When the Queensway Tunnel was dug beneath the river, the subsequent rubbish pulled from the ground…read morewas dumped and landscaped into what is now Otterspool Prom. Here you can do everything there is to possibly do on a riverside promenade; things such as walk, ride a bike, look at the water and...um...well that's about it. I suppose you could rollerblade if you wanted. If it's a warm day and you don't mind the style your hair will be sculpted into by the blustering gales, you can follow the prom and its interconnecting paths right up to the Pier Head. If you don't fancy that, try and unearth the ruins of the 1984 Garden Festival, which lies hidden by tree trunks and weeds. You don't know how overtly creepy something is until you accidentally stumble across a kid's overgrown swing park. I still have nightmares.

What a spectacular view. Did you ever see such a coastline? Especially when the waves are choppy…read moreand the wind blustery. I absolutely love the promenade; walking along beside the river with the breathtaking view of the Welsh hills in the background is really relaxing, there's lots of cyclists and dog-walkers around and it's a lovely environment on a clear sunny day. The park which was renovated through the 'Pride in our Proms' project is Amazing. It's a mini world of Big Kid heaven... for me anyway I regressed about 10 years and was on the swings, seesaw and monkey bars, and when we'd totally worn ourselves out running around and taking cool scenic pictures of the sunset we went for a well earned pint from the Otterspool pub which is handily a hop skip and a cartwheel across the park. Go fly a kite, see the sights, play on the park and grab a pint!

What a wonderful place to go - great for all ages. I've been here a few times with the kids; they…read moreare never dissapointed! I find it a very friendly and beautiful park which has been upgraded alot over the past few years. All the animals looked very well cared for and happy, there was plenty of room for them to roam within their enclosures. I would say to take a picnic if the weather is nice and sit up towards the shetland ponies or outdoor train set - and enjoy the view!

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!

This is the worst Model Village we have had the misfortune of visiting. It is worse than shabby,…read moreunwelcoming and forlorn-looking place. Gloomy and unhappy...would not ever waste money going there again. Staff could do with training too. Waste of money and time.

we visited village in october paid £19.00 for a family ticket and felt totally ripped off models…read morewere in great need of maintenance gardens completly unkept all models and figures lying over and alot of them broken after reading other reviews i get inpression other visitors were lucky enough to visit at beginning of season after some maintenance had been done however i dont think any maintenance has been done on village since then, we went with my sister and her family so all together we paid almost £40.00 and feel completely robbed would not recommend to anyone go to stanley park instead and save your money.

Greenwood forest park is a great place to go for fun but the only reason i'm rating this a 3 stars…read moreis because of these reasons 1. Queue lines are massive 2. Food is expensive 3. LOTS OF KARENS (not the name)

GreenWood Forest Park is a rather unlikely find in the North Wales countryside. It's an eco-theme…read morepark which tries to show that you can have fun without using much power (other than that which you provide yourself). It's NOT a park that pushes the green message at you at every opportunity and this I like. It's that fact that it's understated that makes you think about it. Home to Europe's largest Green roller coaster this place is well worth a visit. The coaster itself works alomg similar principles to the mines, power is generated by people being carried down as the coaster is lifted back up to the start. The coaster then runs down and the next group of people can be taken. Other self-powered rides include a boat ride (where you paddle/pull yourself along with ropes) and a great toboggan run. The other major attraction is the bare-foot walk where you can get back to nature via a barefoot walk through various types of ground including sand, cobbles, mud, water and straw. Immense fun and strangely refreshing. Wash facilities are provided (cold!). Toilets are clean and there is a cafe offering good value basic meals. Wait times were not too bad. I liked the fact that this was a simple park and suited to children from toddlers to about 13 years old. I suspect the optimum age range is about 3-8 years. Unlike the traditional theme parkes queues are minimal (no more than a 2 minute wait for anything) despite our visit being on a May bank Holiday weekend in bright sunshine! Please note - do as the website suggests and if you are using a sat nav start to ignore it when you see the brown tourist signs - if you don't then you end up going through some very steep and narrow roads that are not suited to tourist traffic. It will take about 5 minutes more if you follow the tourist signs but you'll get there in one piece! Recommended.

