Best Nature and Wildlife Areas in North Downs

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Dan1980 used under CC BY 3.0. Photo is only for illustrative purposes. Sankey Valley Park is a wonderful location to blow those cobwebs away, get that heart rate up and partake in a brisk walk in Warrington’s most loved parkland."

"Excellent park for a decent length walk, plenty of wildlife along the way. There are many birds and a couple of foxes around dusk. There is also plenty of space and singing birds."

"Climb up to Hen’s Cloud, go past the mysterious Doxey Pool and then across the Roaches to bag the Roaches trig!. The Roaches is a popular spot with climbers and rock enthusiasts. It is thought that wallabies (released from a zoo) roam the area, but we didn’t manage to spot any, so it may be a legend."

"The Roaches is located above Leek and Tittesworth Reservoir and is loved by hikers and climbers alike. The impressively rugged and steep gritstone ridge is home to mythical mermaids and 15 metre natural gritstone clefts."

"We spent a beautiful weekend in the Roaches and it is the best place for walking enthusiasts in the Peaks!. There are also some beautiful rock formations."

"Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing. Tucked away from Warrington’s main town centre, where you will find all your standard high street shops and some small independent boutiques too, you will find Woolston Park. A wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning or sunny weekday after work, Woolston Park is a much-loved spot by local people."

"The Trafford Ecology Park is tucked away in the industrial Trafford Park behind an oil depot and is a registered Biological Important site and a true oasis of wildlife. The park is spread across an area of eleven acres and is a true delight for a nature enthusiast."

"Much-loved across the UK, San Carlo is known for their delicious Italian food – each dish as beautiful as the next. The food is well presented and served in a bright, well-dressed setting with lots to choose from. There are five venues to choose from in Manchester alone, including Bottega (their cocktail and champagne bar), Cicchetti (which serves up small plates), Fumo (a stunning space to grab beautiful meals all day long), Gran Cafe (their cafe), and the main San Carlo (which has a huge menu!)."

"Cicchetti, Fumo and San Carlo itself are all wonderful choices for a special romantic evening. Cicchetti has a lovely marble bar that you can sit at whilst you nibble on small plates, whilst Fumo’s beautiful art deco interior is the perfect setting for a special date. And for lovers of traditional Italian food, you can’t go wrong at San Carlo."

"San Carlo is Manchester’s most famous and, some say, best Italian restaurant. Run by the Distefano family, it’s said to have one of the largest turnovers in the UK. It’s also the place to be papped and there’s usually a bank of photographers outside to prove the point."

"Doing lots of little things right” is a definition of perfection – and this simple seafood restaurant in Chorlton is just that. The kitchen’s Essa grill is masterfully handled by co-owner (and former Lead Station chef) Recep Canliisik, who churns out char-grilled whole squid and seabream, Thai-spiced monkfish tail and possibly the best calamari in the UK."

"Doing lots of little things right” is a definition of perfection. And Oystercatcher – a simple seafood restaurant in Chorlton – is just that. The kitchen’s Inca grill is masterfully handled by co-owner Recep Canliisik, who churns out dishes such as char-grilled whole sea bream, and Tandoori-barbecued monkfish tail."

"The municipal museum was founded in 1848 and moved into its purpose-built Neoclassical home in 1857. This is one of the UK’s oldest town museums and the building has kept its original character. As with the best municipal museums, the collection is a big jumble of local industrial artefacts, Egyptology, Roman archaeology, coins, ethnographic displays, items from the Civil War and zoological and botanical specimens."

"Manchester Art Gallery is the original useful museum, started in 1823 by artists, as an educational institution to make sure that the city and all its people grow with creativity, imagination, productivity, and health. It is free and open to all people as a place of civic thinking and public imagination, it promotes art as a means to achieve social change. It has been at the centre of city life for almost 200 years, created as the Royal Manchester Institution for the Promotion of Literature, Science and the Arts."

"Grayson’s Art Club – An exhibition of works selected by artist Grayson Perry during Grayson’s Art Club, the popular Channel 4 TV series. All the works on display are very personal visual representations of lockdown, made by the public, well-known artists and celebrities for Grayson’s Art Club.Between Friday 2 July and Sunday 29 August. Other exhibitions are also on too."

"If you’re visiting the main gallery, you won’t need to book a ticket—you can just walk in. There will be lots to see including a new display, What is Manchester Art Gallery?. , which introduces the gallery, its origins, how the collection was formed and how it relates to Manchester and its people."