I spent a lot of my teenage years sitting by the river at Reddish Vale. We would bring a picnic from the Morrisons nearby and spend all day paddling, eating and watching dogs play in the water.

Reddish Vale Country Park spans a vast area of 81 hectares and is an official nature reserve. You can find many species of birds, mammals, amphibians and insects around the grounds. I have one very vivid memory of having to be very careful where we stepped due to the sheer amount of baby frogs along the paths one summer!

‘The Vale’ as it is often called locally also offers a cafe and petting zoo, as well as a vast area for walking. On their website, you can find an mp3 download for a walking tour that’s about 2 miles long which will cover the history of Reddish Vale, or alternatively, you can stop by the visitor’s centre.

Reddish Vale is a wonderful place to go with friends or family for a walk or picnic. There are picnic benches available and many grassy patches to sit. You’ve also got my favourite option, besides the river. Either way, with the size of Reddish Vale you’ll find it difficult to not find a good spot to sit and enjoy the view.

Opening times are for the Visitor’s Centre.