With so many mundane buildings in existence, I really value the sight of an architectural…read moremasterpiece. There are plenty in Leeds to admire. A particular example of beauty gets regularly overlooked, due to its secretive location. The Bourse does not have the brazenness of the Town Hall or the City Library, it does not audaciously stand on a major street, waiting for its inevitable plaudits. Instead, this building is well ensconced, shyly peeking out onto Boar Lane. When I ask people if they are familiar with its captivating ergonomics, a blank stare is often my answer. With the appearance of a colossal wall of magic mirrors, it is highlighted beautifully with fairy lights, held aloft by manicured box trees. Have a sneaky glimpse when you are next passing, to marvel at its form.

This area is beautiful. We walked around the area and there's just so much to see. Even the free…read morearea is iconic. The little river that runs behind the temple is so pretty. It's worth going in the actual grounds- such an experience me and my family will never forget. I got postcards and read about each room on the grounds. Very nice staff work there in the gift shop a well.

Had a nice family day out and we decided we would go here…read more We went up to Leeds and then had to catch the Bus 19 which took us up between Temple Newsam house and the golf grounds, we then had to walk about 10 minutes to get to the actual place. Walking up to it you're surrounded by green and then there are a load of tree's that seperate so you can walk through them towards the house and grounds, it was like something out of a postcard. When we actually got to the grounds we were stumped on where to go first! Do we go into Temple Newsam House OR do we head towards their little farm OR do we wonder around their 1500 acres of woodlands, fields etc!? Spoilt for choice We started off with the house itself. Prices for a family tickets (2 adults & up to 3 children) are: Temple Newsam House: £9.50 Home Farm: £8.70 Joint Ticket: £15.50 The house is magnificent! You are asked not to take photo's. This is because of the flash as the light and heat can damage pictures etc, it can cause a chemical reaction. I did take a few pictures, but made sure my flash was OFF as not to damage anything. You have a choice of walking around the house reading bits and bobs, or you can use these handheld blocks where you punch in the number per room and a recording will guide you through the room and explain. There are also children's versions of this. We all got confused by it so we opted out lol. Had a little laugh as there is a picture of a man near the picture gallery and he was a spitting image of my father - didn't take a photo of this. Despite it being so big and perhaps a bit dull for children, our children loved it and were full of questions that we tried to answer. They were excited about going into different rooms and their favourite room was the 'nannys room' where they had modern toys for children to play with. We then headed towards the farm. I will be honest with you, I didn't like the farm as much as I would have normally - perhaps it was because of the weather? I would have liked it to have been a farm where we could feed the animals too because places such as the barns with cows, they only had 1 large bucket of this protien stuff which meant that only the biggest cows had managed to get to it (would YOU try and squeeze inbetween 2 fully grown cows!?) and so the younger smaller ones had no chance - perhaps later in the day they would?? :( . One was even eating the straw on the ground which was covered in 'you know what', so I didn't like that bit. The highlight of the farm was that we saw piglets being born! That was amazing! The grounds are huge! As I've already said, all of this is within 1500 acres of land and they have woodlands you can explore which we didn't have time to get to, so it's deffinately an all day trip or perhaps even 2 days. I would go again, although I wouldn't pay for the farm again.

What more could I say about this space, that hasn't already been said? Well, that's the point -…read morejust because it's been said, doesn't mean that I shouldn't add some extra love. Right? So, the things that I've enjoyed in this place since the beginning of the year: Christkindlemarkt (which I wish was a Yorkshire Christmas market), Leeds Loves Food, Curry Festival, Wimbledon, 2.8 hours later, and many a sunny sit. I love that the area is constantly in flux, depending on the weather and season, and used in interesting ways. I completely missed the Leeds beach, like a fool, but I heard it was really interesting. I'm not sure I'm brave enough for ice skating, but I'll give it a go given a little nudge. (Last time I was swarmed by childs and ended up holding on to the edge in fear.) It's conveniently got a cash point for the spendage. There's even the Carriageworks, right there, if you want some theatre. Basically, often you might simply walk on through, but occasionally you'll have a wonderful time here. And I love it!

Millennium Square is such a cameleon place. One moment it's an ice rink, then it's a live music…read morevenue or a market, or a live broadcast venue. Whatever disguise it wears it's great! It's the real, warm, beating heart of our fabulous city, surrounded by lovely eateries and overlooked by a jolly decent (and cheap) pub. Can't go wrong really

It's really beautiful, but the abbey was closed for the set-up of the beer festival this weekend in…read moreSeptember. It was still a beautiful sunny day and was able to walk around and take some photos that didn't include beer/food tents and blue porta potty's. There's a river nearby with some benches and it's across from the museum. You are able to take the A1 Flyer bus from the City Centre to this well preserved monastery.

So, last night i went to a showing of 'the innocents' at the magnificent kirkstall abbey…read more It was part of the first gothic film festival. The abbey was all decked out in mood lighting with whispy ethereal mist blowing through the cloisters. There was various 'props' adding to the effect, and within the abbey you could sit and listen to ghost stories. The film itself was a classic b&w, tame by todays standards but seen in the dark open abbey ruins was a brilliant experience.

Towering 160m above both what was once the old-money village of Alderly Edge (now a mecca for…read morePremiership footballers and Wags) and the Cheshire Plain in general, the edge has some of the best views of anywhere in the area thanks to the dramatic edge - a steep cliff-like drop. The edge has historic associations with, somewhat incongruously, mining and wizardry, but these days it's a great place to go for a walk with either the kids, the dog, visitors or even a solitary stroll. There are car parks at both the foot of the edge and the top (the latter is the main one) giving the option of a quick trip to the edge itself and back or a longer, more demanding up-and-down walk.

