintosh, umbrella and perhaps even a flask and foldable chair. The former two are obviously due to the inclement Manchester weather, the latter... well, we all need our home comforts. Actually, add some kind of chewy sweets to that list, you choose your favourites. Just don't rub it in, the poor actors have to do this in all climates and are probably dying for one of your Skittles. Anything more I can add? Relay races for dogs (I'm totally serious, it's an opportunity for dog owners to meet and interact), health walks, horse riding, learning activities... the list goes on and on, and look out for the festivals and music performances. Heaton Park is a buzzing, thriving community all its own, so if you fancy some fresh air and culture, hop on the tram and bring sensible shoes. You'll love it here.

A lovely open plan green park not too far from the hustle and bustle of Rusholme and the university…read moreareas, yet nonetheless surprisingly quiet and peaceful. Birchfields Park was acquired by the City Council in 1887 for £9,930 from local landowner Sir William Anson! Isnt that interesting! Cheers manchester Citty Council. I like talking about the history of park that I review, but in this case there is literally diddlie squat to say about it. Its got a boring history. The most notable thing is a huge boulder in the middle of the park, which turns out to weight an amazing 13 tonnes! Meaningless boulder aside, the park is a great place for walks, picnics and football. Its also quite alright for children, unlike some of Manchester's more dodgy green spaces.

*ahem* And now...a haiku:…read more Birchfields Park is big The summer destination Many festivals Thank you, thank you. No need for fan mail. The park has a habit of getting swamped whenever it rains enough, but if you happen to get lucky and have a stretch of good weather, Birchfields is a good place to spend a summer-style day. Barbecues, people playing in the park, little kiddos running all over the place, this is a typical park when the sun comes out. It's fairly large as well so you're bound to find a spot to park yourself. There's often festivals or other events held here, so if you check out the local calendar you'll be able to attend some, convenient if you're living nearby.

Thank heavens for Head Over Heels! Finally a children's play area that doesn't stink of smelly…read morefeet! I have been coming here for years with children and it is a well organised, well designed soft play area for birth to 10 years old. The infants' section is small but integrated with the larger children's area and toddlers race around on the equipment without a care in the world. The bigger play area is a large fairy tale castle like structure with three levels of fun and a great ball pit where the rugrats can have a ball shower. What sets Head Over Heels apart from other indoor play areas is that parents can watch children from the sidelines on soft leather couches as opposed to on harsh plastic chairs that other places seem to favour. The restaurant is lovely if not a little expensive and they do panninis, pizzas, an all day breakfast , and a nice cappucino and cake which you can indulge in as the older children zoom down the red astro slide. Head over Heels is just a nice, clean and well air-conditioned place for kids and adults alike and £5 is a small price to pay for peace whilst your little ones are occupied for an hour and a half. My children have held several parties here and the staff have been amazing. For £11 per child, the party group have 60 minutes play downstairs and then go into a disco room while parents can relax in the restaurant watching their children on tv screens. Then its off to the separate party area where they are served healthy snacks including: fish goujons, cucumber, carrot sticks, grapes, olives and pizza. Each guest takes home a balloon and a party bag and have a good night's sleep afterwards. It is advisable to book a few months in advance if you are interested in having your child's party here though as it gets booked up early. This place is head over heels above any other the kids have been to. Well worth a visit!

Will not be coming here again. Not only do I think it's way overpriced, £58.80 for my three…read morechildren plus meals and entry for myself. the fact that I got charged and extra £6.50 upon leaving is out of order. I hadn't been aware that I had incurred extra staying charges, my ticket start time was 15:30 and the end time was 18:00 and seeing as my children had left the play equipment at 5pm to go to the cafe and have the meal I paid for with their entry. I was absolutely shocked that upon leaving I was charged more money. I spent more money on the cafe too £21 I never would have stayed in the cafe till after 6 if I knew I would get charged for just sitting in there and even more so, the manager had the cheek to ask me to come again. That put me off big time. At one point my kid got lost because it was so busy which took over 30 minutes to find her. In fact about 3 kids got lost. It's way too over crowded in there. I even called ahead to check if it was busy and got told no only to arrive and be told there was no space so I had to book and come back 30 minutes other. Staff were lovely but I am not a happy customer.

