Drinkwater Park

As a former coal mine, Colliers Wood forms an interconnected area of woodlands and grassland surrounding Higher Folds. The various footpaths offer quite a lot of opportunity for exploration and discovery.

There has been recent planting near Cooling Lane which is now coming into fruition. From Queensway, there is access to an area once used by bird watchers.

Colliers Wood is located approximately ten miles west of Manchester. 

A number of paths link together areas of open grassland and young woodland across this hillside site.

The young trees provide incredible displays in autumn, and at dusk you may well see hunting barn owls.

Rochdale Woodlands is a haven for wildlife. Woodpeckers, dippers and kingfishers are a regular sighting, along with many other species.

With mature broadleaf trees and coppiced willow, Rochdale also supports a healthy population of woodland birds.

Meadowfields (off Albert Royd Street) is a mix of woodland and expansive open grassland on the banks of the River Roch.

There is also wet grassland areas, providing a fantastic habitat for frogs, toads and insects.

Formerly made up of the iconic Mains Colliery and a dairy farm, Viridor Wood was also part of the ancient Coffin Trail.

The woodland is interspersed with open grassland, affording some fantastic views and playing host to a wide variety of wildlife and plants including Orchids.

The lovingly hand-crafted pieces of wooden artwork dotted around the site serve to help make the wood perfect for an afternoon stroll.