Many people are unsure of the gym or even swimming. Some people find it uncomfortable. Copley is…read morenot one of these centres. Over the years it has expanded to not only fit in with the times, but to adapt to every need possible. The leisure centre has much to offer such as two swimming pools; one large one for adults and a smaller one for children and teaching swimming lessons. Also within the centre is a large sports hall for football fanatics for 5 a side football as well as badminton, basketball and many other activities. The fitness suite is brilliant. Its all brand new and up to date and has over 100 stations and its nice and cool to so you don't get too warm when your working them muscles! Outside they have a fantastic synthetic turf ground for 6 a side football which is popular with many people. Not only that but they have dance studios, squash courts, spas, saunas and a relaxation area!! It is amazing. If you are looking to get fit or just want to participate in salsa classes or boxercise, Copley Recreation Centre is an ideal place to start whilst not breaking the bank.

This is a fantastic gym the gym instructors are superb and the manager Jackie is fantastic and…read morealways willing to help where she can The facilities are very good,modern and well looked after,the swimming pool is great as are all the classes they offer I would recommend copley to anyone

Went here for a birthday party. The place is made up of just…read moreinflatables and classes its self as "The UK's 1st Indoor Bouncy Castle Centre" There are various bouncy castle setups like Running Tracks & Obstacle Courses to Slides and unfortunately thats is about it. I found it to be lacking a bit. As a parent of a 3 year old, i like to go on and enjoy myself while making sure my little girl is ok and safe but my partner did get told off for jumping and running on the "running" track as adults were not allowed. So off i went to sit down and surf the net on my phone. Damn the only connection they had as a BT Openzone !

Great place to bring the rugrats . Loads of fun for kids . Food is decent and reasonably pricedread more

Ive been a member since it opened and fair to say I've fallen in love with the place. The staff are…read morevery friendly and there is a community friendly feel to the gym. I've been going regularly for a month or so and the facilities are fantastic. Even at peak hour there's more than enough equipment not to disrupt your workout and members are extremely polite, respectful and focused. I have swimming and gym membership but have yet to try the swimming pools. There is one large one and a second smaller one for private and women only sessions. The studio space where various classes take place is sizeable, which is just as well because workshops are always full. The gym changing area is always in clean condition and is also very spacious. The library downstairs is also a genius idea and a perfect meeting/waiting place if you're hooking up with some friends after the gym. Whilst I walk here there is ample parking space behind the centre as well as numerous residential roads. My favourite part about Arcadia is that due to its locale, I can see myself making friends with some of the regulars in the coming weeks and finding a training partner. Whilst this isn't something I seek overtly because I'm fairly well motivated and don't see the need. My mind has changed gradually haven't witnessed first hand, benefits of having a gym partner. I can see that not only does it focus your efforts and push you a little further but it also makes the work out more fun (Obviously depending on your partner) As I'm missing out on the cricket season this summer due to a shoulder operation and consequent rehabilitation. I expect to become part of the furniture this summer.

I had one of the most energetic two hours of my life last night. Nope, not an extract from the…read morelikes of Fifty Shades of Grey, but a statement of fact. A group of 16 of us from work had booked a taster session months ago (the waiting list for this is pretty long as it's so popular). We had to give our heights on booking so that they could match us with the right bikes in advance. When the evening arrived, we all headed to Sportcity and into the cavernous reception of The National Cycling Centre. We picked up our shoes with cleats on them to clip on to the pedals (these are at extra cost btw) and cycling helmets (which were included in the initial price). There are men's and women's changing/shower rooms and lockers (bring a pound coin) so you can keep your clothes and valuables safely locked away. Heading through the doors and into the Velodrome you're struck with just how steeply banked the oval track is - and that you're going to be whizzing around it in a matter of minutes. After collecting our bikes that were all waiting and labelled with our names on; and walking up the central slope to get to the track, we were greeted by our instructor who was a straight-talking Lancashire man and total legend. We were first taught the important lessons of how to get on our bikes, how to start pedalling and how to stop without crashing (sounds obvious I know but just wait until you try it for the first time!). After an initial few laps to get used to things, some of us were allowed to 'advance' on to the côte d'azur (a blue band which is between the infield and the actual track) - and pick up our speed. Later on we had timed laps which meant pedalling like a bat out of hell on the track, getting as high up the banking as we felt comfortable. This was my favourite part. The session ended after we were allowed to do as many laps as we wanted/were physically still capable of doing. This was a terrific (read 'knackering') activity for us, even as a big group of mixed ability. You can also book for smaller groups or individually - I'll definitely come back here again, it's decent exercise that's different and fun!

