The County of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a modern county based on a part of the old Salford Hundred and is a conurbation of nearby towns, although there are relatively large areas of green space outside the central business district.
Greater Manchester's Surrounding Counties
Other counties neighbouring Greater Manchester include: Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside, West Yorkshire and Derbyshire .
Greater Manchester is a county with a great selection of places to visit including towns, hills, hiking areas, old mines, ancient sites, round cairns, ruins, historic sites, lakes, historic monuments, rivers and streams, woodlands, geological features, nature reserves, villages, historic buildings, country parks, waterfalls, events, bluebell woods, sssis, parks, shopping centres, gardens, canals, cities, museums, disused railway lines, moated sites and airports.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable towns like Bolton, Westhoughton, Horwich, Little Lever, Salford Quays, Rochdale, and Littleborough.
Don't miss Winter Hill, Winter Hill Summit, Adam Hill, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, The Great Knoll, and Burnt Edge's hills if visiting Greater Manchester.
There are a number of hiking areas in the county of Greater Manchester including Shaly Dingle, Winter Hill Summit, Hole Bottom, Hole Bottom Mining Area, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, and Burnt Edge.
Old Mines to visit in Greater Manchester county include Shaly Dingle, Winter Hill Mines, Winter Hill Tunnel, Rivington Moor Colliery (ruin), Rivington Moor Brickworks (ruin), Hole Bottom Mining Area, and Wildersmoor Pit Kilns (ruin).
Don't miss Winter Hill Tumulus, White Brow Cairn, Noon Hill, Two Lads, Hanging Stone, Rivington Cup Marked Stone, and Rainsough Hill Camp's ancient sites if visiting Greater Manchester.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best round cairns including Winter Hill Tumulus, White Brow Cairn, and Noon Hill.
There are a number of ruins in the county of Greater Manchester including Rivington Moor Brickworks (ruin), Winter Hill Brick and Tile Works, Ouzel Hall (site of), Wildersmoor Pit Kilns (ruin), Prospect (ruin), Rivington Moor Bell Pits (ruin), and Burnt Edge Colliery (ruin).
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable historic sites like Hole Bottom, Winter Hill Brick and Tile Works, and Hole Bottom Mining Area.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best lakes including Reservoir Of Dean Mills, The Turton Reservoirs, Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, Jumbles Reservoir, Wayoh Reservoir, Rivington Lakes And Reservoirs, and Yarrow Reservoir.
There are a number of historic monuments in the county of Greater Manchester including Two Lads, Holy Well Spring, Bury Castle, Worsley Green Monument, and Hyde War Memorial.
Rushtons Brook, Holden's Brook, Stones Bank Brook, Cadshaw Brook, Roscow Clough, Dean Brook, and Raveden Brook are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like rivers and streams.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable woodlands like Fox Hill Plantation, Ousel Nest Quarry, Walker Fold Woods, Raveden Clough, Roscow's Tenement Clough, Dean Wood - Rivington, and Rivington Hall Wood.
Geological Features to visit in Greater Manchester county include Jumbles Fossil Tree, Fairy Battery, The Margery Flags at Rivington Pike, Tigers Clough, and Jepsons Clough.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best nature reserves including Ousel Nest Quarry, Doffcocker Lodge, Nob End SSSI, Leverhulme Park, Darcy Lever Gravel Pits, Aspull Sough, and Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve.
Greater Manchester's best villages can be found at Cadshaw, Rivington, Barrow Bridge, Bromley Cross, Chapeltown, Darcy Lever, and Whelley.
Greater Manchester features a number of interesting historic buildings including Turton Tower, Prospect Tower, Archway at Turton Tower, Medieval Style Railway Bridge at Turton Tower, Smithills Hall, Sheephouse Farm, and Dean Gate.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable country parks like Smithills Country Park, Moses Gate Country Park, Cutacre Country Park, Darcy Lever Gravel Pits, Hollingworth Country Park, Haigh Country Park, and Pennington Flash.
Roscow Clough Waterfall, Smithills Hall Park Waterfall, Langshaw Ford Weir, Raveden Clough Waterfall, Raveden Plantation Waterfall, Yarrow Reservoir Overflow Cascade, and Upper Rivington Reservoir Yarrow Outflow are some of Greater Manchester's' best waterfalls to visit Greater Manchester.
Don't miss Rivington Pike Easter's events if visiting Greater Manchester.
Don't miss Dean Wood - Rivington, Rivington Hall Wood, Horrocks Wood, Old House Ground Plantation, and Etherow Country Park's bluebell woods if visiting Greater Manchester.
SSSIs to visit in Greater Manchester county include Nob End SSSI.
Queens Park, Hall Lee Bank Park, Moss Bank Park, Wythenshawe Park and Gardens, Gorton Park, Debdale Park, and Heaton Park are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like parks.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best shopping centres including Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park, Manchester Christmas Markets, The Trafford Centre, and Manchester Arndale.
The Rock Garden, The Walled Garden at Moss Bank, and RHS Garden Bridgewater are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like gardens.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable canals like Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal at Prestolee, The Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Haigh, Top Lock at Wigan, Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Crooke, The Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Shevington, Rochdale Canal Western Section, and Bridgewater Canal.
Don't miss Salford, and Manchester's cities if visiting Greater Manchester.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best museums including Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Imperial War Museum Salford, and Lancashire Mining Museum at Astley Green.
The Old Whelley Line, Lancashire Union Joint Line, Ringley Road Station (ruin), Clifton - Accrington and Colne Line (disused), and Linnyshaw Loopline are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like disused railway lines.
Wigan Golf Club is one of Greater Manchester's best moated sites to visit in Greater Manchester.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best airports including Manchester Airport.
Walks in Greater Manchester
Around Naden Valley and Reservoirs
A fairly easy walk on mostly good paths around the Naden Valley and its reservoirs - marked moderate as some may find parts steep.
Length: 7Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Moderate
Around Turton and Entwistle
A short and easy walk round the shoreline of Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, taking in views across the water.
Length: 4Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Easy
Redisher Wood and Waterfall
A short walk through Redisher Wood to see the waterfall, then up out of the woods and back along Redisher Ridge, with good views and an interesting ruined farmstead along the way.
Length: 4Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Easy
Rivington Pike by Georges Lane (and back)
A relatively easy walk to Rivington Pike and back, although some may find it steep in places the views are often spectacular.
Length: 7.49Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Easy
Smithills Hall Kitchen Garden Ruins and Coal Mining Tramroads Explore
A short walk around a section of Smithills Hall Park, following the route of the old mining tramroads and taking in the ‘lost’ Kitchen Garden and the ruins of the Gardener’s Cottage.
Length: 2Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Moderate (easy optional)
Around Upper Rivington Reservoir
A short and easy stroll around the Upper Rivington Reservoir with views of Winter Hill and the Pike, a possible Roman road and a couple of ornamental waterfalls after rain.
Length: 4Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Easy
Piethorne Valley Walk
A short walk around the interesting and scenic Piethorne Valley with a selection of historic ruins, reservoirs and bluebells if you’re lucky
Length: 5Km (approx.)
Difficulty: Moderate
