Top Rated Parks to Visit in St Helens

"Calderstones is filled with such a vast number of little pleasantries and surprises that you just can’t help but love it. Their Reader Café offers books for customers to read while eating, there are plenty of open spaces upon which to kick back and enjoy a beer, while the Storybarn - an interactive story-centre aimed at getting children to embrace a love of reading - is nothing short of inspired. There’s a model railway, too."

"Historic Calderstones Park is set in 126-acres of lush woodland, offering the perfect expanse of green and leafy goodness, including the 1000 year-old, Allerton Oak tree. Enjoy exploring the beautiful Japanese and Old English botanical gardens, and while you’re visiting, you can grab a coffee, snacks and ice cream from recently re-opened Reader Café between 12pm-5pm. Further details here"

"Calderstones Park is a stunning 94-acre park in South Liverpool boasting woodland, lake and fields, with botanical and historical interest. This park is in fact named after its ancient megaliths. Also home to a 1000-year-old oak, look out for its hollow trunk and branches supported by stakes."

"Fletcher Moss Park is a wide network of paths around the area around the Gardens, through Stenner Woods, round Millgate Fields, and along the river Mersey. Much of the area is a Local Nature reserve and there is a variety of wildlife to see and vistas to enjoy. At first, finding your way around can be a little confusing, and a map of the area might help."

"Fletcher Moss Park is located in Didsbury and is a great place to go if you really appreciate nature. The pathways take you through some lovely scenery, making it an ideal place to take a long, relaxing walk. There’s also a café on-site for when you’re feeling a bit peckish, and you could get a little picnic going with your household/bubble."

"The first publicly funded park in Britain, Birkenhead Park opened in 1847 as an architectural landscape of cultivated woodland, meadows, and lakes. Birkenhead Park has a wonderful family tree in the shape of New York’s Central Park, which was greatly influenced by this inspirational setting, and as you take a stroll and encounter listed buildings, lodges, the Swiss Bridge, and a Pavilion, called the Roman Boathouse, which stands by the lake, you’ll discover why. Further details here"

"Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, Birkenhead Park is acknowledged as the first publicly funded park in the world having first opened in 1847 and influened the design of New York's Central Park. Alongside the beautiful architecture and lush green spaces there is an adventure playground, tennis courts, bowling greens and football pitches. A great place to head to on a trip over the water to the Wirral."

"If you are a fan of wide-open spaces and greenery, where you can explore woods, as well as amazing play areas the kids will thank you for, then heading to Birkenhead Park is a great option to consider. An excellent location that can blow off the cobwebs and enable you to spend some quality time together. Check out all the latest information, opening times and restrictions HERE"

"A hidden gem in the heart of the Baltic Triangle, the Botanical Garden is a pretty little suntrap perfect for day drinking with friends. Laiden with flowers, bunting and boasting a bar fashioned from a real life VW camper van, the photo opportunities are endless…"

"Nestled into the back streets of the Baltic Triangle, pull up a bench and soak up the sun with a gin cocktail or a Gin In a Tin. With grass bleachers, a shed to cool down and a DJ on the decks - you can't really go wrong. View this post on Instagram"

"A seasonal pop-up bar that specialises in gin cocktails, this is one of the city's coolest summer bars. There's a fine selection of beers if you prefer, and a kitchen that serves excellent Mexican food; in rainy..."

"We’re happy to give St John’s Gardens top marks for looks - after all, they’re meticulously kept, lined with a series of pretty walls and dotted with all kinds of lovely statues and flowerbeds - but the inner city location and relatively modest size mean it can seem a bit cramped (there's also something a bit wrong about cracking open a can of lager 50 feet from a dual carriageway). Still, it's great for a quick walk around."

"If you’re around the St George’s Plateau then head round the back to chill out in St John’s Gardens. The garden, which is part of the William Brown Street conservation area, has been a Green Flag site since 2003 and contains ornamental flower beds and various memorials to notable people in the city. A great spot to soak up the rays."

"Prestwich Forest Park consists of four smaller parks which make up 200 acres of woodlands: Philips Park, Drinkwater Park, Waterdale, and Prestwich. These parks can be heavily wooded (particularly Drinkwater), so it’s a beautiful place to spend a day away from the noise of town. Exploring the woods can be an enlightening experience, so long as you take care while wandering amongst the broad-leaved trees."

"The May Blitz of 1941 saw St Luke’s church forever changed when a bomb landed right on top of it’s roof. Over time, the city has lovingly restored it back to life and it now plays host to everything from weddings, to gigs, to farmers markets and cinema screenings. The church itself and the gardens around it are a total treat for the eye."

"More commonly known as 'the bombed out church' St Luke’s was destroyed during the Blitz of World War II. With no ceiling, and plants now growing inside, it is a real place of tranquility in the centre of the city and serves as a memorial to those who lost their lives during the war."

"Also known as St. Luke’s Church, the Bombed-Out Church lost its roof during the World War II blitz and has now been transformed into a wedding venue, café and a great spot for pictures. The church is incredible to look around and is also filled with so much history."

"An interactive journey back in time, the Stockport Air Raid Shelters offers a glimpse into how people lived during the wartime blitz. Explore the labyrinth of tunnels filled with displays, posters, recreated living and sleeping areas, and a bunker, all accompanied by an audio guide highlighting the cultural, political, and social aspects living in the shelters. I Opening Times: Tuesday-Friday 1-5pm, Saturday 10am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm."

"The Stockport Air Raid Shelters are a jolting walk back in time near Manchester. Located about 6 miles from the main Manchester area and in great Manchester, this place is an interesting, short excursion from the city Centre. The place will transport you into a dark time- the Britain of the 1940s during the war."

"Stockport Air Raid Shelters, Great Underbank, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 1NE - Visit now. Stockport museums are beginning a phased reopening of their sites. The first to re-open were Bramall Hall and Stockport Air Raid Shelters."

"You can walk along the canal, through the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park on your way to the Museum of Science and Industry. Castlefield Urban Heritage Park. Admire the old industrial buildings, soak up the atmosphere of the canal, and see how Manchester used to be in years gone by."

"Bistrot Pierre takes residence inside one of Preston's historical churches along Fishergate. The well-known chain restaurant is beloved for its French food, and vegans can experience this too thanks to Bistrot Pierre's healthy selection of vegan options."

"17/06/2021: Met up with my friend had such a lovely time the food is first class and so are the staff"

"Keep an eye out for this one - if you blink you might miss it. The French restaurant can be found in Liverpool’s Cavern Quarter near Mathew Street and serves up authentic French food in a bistro style. The menu changes weekly to make most of the seasonal produce available, so you can go as many times as you’d like and never tire of the menu."

"An abundance of choice in flavour is available to have in a cone, on waffles, or on a cake of your own choosing. If you ever head to gelato passion, make sure you try out their peanut butter cake with raspberry sorbet. Kind of like a PB&J sandwich deconstructed into ice cream!"