I came here to watch the final of the Revolution Cycling Series and it was my first ever velodrome…read moreexperience. As soon as I stepped into the arena, I made one of those automatic, from the gut, "Whoa! Cool!" noises which proves this place is awesome. The venue is fantastic for watching (and I suspect participating) in track cycling and I became an instant fan of the sport. I really want to give it a go and you can come and take lessons at the centre too. The food situation isn't great - but the good news is that you can BYO picnic!

Well OMG, people, I've just gone and found my new gym…read more Where on earth in the city centre can you get a gym membership for a mere £15 a month that includes a really nice pool too? Yes, swimming is my preferred method of exercise and here be a lovely heated pool for me to flex my muscles in. Located in the unassuming but ostentatious-looking Sacha's Hotel in the Northern Quarter, you can have a swim here, lift some weights, take a steam or sauna, get some juice, have a shower and then the centre of town is on your doorstep for your weekly shop for example. What the darn? There's no joining fee and no contract here, you simply pay by the month by direct debit or you could fork out a fiver a week, or £2.50 a time. There's a boxercise class for an hour on Tuesdays from 1pm, and a spa full of the classic treatments like manicures, pedicures, massages, waxes and so on. I almost don't want to tell you lot about this as I don't want the place to get too crowded, but heck, it deserves the shout out. Spindles rocks and my £15 a month is more than well spent. Yours will be too, people.

Situated just off Rochdale Road next to the North City Shopping Centre and Market - with ample…read moreparking. The centre includes a 25 metre, five lane swimming pool with a movable pool floor designed. There is a health suite which includes spa pool, sauna and steam rooms; a state of the art 49 station gymnasium. There is also an exercise studio with a programme of fitness classes and martial arts for people of all ages.

Ok..When my work schedule changed, so did my commitment to the gym..after working a 12 hour night…read moreshift there was little time to digress to my usual spot in town...so I quit... It was only then I realised I passed this gym every morning on my way back home...so I thought I would give it a whirl... Conveniently located near the LIDL... I decided to go for a morning swim...thinking who is going to be swimming at 8am in the morning... After paying £2? I entered the large unisex changing room....and noted the communal showers which face the tiny paddling pool...where everyone can watch you take a shower...great...not quite the concentration camp ones..but... At this time in the morning you can expect a lot of the pensioners , who are split into three lanes...the slow, medium and fast paced swimmers.Self consciously when entering the pool I thought I would play it safe and start off in the slow lane.. ..the game here is to swim clockwise without crashing into another swimmer, or drown by choking on their backsplash .. The pool to say the least is small and crowded... After a few tries, I tried to convince myself,,''its so cheap. £16 a month for swimming and the gym''... I asked for a tour,,, I was led to the most pokey gym, that contained archaic equipment, with the stench of encapsulated sweat... the ''spa/ Jacuzzi'' stung my eyes , and this was stood a good ten paces away...due to the high chlorine content... My advise is perhaps chance the swimming pool after 9am, as it becomes emptier..however the size of the gym is not great and everything looks worn....also their opening hours do not suit my needs (7am to 22:00 Monday to Friday and 9:00-17:00 weekends.....oh and you have to take a one hour induction before they allow you to use their gym..... I've joined the gym at my workplace instead...

I attended the roller disco with my child which they hold on a Saturday. It was madness, nobody…read morewatching the small children, no direction of flow, shoes and bags all over the place. I went on the roller rink to get my child to take him home as it was feral and far to loud. As I was apporoching him a child skated right towards me leaving me with nowhere to go as I was also wearing skates. I fell backwards (thankfully as I would have crushed the child) I broke my arm in two places and dislocated my wrist. It's a death trap!