A park I've visited many, many times, ever since I was a kid. Now when we're up visiting family…read moreit's where I take the nephews as there's so much to do here (as long as it isn't raining - Wacky Warehouse further down the promenade is our go-to place for those days). In recent years it's had a major refurb with new facilities (which was long overdue). So alongside the historically well-maintained flowerbeds and woodland walks, there's a great crazy golf course (the old one was well past its best), swing boats, a play area for younger children, trampolines, merry-go-round, tennis and basketball courts, aqua play area, miniature train and a large 'natural' adventure playground. There's a cafe near the crazy golf which sells Lewis's Ice Cream which is fantastic. A lovely place for a stroll on a nice day, with lots of different activities for the nippers (just remember to bring a pocket-full of pound coins - they'll want a go on everything!).

I absolutely fell in love with Grizedale Forest over the past weekend. Looking for somewhere new to…read moreexplore when we visited the other half's parents, they suggested heading to the forest. Cue some very windy roads and a few moments of "are you sure this is the right way?" - but we found it! We headed to the visitor centre to take a look at which walk to take. They have both cycling and walking routes, so make sure you're looking at the right map...! We decided on the white route, and the helpful member of staff explained that you simply follow the coloured markers - if you lose the colour, it's time to retrace your steps. Our walk took about 2 hours overall and was described as moderate, and it's worth pointing out that it wasn't wheelchair/pushchair friendly, so a quick chat with a staff member would be needed to find an accessible route. The reason I fell in love was a) because of the absolutely stunning weather we experienced and b) the selection of sculptures that can be found on each route. The large keys in trees which played music if you wound them fast enough were a personal favourite, following by the huge stone fox, which actually provided a nice place to rest and admire the valley view. I feel the downsides sit with the shop, which was overpriced and didn't seem to stock any drinks (very odd considering the length of some of the walks), and the parking payment. It's all done automatically by registration plate when you drive in, then you enter it at a paypoint - best have some cash on you as noone has quite thought through that no phone signal = no card reader signal. There's bike rental available and the Go Ape course if you need something to keep more active members of your group entertained. Recommended!

A huge area of woodland to explore in the Lake District, either on foot or by mountain bike - it's…read morea spectacular place to get away from it all for the day. There are several colour-coded waymarked footpaths, in varying lengths and levels of difficulty (from easy to strenuous) as well as dozens of others paths and bridleways crisscrossing the landscape so you can either buy a map for £1.50 or just see where a route takes you. Go Ape (an aerial assault course) has a site here, and as well as a visitors' centre there's a children's playground, education centre, café and shop so plenty of things for families to do. For our group it was all about the walking; the forest has hosted a sculpture trail since the 1970s, so we were on the look out for exhibits whilst we wandered through the trees. It has to be said there were a few times we were wondering if we were looking at art or some forestry equipment...or a pylon! The car parking was really straightforward and rather cutting edge - a number plate reader registers your vehicle when you arrive and you pay when you leave by typing your number plate on the screen. It was a bargain too at about £4 for several hours. If you're a lover of the great outdoors, then you can't get much better than this.

Avoid a trip up Blackpool tower the view may have been great but they have totally ripped us off…read more As posted previously we visited the tower and the lisft had technical issues we were offered a refund or return tickets. We asked for a refund after waiting over an hour to get it. Despite several calls and assurances that the funds would soon be back with us today the phone line has been removed contact is now only by email. The website has been updated to say regardless of the reason no refunds will be issued. Totally disgusted what appalling service . The tower had a special place in our heart but it appears now it is owned by the council they are just another government rip off

Warning Blackpool Tower Eye…read moreTickets are non refundable. We are in our 70s and made one last trip to Blackpool specifically to go to the top of the Tower something we had never done We prebooked on line for Wednesday 11.30 AM the weather forecast was sunny with a moderate breeze on arrival we were told the tower was closed and our money would not be refunded The Blackpool Tower Eye  can close without prior notice no refunds will be issued however the ticket is valid for one use within 90 days. You have to give them 24 hours notice to rebook that's if the wind has stopped but we would be on our way home by then if they were genuine they would refund the  £32 rip-off blackpool tower eye

