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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 .

Retail in Greater Manchester

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, historic buildings, nature reserves, villages, country parks, waterfalls, events, bluebell woods, sssis, parks, shopping centres, gardens, canals, cities, museums, disused railway lines, moated sites and airports.

Don't miss Bolton, Westhoughton, Horwich, Little Lever, Salford Quays, Rochdale, and Littleborough's towns if visiting Greater Manchester.

Winter Hill, Winter Hill Summit, Adam Hill, Crooked Edge Hill, Whimberry Hill, The Great Knoll, and Burnt Edge are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like hills.

Greater Manchester features a number of interesting hiking areas 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.

Don't miss Winter Hill Tumulus, White Brow Cairn, and Noon Hill's round cairns if visiting Greater Manchester.

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) are some of Greater Manchester's' best ruins to visit Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester's best historic sites can be found at 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.

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.

Greater Manchester features a number of interesting rivers and streams including Rushtons Brook, Holden's Brook, Stones Bank Brook, Cadshaw Brook, Roscow Clough, Dean Brook, and Raveden Brook.

There are a number of woodlands in the county of Greater Manchester 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.

The county of Greater Manchester boasts some of the best historic buildings including Bradshaw Brook Viaduct, Turton Tower, Prospect Tower, Archway at Turton Tower, Medieval Style Railway Bridge at Turton Tower, Smithills Hall, and Sheephouse Farm.

Ousel Nest Quarry, Doffcocker Lodge, Nob End SSSI, Leverhulme Park, Darcy Lever Gravel Pits, Aspull Sough, and Wigan Flashes Local Nature Reserve are some of Greater Manchester's' best nature reserves to visit Greater Manchester.

There are a several good villages in Greater Manchester county like Cadshaw, Rivington, Barrow Bridge, Bromley Cross, Chapeltown, Darcy Lever, and Whelley.

Greater Manchester's best country parks can be found at Smithills Country Park, Moses Gate Country Park, Cutacre Country Park, Darcy Lever Gravel Pits, Hollingworth Country Park, Haigh Country Park, and Pennington Flash.

Greater Manchester's best waterfalls can be found at 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.

There are a number of events in the county of Greater Manchester including Rivington Pike Easter.

There are a several good bluebell woods in Greater Manchester county like Dean Wood - Rivington, Rivington Hall Wood, Horrocks Wood, Old House Ground Plantation, and Etherow Country Park.

Greater Manchester's best sssis can be found at 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.

There are a several good shopping centres in Greater Manchester county like Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park, Manchester Christmas Markets, The Trafford Centre, and Manchester Arndale.

Greater Manchester's best gardens can be found at The Rock Garden, The Walled Garden at Moss Bank, and RHS Garden Bridgewater.

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.

Salford, and Manchester are some of Greater Manchester's' best cities to visit Greater Manchester.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery, The Imperial War Museum Salford, and Lancashire Mining Museum at Astley Green are great places to visit in Greater Manchester if you like museums.

Don't miss The Old Whelley Line, Lancashire Union Joint Line, Ringley Road Station (ruin), Clifton - Accrington and Colne Line (disused), and Linnyshaw Loopline's disused railway lines if visiting Greater Manchester.

Don't miss Wigan Golf Club's moated sites if visiting Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester is home to some unmissable airports like 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

Let's Go

Map of Around Naden Valley and Reservoirs Walk

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

Let's Go

Map of Around Turton and Entwistle Walk

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

Let's Go

Map of Redisher Wood and Waterfall Walk

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

Let's Go

Map of Rivington Pike by Georges Lane (and back) Walk

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)

Let's Go

Map of Smithills Hall Kitchen Garden Ruins and Coal Mining Tramroads Explore Walk

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

Let's Go

Map of Around Upper Rivington Reservoir Walk

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

Let's Go

Map of Piethorne Valley Walk Walk

Towns and Villages in Greater Manchester

Lakes near

    Where to Eat in

    Lakes in Greater Manchester

    Woodland in Greater Manchester

    Wild Roe Deer

    Brett Gregory is an award-winning filmmaker based in Bolton whose production company, Serious Feather, is currently making a documentary about autism and poetry.

    As a part of this production, Landscape Britain was asked to advise with regards to the location of specific areas of outstanding natural beauty throughout the region.

    Visit www.seriousfeather.com for further information.

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