This is definatley one to join. There are good swimming facilities and that real rarity - a…read morechildren's pool that is actually warm!! This pool is brightly decorated with fun, brightly coloured sea creatures and is open to the general public on Monday 12-1pm, 4-6pm, Tuesday 12-1pm, Wednesday 12-1pm, 6.30-7.30pm, Thursday 12-1pm,6.30-8pm, Friday 12-1pm,4-5pm,Saturday 1-4pm and Sunday 8.30am-3.30pm. Children's swimming lessons are also available for £45 for a twelve week course. The only drawback is that the viewing gallery for the small pool is exceptionally hot. There is also a large pool and I would describe the changing rooms' hygiene as average. The gym facilities here are great; the "Zest Fitness Suite" was recently refurbished with all the vital equipment to ensure a toned bod. Pete and James the instructors who run the gym are very approachable and a real comedy double act. They also offer personal training sessions. The most recent addition to Stretford leisure Centre is a Ladies only gym- a great idea for the bashful and a necessity for ladies who follow specific religions. A children's holiday club is run by enthusiastic young staff and I have taken children to the weekly roller disco- fantastic! This leisure centre has a Tiny Teds soft play area, badminton courts and hosts classes in karate, spinning, yoga, pilates and so much more. If all this exercise proves to much for you, go and relax in the aptly named "Revive" cafe- I thoroughly recommend the chips £1.20 for a huge plate full- possibly defeating the exercise though! You can literally spend a day in this place so treat your body like a temple and call in.

Once a state of the "Art Leisure Facility" is now gearing up to close its doors…read more A new site has now been found and the new Centre should be up and running in 2014. Until then we will have to stay with the centre as it looks as i cant see them spending any money on rejuvenating the centre. Inside is a Olympic size swimming pool & separate diving pool (which i don't think the new centre will accommodate) & a learner Pool. The Pool also features a viewing balcony with around 100 seats (approx). The centre also houses a Sauna & Gym and a Sports Hall for various Events & Activities. All in all the centre hasn't changed much from when i used to learn to swim there with school in my trunks. The only thing different now is i wear shorts and my gut is bigger.

Now a member of the David Lloyd group, this gym boasts several facilities. It is one of Lancashires…read morepremier racquet's club. The gym facilities are excellent and there is a range of equipment and activities for everyone, including a full timetable of classes. We particularly enjoy the swimming facilities. There is a large indoor pool with clean well maintained changing rooms. There are steam rooms and whirlppol spas. The best bit for us is the outdoor swimming area. All safe and supervised with views of the canal. I can highly reccomend a visit to this gym and we have had a family membership for a long while which we have certainly had good value. Have a look at the website for full details.

A bittersweet experience was had on my first ever visit to Chorlton water park. Driving here is a…read morelittle strange with it being situated in such a densely populated area. You get the feeling your Satnav is taking you to the wrong place. Don't worry it's not. An old reservoir was transformed into a huge lake a while back and that's the park's main feature. A mile radius around the lake acts as a perfect biking/ hiking trail which isn't too strenuous and is littered with relaxing spots with great views. There's an icecream van to cater for all your refreshment needs and does a lot of business on a hot summer's afternoon. It's a perfect venue to have a picnic and for young families (There's a large play area for kids) All in all a lovely green space in a heavily populated urban area. My only beef with the place was the unsafe nature of the car park. Make sure you park in an area that's camera visible. I returned after a pleasent afternoon to find my windscreen cracked quite badly. I hadn't parked under a tree, falling debree was thus out the question so I suspected some sort of foul play. My little trip therefore cost me nearly £150. Perhaps the place is cursed for me, but don't let that put you off.

When I first moved to Chorlton and I heard people talking about this water park I had visions in my…read morehead of chutes and river rapids. Sadly, the water park bears absolutely no resemblance to Stoke-on-Trent's Water World or Florida's Blizzard Beach. Instead it is a large man-made lake with a path around the edge which attracts walkers, joggers and cyclists. The path is well-surfaced and links on to the Mersey Valley trail, which is unsurfaced. However, there is a car park and visitor centre if you don't fancy the trek down from Chorlton or Didsbury. The water park was formed in the 1970s when gravel was dug up from this area to build the M60, and the area was flooded to form the lake. Despite the fact that the water park is surrounded by the M60, the busy Princess Parkway and Chorlton town centre it is a surprisingly peaceful and serene place - so peaceful that it is the place that the hippies flock to for the summer solstice.