On the whole, Bowland Wild Boar Park is an enjoyable day out, especially for children under the age…read moreof 10. It is open everyday 10.30am - 5.30pm, is very reasonably priced and the owners are genuinely enthusiastic and friendly, with bigger and better ideas for the future. It has come on in leaps and bounds since I first visited (roughly 6 years ago), when it was home to just a few small animals and several stinky cattle sheds. All the animals here do appear to be well cared for, have adequate room to roam and have plenty of food and water available. The drive to the park is an adventure in itself. It really is out in the sticks! If you start questioning whether you've gone the right way, you're probably on the right road, so don't worry. When you do arrive at the park, chances are you'll be greeted by one of the family members that own the park, and/or a peacock. Entry into the park is payable by cash or cheque only. Once you've paid for admission, the park areas and children's play activities are free. If no-one is at the gates to greet you, there is an "honesty box" for you pay into. Adults £4.50 Children (2 years and above) £3.50 Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) - £14.00 OAP's - £3.50 Children under 2 years - free The wild boar in the park actually tend to be the least most favourite attraction. Most kiddies just want to bottle feed the lambs and hold the chicks, which they can do at set times during the summer months. Lamb feeding is at 11am, 2pm, 4.30pm Chick handling - 11am, 2pm, 5pm. The park's owners bring them out and then allow all the children who want to have a go, to have a turn. Nobody is pushed out or missed because they get everyone in one big circle to make sure. On top of that, baby wipes are freely available for anyone who happens to get pooped on by a fluffy cute little chick! When the lambs and chicks aren't out, there are lots of other animals to see around the park including red deer, reindeer, donkeys, goats, llama's, skunks, wallabies, owls, pigs, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. Visitors can hand feed many of these as well as go into the open pens of the smaller animals. Animal feed is available for visitors to use, for which they like you to make a donation of about 25p. When you have finished feeding, there are lots of small wash basins, hand soap and towels for you to use and clean up with after. Obviously, there are some animals which you cannot feed and must not attempt to get near, (the wild boar for a start). Notices are clearly displayed and animals which can be particularly nasty are behind fences and secured safely. Tractor trailer / barrel rides run throughout the day, with the park's owner simply jumping into his tractor and taking kids and adults alike, on a sightseeing tour of the area. These are £1.00 per person and last about 15 mins. The park has an adventure playground which is excellent. Along with the usual swings and slides, it has a zip wire and a sand pit, complete with spades and a ride-on digger. There are smaller pedal tractors available for younger kiddies to play on and a large "rabbit warren" is just outside the adventure playground, with large adjoining tunnels for the kids to crawl through and meet each other at end the end. What does seem to be particularly fun for the kids is a very large barn filled with nothing but hay bales. The bales are tied securely and stacked to make deep tunnels, bunkers and steps which are great for playing army or hide and seek. Also on site is a large education centre which is used for school and group bookings, and a small touring caravan area / children's birthday party can be arranged as well, but I don't know what these are like or how much they are; you'd need to contact the park directly. The park is very pleasing on the eye, with several gorgeous woodland walks and lots of picnic tables, some of which are right beside the river Hodder. You're likely to see lots of wild birds and animals if you walk round the outer areas of the park. In spring, the woods look superbly colourful; even more so at Easter when children can take part in an Easter egg treasure hunt. Wear comfortable stuff - preferably hiking boots or wellies. As its mainly grassy area, the chances are that you'll get muddy. Also, the footpaths can be uneven and in some areas are pretty steep. All visitors are given a map with info about the different routes to take though, so you won't get caught out. Toilets are available and have always been clean and tidy when I've visited. There is a small cafe and shop as well which sells the usual tea, coffee, soft drinks and even its own meat produce. (This grosses me out just a bit actually) The small gift shop sells predictable but nevertheless, nice little things such as key rings, pencils, soft toys etc. The one fault I have with this park is that there is very little in the way of shelter if the weather is poor, so ensure you pack up warm gear if