It's a good park if you choose the right day. Go after school or work on a hot day with the kids…read morethen it is just absolutely packed with some kids being older and not paying attention at all to younger kids so i give up after 5 minutes and go elsewhere. Why it hasn't been expanded I don't know as there's plenty of room down the side of the tennis courts to allow space for the kids to play. Ice cream lady is great though!!!

Hahaha..laughter at Sophie's review, her list of ten things...well, almost there, think i'll omit…read morethe White Lightning one from my life story, but i did do dares with the roundabout, lie underneath and have people spin around on it sorta dares...gawd i hope my mother isn't reading this. What i do remember fondly about St Mary's Park is that it was one of the first parks in the area that had loads of stuff to do in it, in the way of climbing frames and swings and slides and roundabouts, and just stuff. Plus there was lots of greenery to have a picnic, and read a book and just generally relax and have a good time on a rare nice day. By night i would avoid, but any self respecting parent isn't going to drive by with their kids and play in the park at night...noooo we leave that up to the Chavneys to desecrate the greenery, but once green patrol have been around it's a lovely little park with plenty to keep the kids entertained.

Kingswood Park is a bit of a hidden gem really. Not because its anything particularly special, but…read morebecause on Kingswood Road, situated on the way to Burnage from Fallowfield, you would expect to find nothing but woe, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you'll notice a nice little park, which is worth a visit, depending on your intentions. Its surprisingly large, and mainly (as one might expect) green in colour. Its nothing special unless you want to play ball games. If you do want to play ball games, you'll find a football pitch and a basketball court here, alongside some other park space which a bit of creativity can turn into the perfect space for any game involving spherical objects. As its on Kingswood Road, its always really empty. This makes it ideal if you want the pitch for you and your mates. Also, its really not in the middle of nowhere, as its only 5 minutes walk from the Fallowfield Sainsbury's. It's a far better bet than Platt Fields or Ladybarn park if you're looking to arrange some football.

Alexandre Park This place was a big part of my early…read morechildhood, and was built in 1861. We use to go with family, friends or alone to play on the swings, chase geese, feed ducks and climb the various monuments around the place. This park is very close to the city centre, and has a lot of places for you to sit, enjoy the weather or just walk around. The huge greenhouse has been around since before I was born and is great if you're botanical! There's places to swing, slide and twirl the little ones. The boathouse is still there, but converted into a coffee shop, which has a decent array of sandwiches, drinks, pastries and ice creams. Although it has shrank in size, and there's a few places still closed off and under repairs, it's still a great park in the heart of Oldham where you can relax and take in beautiful surroundings.

What a beautiful and well maintained park, I love coming here for a stroll with the family and baby…read morewhenever I visit the UK to see my folks. I grew up here and have fond memories so it's nice to see the park has not gone to tatters like most of Oldham has over the years. There are some real beautiful authentic Victorian fixtures like the bridge and gazebo stage thingamajig. There's also what looks like a mini Japanese tea garden section that's lovely to take pictures in and read about the history of the park. I'm yet to try the boat rides and Boathouse cafe, but there are so many lovely spots to have a picnic or gaze into the water. My young nephews love playing badminton and frisbee here so it is a great place to bring the kids for a day out to burn off some energy. They also have a nice play park with a sandpit and some (challenging) climbing and swinging structures (difficult for an old codge like me!) The greenhouse isn't usually open when I am here, but I love the house and garden behind it. It's nice that they have a free parking lot too, hope it stays that way! Definitely a "Thing To Do" if you're visiting or reside in Oldham, UK.