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.

This is one of my favourite places to go for a local walk. Its great, at any time of day, and any…read moretime of year. You can stroll round the lake, at an easy pace. The walk is approx. 2.5miles long and can take you anywhere between 45mins to 1 hour+, depending on speed. At the back of the lake, you may get a chance to spot rabbits & bird-life. There are also, a very small cafe, toilets & a small play area for children. There is also, a Visitors Centre, where you can park, on a 'Pay & Display' basis. The centre provides the interested, information on the Lake, Local history, Childrens Activities & there are toilets & a small cafe. You can also, buy souveneirs. There are also, a range of food & drink facilities, in the locality. My suggestion is to try some fresh fish & chips, at 'Mr Thomas's' Fish & Chip shop. I dont think you will be disappointed! :o) For the more avid walker, there are plenty of trails to follow in the surrounding area. Or, if you are a watersport buff - you can partake in an activity, at The Water Sports Activity Centre. Word of Warning: Make sure you park in a legitimate spot, as Traffic Wardens are very keen to make a living! Also, Sunny days/Bank Holidays - it can be a very busy/crowded area to visit.

Hollingworth Lake is a "lake" in Littleborough. It has a lot of history dating back to 1794 when…read morethe Government sanctioned the construction of Rochdale canal and even Matthew Webb trained here, before becoming the first man to swim The English Channel in 1875. Getting here is relatively easy via car or rail links, with it being served by the 455 and 456 buses from Rochdale, as well as being fairly close to the Smithy Bridge and Littleborough rail stations. If you're driving here, you could actually go over the train tracks, and may have to wait for the train to pass. It is a bit rural here, despite the appearance of a few independent cafes and restaurants and houses. As a child I remember coming here to Hollingworth Lake, but now the surrounding areas have changed, for the worse. For example, The Beach which I remember as a nice, friendly pub has had a worse change than Bolton Wanderers FC turning into a messy, rowdy children's dumping ground, where I wouldn't even want to use the toilet, let alone eat! Parking at the lake can be difficult, it is all paid for which could be a few pounds in the beach, other than the few disabled spaces at the front of the lake, which can often be taken up. It really does seem this lake and the surrounding area has gone down-hill, it has changed from somewhere you could spend time around the lake and in the surrounding restaurants, to somewhere you'd struggle to kill half an hour now. It isn't terrible, but still I sadly can't think of a reason to warrant anything over 2 stars now, and this place really needs a revival, otherwise it could end up more like Portsmouth FC.

This medium size park in the centre of Royton is quite good. The playground has recently been…read moreupdated and is OK but not the best. The tennis/basketball courts, football area, and park in general is nice and plenty of room for riding bikes, hanging with friends, jogging and just for having s little walk. A place of my child hood which includes an ice cream van in the pm with volcano ice cream! Overall not a bad park

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.

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!

Queen's Park was somewhere my family used to head to on occasion throughout my childhood. There was…read morea time a good few years ago when it fell into a serious state of disrepair and neglect and was no longer family-friendly, but after a sizeable injection of lottery funding and refurbishment it went on to win the national 'People's Choice Green Flag Park' award in 2010 and has held 'the Flag' each year since then. The park is Grade II listed and still has some of the original buildings and structures from the 1870s including the Lodge House and Victoria Fountain. It was presented to the people of Heywood by Queen Victoria in 1879. The green spaces are well maintained and there are plenty of pathways to wander along. It's probably in need of a little TLC in some parts, especially around the Boating Lake, but the vast majority of the amenities are being looked after. Speaking of which, there are plenty of things for families to do here, from the tennis courts (they're on asphalt), children's play areas, crown green bowling greens, outdoor gym and café. There's also a large BMX course which had been constructed in the last couple of years next to Heywood Cricket Club. Tip: there is a large free car park opposite the Park on Queen's Park Road.

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.