Huge big English pile from another Era set in magnificent grounds that are well maintained…read more Still I'm at an age where these places hold very little interest for me unless there's something real special or unique such as Highclere Castle and its Egyptian heritage display. As best as I understand it this place is now used for arts, culture, music, food and other activities and accessible to the great unwashed whose ancestors likely paid with their labour so the gentry could live comfortably from the toil of others.

The first thing I recommend anyone does before they think of visiting Harewood House, is to plan…read moreplan plan your visit. For starters pick your season, there are many; early season, main season and low season. Prices vary for each, in fact they vary massively. In low season adult tickets are £5 but in the high season they inflate to £13, I believe they've just lowered them from the previous rate, but still an eight pound difference depending on your time of year is a hefty one. Also in the early season with the low prices, certain things are not open on the full ticket, like the stately homes, which quite frankly sucks. I see this as a cheat in to forcing people to visit in high season with high prices. But all that unpleasantness aside, Harewood House is the beautiful combination of the spectacular, the picturesque, the decadent and the historical. The many many state rooms are steeped in history and should you care to find out, there is all the information you could require to know. Depending on your season and your ticket you can visit the below the stairs area with servants quarters and kitchen type areas. If it's a beautiful day then the Harewood grounds are well worthy of exploration. 100 Acres of beauty and garden art easily take a chunk of the day away, and it's difficult to fit everything in all on one day. The sculpture garden changes depending on the featured artist, but the works range from the small to the imposing and all are excellent to gawp at in awe and jealousy. The Himalayan Garden is sheer spectacle and beauty with Asian influences visible everywhere. The Terrace is what many have described as breathtaking, and with so many colours and historical restorations it really is. Children seem to go wacky over the penguins and flamingos in the Bird Garden, and maybe it's the sheer shock of penguins wandering around in a stately home that is hard to bend the brain around, but it's all charming and lovely. Speaking of kids and big kids, the adventure playground, when it's open is awesome, and I believe it's been voted the best in Yorkshire, so it's almost certain to be worthy of a dip in. It is a fascinating day out should you be willing to fork out the entry fee. Paying for one isn't too bad, but if there are multiples in your collective, then it can work out expensive. Students can go free on Wednesdays which is a score point, and should be taken advantage of.

Off the beaten track this place is huge and the gatehouse is the largest remaining in the country…read more Very impressive and loved by artists. You can go inside for, a fee up, the new staircase. Within the grounds stand the ruins of the monastic buildings, notably the elegantly decorated octagonal chapter house of 1282-1308. An early example of brick building in England, it proclaimed the wool trade-based prosperity of one of the wealthiest English Augustinian monasteries. Its founder Sir William le Gros, Earl of Yorkshire, was buried here. (Will the Fat) It is free to wander around it and I find it very atmosphering at dusk and eerie. I swear I have heard whispering voices. By day it is a lovely place to visit. They say if you take stone from the abbey you will die and there is a legend that a manor house build of it suddenly collapsed. Now you will think me mad but once on a sunny day I was walking back to the gatehouse from the chapter house and found myself rooted to the spot. My friends asked what was wrong and I said I couldn't move my legs and I couldn't! They pulled me and suddenly I was free. NO idea what it was but it scared me!

My favourite Barrelman moment was when he wore a scarf and bobble-hat for Light Night 2010, what a…read morejoker!

Review 500! Wowzers…read more I'm chuffed that it's this local landmark, as we walked up to Peel Monument on what was probably the loveliest, sunniest first day of Spring that I can remember. Occupying a prominent position on Holcome Hill, you can see the monument from miles around and it serves as a beacon for walkers or those of us that just enjoying getting up to it "because it's there". It's a memorial to Sir Robert Peel, born in Bury, who twice served as Prime Minister and is regarded as the father of the modern British police. On a clear day, which we were lucky coincided with our visit, you can look out across the Greater Manchester landscape to the towns, villages and moorlands beyond. Sit down on the grass and take it all in. There are public footpaths leading up to it from Ramsbottom; we didn't need a map as you could see it above you most of the time. Alternatively, there are lanes you can park on further up the hill as it's a bit of a climb, but definitely worth visiting.

When I'm stressed, unimpressed, or my head's in need of rest, Beckett Park is my playground. I'm so…read morefortunate in that I'm a stone's throw away from it and can go for a walk/cross march whenever I need to clear my head. Considering that Beckett Park is literally slap-bang next to Leeds uni Headingley campus, it's hardly ever packed with people. I find it odd if I see more than 3 joggers whenever I go for an amble. I take the route via Churchwood Avenue into a thick arch of towering trees, the sky above stained with lush green leaves. it's easy to see why this was the childhood haven of many Leeds dwellers. I can just see the myriad games of Robin Hood / Manhunt / Hide and seek that must've gone down here. Biking through this strip of woodland must be very liberating! This park is beautiful at any time of the year, so if you're looking for a scenic setting to your morning jog you could do alot worse!

I realise my review may be somewhat tainted by the arrival of the snows but, when stripped of such…read moreexciting weather, I think Beckett's Park will still offer up plenty of fun and games. Literally ten minutes from Headingley you can walk straight up St. Anne's Road and you will have arrived at Beckett's Park. To the left there is the option to go for a mini woodland walk, in the midst of the suburban Headingley area, or you can carry on and in front of you to the park area itself. It might not be the largest space but it's big enough for a decent game of rounders/football and is surrounded by picturesque trees and greenery. Lots of fun! There's also a cute little bench, perfect for a sandwich and a light read. In terms of snow related fun I have been snow boarding - using a wheel-less mountain board as a snow board - down the hills of Beckett's Park! It is like, totally awesome. Be warned though, snowboard at your own risk - injuries are very possible - I have come away with a sprained posterior. You may laugh now but it's not great walking around with a limp and having to explain exactly where it hurts...