Parks & outdoors in Sale

A volunteer-run miniature railway at Walton Park carries passengers round a quarter mile of track for 30p a ride. Bring coins.

Walton also has two age-split playgrounds and a cafe that is a narrowboat on the canal, and Worthington Park five minutes from the Metrolink has a skate park and an outdoor gym but no cafe and nowhere to park. Woodheys is for the older ones: an 18-hole pitch and putt, seven days a week, clubs hired on the spot and no booking, with a playground restricted to under 7s.

Parks & outdoors in Sale

Walton Park

Sale

Go on a Sunday. A volunteer-run miniature railway takes passengers round a quarter mile of track for 30p a ride, there are two age-split playgrounds, and the cafe is a narrowboat on the canal.

Free, 30p a ride on the trainsMiniature railway runs every SundayAges 1-11

Woodheys Park

Sale

★★★★☆4.3(363)

An 18-hole pitch and putt open seven days a week, clubs hired on the spot, no booking. That is the reason to come. The playground here is under 7s only, so the golf is what occupies the older ones.

Free park, pitch and putt chargedPitch and putt open daily from 10amAges 4-11

Worthington Park

Sale

★★★★★4.6(1,217)

Sale's Green Flag town park, a five minute walk from the Metrolink. Two age-split playgrounds, a skate park and an outdoor gym. No cafe and no car park, so it is a walk-in park.

FreeAges 2-14

Parks & outdoors elsewhere in the North West

Walton Hall & Gardens

Warrington~10 min

★★★★★4.7(6,537)

The reliable default: gardens, a children's zoo, a big playground and plenty of room to run. Pay for parking, nothing else.

Free entryAges 4-11

Risley Moss

Warrington~10 min

★★★★★4.6(745)

A peat bog nature reserve with woodland trails, a visitor centre and an observation tower the kids can climb. Free, close and short enough for little legs.

FreeAges 4-11

Sherdley Park

St HelensIn town

St Helens' biggest park. Play areas, open space and a walled garden, and it costs nothing.

FreeAges 4-11

Dream, Sutton Manor

St Helens~10 min

★★★★☆4.4(1,301)

A 20-metre white head rising out of a reclaimed colliery, with woodland trails around it. Genuinely strange and memorable for kids, and a short walk rather than a hike.

FreeAges 4-11

Sankey Valley Park

St HelensIn town

★★★★★4.5(611)

A green corridor of canal towpath and parkland running from St Helens down towards Warrington. Flat, traffic-free and ideal if the bikes or scooters are coming.

FreeAges 4-11

Speke Hall

Liverpool~30 min

★★★★★4.7(4,896)

A Tudor hall with woodland walks, a maze and a natural play area in the grounds. Free if you have National Trust membership, and the indoor house is a good rain fallback.

National TrustIndoorsAges 4-11