Jul 8, 20232 min read

3 Country Parks to visit in Manchester

To anyone not all that familiar with Manchester, the city can seem to be just that - a city. But we Mancs are truly blessed with the best of both worlds (shoutout Hannah Montana). There is so much of Greater Manchester made up of incredible green spaces, including 16 country parks!

So, if you're looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Market Street, and enjoy some peace this summer, then here are 3 country parks to visit in Manchester.

Daisy Nook Country Park

📍 Oldham, Manchester M35 9WJ

If you're wanting to spend a good amount of time out in nature, Daisy Nook is the place to go. There's so much to explore here, and so many woodland paths away from everyone else for some peace and quiet.

I've been quite a few times and always stumbled upon a new area to explore. At around 100 acres of land in total - you can definitely lose track of time whilst you take in how breathtaking your surroundings are.

Walk along the sparkling streams and practice your rock skipping, or visit Sammie's Basin and do some fishing (make sure you have a valid licence though if you plan on doing this)!

Plus, there's a horse riding school connected to the park, so you'll probably see some riders on your travels - make sure you keep an eye out for horse droppings though...

Clifton Country Park

📍 Clifton, Salford M27 6NG

If you're looking for a day out with kids, this is the ideal spot. There's a wood-carving sculpture trail featuring some family favourites like the Gruffalo!

I skipped out on the trail to explore the woodland paths surrounding the lake, and it was the most tranquil day I've had in a long time.

At just under 120 acres, there's somehow even more space to explore at Clifton Country Park than at Daisy Nook. The vast majority of this space is taken up by the Clifton Marina, but it's absolutely incredible from all of the stunning viewpoints - the perfect place to sit back and enjoy a lovely picnic in the sun!

Reddish Vale Country Park

📍 Reddish Vale Rd, Stockport SK5 7HE

If you're a big fan of plane or train spotting, this is the place to go! You can watch trains running along the viaduct and planes passing overhead heading into and out of Manchester Airport.

At just shy of 400 acres, this is by far the biggest of the 3 country parks. Take a stroll along the River Tame, or if you fancy a spot of fishing (and have a valid licence) you can head to the Fishing Pond. Reddish Vale is renowned for its botanical & wildlife interests - I went in Winter, but the wildlife really thrives in the Spring & Summer months.

The woodland areas are extremely peaceful for a weekend wander - so if you're up for a day out surrounded by nature, wildlife, trains & planes then this is the place to visit!