East Lancashire Railway
Real steam trains between Bury, Ramsbottom and Rawtenstall, with themed family days all summer - Peppa Pig, fairytale specials, the lot. The day rover means you can hop off for lunch and catch the next one back.
Burrs Country Park
Bury, Greater Manchester
Ninety-odd acres of riverside a mile out of Bury centre, built on the bones of an old mill settlement - the industrial remains are still there to poke around and give the walks a point. There is a playground, picnic tables, a caravan site, and the River Irwell doing the scenery. It holds a Green Flag and entry and parking are both free, which is not a common combination.
The trick that lifts it above a standard country park is the railway. The East Lancashire Railway put a station here in 2016, so a heritage train, often steam, can carry you off to Ramsbottom or Bury Bolton Street mid-walk. Trains run every weekend all year with midweek extras in summer. The pairing of free park and paid train ride means the day costs exactly what you decide it will.
What it costs: Park and parking free. East Lancashire Railway train fares are separate.
Know before you go
- Trains run every weekend year round, with extra midweek services between Easter and the end of September - check the East Lancashire Railway timetable before you go and build the day around it.
- The Lamppost cafe runs Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm.
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★★★★★ 4.7 across 1,249 Google reviews.
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