What a fantastic day out! We drove down to Shropshire to meet our friends who suggested an…read moreexploration of the fantastic Hawkstone Park and Follies (to where, despite growing up in its backyard, they had never been either). There's lots to do here-- a hotel, outdoor activities like off-road driving, archery, balloon flights and, of course, hiking. Open year round, they have specialty activities around all the major holidays and there's something for the whole family. The hike through The Follies is pretty spectacular. The circular trail takes you through forests, terrific rock formations weathered from, well, weather it seems!-- and caves (you need a torch!). It's not an easy hike-- the uneven surfaces, steep inclines and equally steep (and narrow!) steps cut into the rocks are daunting. If you add rain into the mix (which we had), it makes for a bit of a precarious (and slippery!) adventure. But well worth it. There are picnic tables and benches dotted along the way-- and on a nice day, it is a fantastic place for a picnic-- if not only for the excuse to take a bit of a breather when you make it to the top. Estimated to be a three-hour round trip hike (depending on your pace and how long you stop to admire the plethora of incredible views), it's well worth your time. Plus, if you start early enough, you can make it back before the little tea room with veranda at the visitor's centre closes to reward yourself with some well-earned sweets and of course, the quintessential English cuppa (in a little teapot and everything). Well worth the trek-- we will be coming back here again!

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.

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!

Dovedale is a disaster waiting to happen. People climbing the mountains with large rocks nearly…read moremissing people head. Witnessed a small rock hitting a poor young child. Seen delinquents rolling rocks from the top of the mountain. If those rocks hit anyone it's game over for that person. Multiple barbecues being held on site with people smoking shishas. No security on site. No signs of any rangers in site. Litter everywhere. A disaster waiting to happen from what I saw today

Go up river since it can get quite busy if you go only to the southern end car park and walk from…read morethere - we went further north and it quickly quietened down. Also explore the hills and valleys nearby - wonderful

A natural underground cave complex in which regular guided tours are led by guides. There is a…read morepaved walkway with a few steps. Dramatic lighting has been installed that highlights features. It is really beautiful in the caves and the history although including an element of myth is interesting too. It is quite cold in the caves so take a jacket or coat

During a family weekend in Buxton the weather turned a bit miserable so we decided to sack off the…read morehiking and head to the caves for some shelter. A large school trip beat us to the mark so we had to wait 45 minutes for another tour. There's a good size cafe and a small shop attached to the caves so we sat and had hot drinks and freshly baked cakes whilst we waited. The cakes were absolutely delicious and the portion sizes were more than generous. As the caves are situated next to Go Ape (a tree top adventure park) there's plenty going on around it. There's a forest that you can walk through with various lengths and difficulties of walk. So there's definitely plenty to see and do whilst visiting. We were called to the cave entrance once the school trip had finished and we were welcomed to the caves. Basic health and safety rules were stated and then the tour began taking us underground into the depths of the caves. The staff are full of knowledge so the tour was very educational as well as interesting. Each tour lasts around 45 minutes and the staff are happy tour answer any questions you may have. Please note the caves stay at a constant temperature of 7 degree so no matter what the weather outside you're going to need a light jacket when in the cave.

Lovely little trail. As we were staying at the Falls Caravan park, we were already at the top of…read morethe trail and had a lovley meander down into Ingleton. A little more challenging on the way back with some steep climbs, but take it easy at your own pace and the sense of achievement at the end is worth the effort.

This would be one of the main reasons to visit this quaint little town in the heart of North…read moreYorkshire. The Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is an utter delight, and quite the walk, but well worth the visitors fee - which I believe was something like £5-8. The folks at the gate weren't massively welcoming, but you literally pay your fee, park up and get on foot so it's not too bad. (And of course, we can assume the fee goes toward the upkeep of this place of natural beauty.) A word of warning -the car park is laid out in the most bizarre way, with tiny tiny spaces, and it seems a popular spot for caravans so I'd advise getting there early to ensure a space. Or give in to a good fifteen minutes of adjusting the frustrating labyrinth it can become. Anyway. The walk itself is several miles long, and can take up to four hours depending on your speed, but you'd be hard pressed for a more beauteous journey. With gorgeous copper water flowing the whole route around, due to the peet, the walk is lush with greenery. You'll be clambering up steep rock steps, ascending the hills, traversing across the mountainous dales, and view five incredible waterfalls along the way. There's even a cafe at about a third of the way along, for a coffee stop, and if you're spritely like me you can make it in two and a half hours-even stopping to photograph everything. Essentially, it's what I love about this country the most. England's pastures green, and all that. My favourite spot is the little Oak copse about half way home. Being autumn when I was there, it was exquisite and resplendent in orange hue, and so peaceful with the water roaring in the background, the birds, and the air. You'll feel right, when you're here, and without a care in the world. Outstanding.

