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.
Greater Manchester features a number of interesting hills including Winter Hill, Winter Hill Summit, Adam Hill, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, The Great Knoll, and Burnt Edge.
Don't miss Shaly Dingle, Winter Hill Summit, Hole Bottom, Hole Bottom Mining Area, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, and Burnt Edge's hiking areas if visiting Greater Manchester.
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) are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like old mines.
Greater Manchester features a number of interesting ancient sites including Winter Hill Tumulus, White Brow Cairn, Noon Hill, Two Lads, Hanging Stone, Rivington Cup Marked Stone, and Rainsough Hill Camp.
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).
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best historic sites including Hole Bottom, Winter Hill Brick and Tile Works, and Hole Bottom Mining Area.
Don't miss Reservoir Of Dean Mills, The Turton Reservoirs, Turton and Entwistle Reservoir, Jumbles Reservoir, Wayoh Reservoir, Rivington Lakes And Reservoirs, and Yarrow Reservoir's lakes if visiting Greater Manchester.
Two Lads, Holy Well Spring, Bury Castle, Worsley Green Monument, and Hyde War Memorial are some of Greater Manchester's' best historic monuments to visit Greater Manchester.
There are a number of rivers and streams in the county of Greater Manchester including Rushtons Brook, Holden's Brook, Stones Bank Brook, Cadshaw Brook, Roscow Clough, Dean Brook, and Raveden Brook.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best woodlands including Fox Hill Plantation, Ousel Nest Quarry, Walker Fold Woods, Raveden Clough, Roscow's Tenement Clough, Dean Wood - Rivington, and Rivington Hall Wood.
There are a number of geological features in the county of Greater Manchester including Jumbles Fossil Tree, Fairy Battery, The Margery Flags at Rivington Pike, Tigers Clough, and Jepsons Clough.
Ousel Nest Quarry, Doffcocker Lodge, Nob End SSSI, Leverhulme Park, Aspull Sough, Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve, and Pennington Flash are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like nature reserves.
There are a number of villages in the county of Greater Manchester including Cadshaw, Rivington, Barrow Bridge, Bromley Cross, Chapeltown, Whelley, and Standish.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable historic buildings like Turton Tower, Prospect Tower, Archway at Turton Tower, Medieval Style Railway Bridge at Turton Tower, Smithills Hall, Sheephouse Farm, and Dean Gate.
The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best country parks including Smithills Country Park, Moses Gate Country Park, Cutacre Country Park, Hollingworth Country Park, Haigh Country Park, Pennington Flash, and Burrs Country Park.
Waterfalls to visit in Greater Manchester county include 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.
Rivington Pike Easter is one of Greater Manchester's best events to visit in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable bluebell woods like Dean Wood - Rivington, Rivington Hall Wood, Horrocks Wood, Old House Ground Plantation, and Etherow Country Park.
There are a several good sssis in Greater Manchester county like Nob End SSSI.
Don't miss Queens Park, Hall Lee Bank Park, Moss Bank Park, Wythenshawe Park and Gardens, Gorton Park, Debdale Park, and Heaton Park's parks if visiting Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester features a number of interesting 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 some of Greater Manchester's' best gardens to visit Greater Manchester.
There are a several good canals in Greater Manchester county 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.
There are a number of cities in the county of Greater Manchester including Salford, and Manchester.
There are a number of museums in the county of Greater Manchester including Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Imperial War Museum Salford, and Lancashire Mining Museum at Astley Green.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable disused railway lines like The Old Whelley Line, Lancashire Union Joint Line, Ringley Road Station (ruin), Clifton - Accrington and Colne Line (disused), and Linnyshaw Loopline.
Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable moated sites like Wigan Golf Club,
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
