Just 20 minutes by train from Manchester and around 30 minutes from Leeds - sandwiched in the…read morePennines is the glorious Dovestones. Most people walk around the 1st reservoir and enjoy the stroll. You can however walk around as many as 4 reservoirs in total and increase the challenge. If your particularly fit or an experienced Walker then walk to the tops and enjoy some fantastic views. The place changes every day with the weather, and lots of different routes to take so you won't get bored. Always wear good shoes/boots and take your waterproofs just in case. There is ample parking on weekdays, but very busy at weekends.

Our mission to go for at least one walk in the great outdoors each month of 2016 continues - at…read moreDove Stone Reservoir up in the hills of Saddleworth. Hoping lots of folks would have been put off by the cold weather and fallen snow, our group were met by total carmageddon at the official car park (which was full on a Sunday lunchtime and proved difficult to find a space). After a couple of circuits without success, we drove back to the main road, up the hill a few hundred yards and found plenty of room at the Binn Green car park. It's supposed to be pay and display but there were no machines - double winner. We took a stepped path down from this car park (it's a tad muddy in winter so choose appropriate footwear) and then eventually met the main paved/gravelled route around the reservoir. It's pretty flat all the way and there are gorgeous views to be had, so lots of photo opportunities. The shorter circular route is about 3 miles, whereas if you include the route past Yeoman Hey and Greenfield Reservoirs this increases to 5 miles. We were getting hungry by this point so decided to just do the former!

Leeds City Cruisers undoubtedly provided me with one of the best methods of getting to work. When I…read morelived in a city centre flat, I caught a canal boat every morning, which transported me to the opposite side of town. The Riverbus service runs during the months of finer weather, and is scheduled to start again at Easter. It was such an entertaining journey, I always arrived at work in a buoyant mood. I concede, the head attire was too much, but you know the phrase - when in Rome, wear a pirate's hat. Leeds City Cruisers offers a variety of packages besides the early morning Riverbus. It can be privately hired out for parties, I often see it soothingly chugging along the water with raucous feather boa clad ladies giggling, signalling a hen party is in full swing. Parties of up to 50 people can catered for, with a full bar and a choice of a hot meal or buffet. The website offers a comprehensive list, detailing the various prices for trips of smaller groups. A two hour cruise with a cream scone and tea, with free admission into the neighbouring Royal Armouries Museum costs an extremely reasonable £13.50 per person. I can't recommend the experience highly enough, it almost feels as though you are on holiday in your own city, due to its originality. Having moved abode, I do resent my alternative method of transport to work. Driving is so mundane, I will have to replace it with an equally exciting journey. Zorbing, anyone?

With most of the developments surrounding it given over entirely to posh flats, office blocks and…read morepricey restaurants, it's quite easy for ordinary (i.e. poor) people such as myself to almost completely forget that Leeds has a canal. Leeds City Cruisers are setting out to change that, offering cruises in their specially made wide beam boat along the Aire and Calder waterways. The boat is available to hire for private parties, and individuals can book places on their regular Sunday Lunch and themed dinner cruises. I joined the Sunday Lunch cruise, which although not cheap at £25 for two courses was a great way to spend an afternoon, with delicious food and a well-stocked bar for company. The sunshine definitely helped, and I'm not sure if I would have had as good a time if the rain had been pouring down, but as it was it was a lovely, relaxing experience and an interesting opportunity to see Leeds from an entirely new perspective.

Lyme view marina is a lovely place to have a walk around.. It is predominantly for narrow boats but…read morethere is also a cafe (which is currently being refurbished) here. I only came here due to my job but I will definitely be back in the future to explore further along the tow path which apparently links up to Lyme Park.

Picture-esque views beautifully expected here with good access to the nearby towns Prestbury and…read morePoynton. Local shops are available all around this area to stock up and also easy access to the Peak District just a stone's throw away offering a good number of cycle rides and walks. Definitely a place to stop at if enjoying the waterways and to enjoy the nearby towns. For those who don't own a canal boat, this is still a good place to walk around peacefully and enjoy the bustle of a marina.

Fantastic marina based in Cheshire buying and selling new and used narrowboats. Friendly and…read moreexperienced staff. Wonderful mooring facilities. well worth a visit if you are interested in boating.

Crosby Lakeside Adventure Centre is a fantastic new development near Crosby beach. It has replaced…read morethe pretty mediocre sports centre previously situated at Crosby Marina. Lakeside has retained the marine lake to perform numerous wet sports activities such as canoeing and yachting, kayaking, wind surfing and raft building. There are now lots of dry activities also available: cycling climbing and orienteering and a well appointed fitness suite. Lakeside welcome disabled and special needs visitors and people of all abilities. The facilities here are undeniably good and quite unique to the area; an invitaion for tourists and a great boost for the local economy. There is on site accommodation at "Lakeside Lodge", 14 en suite bedrooms with all guest requirements; even more incentive to visti from further afield. The dining facilities at "Lakeside Bistro" make for perfect after sports sustenance or an evening out. enjoy apertifs with sea views from the roof top terrace, or have breakfast overlooking the yachts sailing on the marina.

Nestled between the impressive houses overlooking Crosby's waterfront and the beach itself, the…read moreLakeside Activity Centre is a stones throw away from the cranes and industry of the Port of Liverpool. It looks a fairly new addition to Crosby beach, perhaps cashing in on the success of Antony Gormley's 'Another Place'. On a hot Tuesday we decided to head for the Lakeside Bistro (within the activity centre) for a cold drink and a bite to eat. The décor is modern and clean and the food is extremely well priced, we got two meals and two drinks for less than £7! I had no complaints about the bistro or its service, some of the other diners may have been less content. At one point the kitchen was temporarily closed so it could deal with a back log of orders and the large queue of hungry beach goers looked decidedly put out. The bistro looks out onto its stunning surroundings and also onto the fantastic children's play area, from which my fiancée had to hold me back.

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.