I love the outdoors. Something about the mountains and water by it. I love hiking. I do it…read moreoccasionally but nothing like at Peak District. I'm from America. We don't have castles like that. We don't have the beautiful architecture to go along with it. Since the weather was not cooperating cause I visited in mid to late October, the clouds were biopolar and it started to rain. I couldn't explore Peak District like I wanted to. Next time, I want to hike and climb the mountain! What I saw was breath taking and so beautiful! I have pictures to make memories but they don't do justice to what I saw with my own eyes. I miss UK. I miss Sheffield. I will be back.

A new-found love of the great outdoors was further strengthened by a long weekend spent in the Peak…read moreDistrict - the UK's first national park and only an hour's drive from Manchester. I'd been on a walk with friends to Edale several months ago and knew back then that I wanted to explore the area further, so getting the chance to stay for a few days in the village of Calver meant more walking was on the cards. You'd expect, given its name, to see plenty of peaks, but there really aren't any - it's mostly millstone grit escarpments (called the "edges") jutting out of the tops of hills which are popular with rock climbers. We walked along Froggart Edge and there were breath-taking views of the valley below. Whether it's walks along rivers, through forests, across moorland or wild flower meadows, you'll find them - the park covers over 550 square miles. It's well serviced by public transport; there are numerous train services from Manchester and Sheffield so you can leave the car at home. In the summer months, local roads can get congested and finding adequate parking can be an issue, but if you plan ahead, or stay for a couple of days, you shouldn't have any problem as there are beautiful walks starting from pretty much any point.

As picturesque as it gets in Bolton, the Jumbles is a firm favourite for locals and outsiders…read morealike. This was at full testimony on my last walk (Sunday) when the weather had perked up a little as almost half of Bolton had decided to do the same! That could sound quite negative but it's definitely not, theres room and space for all. Most would say it's better when the sun is shining and you don't need to wrap up like you're about to tackle an blizzard on Snowdon, but sometimes it's just as beautiful to walk round when it's bitterly cold and the trees are frosting in stead of blooming. I'm very lucky to have this on my doorstep although I don't utilise it enough. If you're looking for a new walking route or a different reservoir to explore, make the Jumbles your next stop - and call in at my house for a cuppa on your way out!

We followed a recommended walk around Tal-Y-Lyn lake. We followed woodland walks up through the…read moremountain on the far side left of the lake up towards a steep incline (on the southern flanks of cader idris). We went as far as the farm at the top and down past thefarm and the falls and along the mud tracks to the lake at the bottom. We then walked along the road to get back to our start point. The scenery along the mountains and from the roads were so beautiful. The circular walk took about 3 hours and was about 5 and a half miles. In the summer seasons the nearby pubs and hotels would be open but in winter months it is a great idea to pack a flask and a picnic. I had so much fun along this track and thoroughly recommend it!

It's a very pretty but the parking machines never work be careful because they will ticket you!read more

This is the place that I grew up building dens with my school friends in the middle of the woods…read moreand rock climbing and going on huge bike rides! It's a beautiful place and it really shows off the beauty of Wirral's countryside. Royden Park is gorgeous and there is a pond there for game fishing as well as an old model steam train that children can ride on on certain days! Thurstaston common is home to Thors Rock, a huge sandstone landmark where thousands of people have etched their names and sweet nothings for years on end. It's a great place for a family walk, walking the dog, a jog, a bike ride, or just an escape for a while. There's a campsite down the road for those that want to come and camp on the Wirral near somewhere beautiful. There's also a fantastic little pub about ten minutes walk away called the Cottage Loaf, they serve delicious homemade food to get your energy back up after a long walk!

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!