Saltaire is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a textile mill and model village built after textile manufacturer Titus Salt made the decision to move his business and employees a few miles away from the pollution of Bradford for cleaner air and greener surroundings. It was completed in 1876 and when production stopped in the 1980s, the mill was converted into a gallery exhibiting the work of Bradford-born David Hockney.

The mill was out first port of call – we parked easily in the large, free car park after a 45 minute journey form Manchester. David Hockney is the kind of artist I’d recommend for young children (CJ is nearly five) as a lot of his works are large and colourful and a feast for small eyes – and grown-up ones obviously.

25 Trees is the new show by David Hockney on the 3rd floor of the mill, showing vivid portraits of Hockney’s friends and family, as well as i-pad and i-phone works in the projection room and some 27-foot long pictures of trees produced using photographs.

When CJ had had enough of admiring the artworks we had a look at the excellent bookshop on the second floor. There are three cafes here which looked very inviting, but had queues when we visited, so we headed into the village and ate at the Victorian Tea Rooms there before having a mooch around.

There are many impressive buildings ,as you would probably expect from a World Heritage Site. Above is the Grade 1 listed United Reform Church, just opposite the mill.

We had a wander up Victoria Road and I had a little look in Rose and Brown, a lovely vintage shop…

We cut down some of the neat residential streets with views back down to the church…

We crossed over the railway line and the canal…

And into the recently restored and voerhauled Roberts Park. You knew there’d be a park didn’t you? And what a beautiful park it is. As soon as CJ caught sight of the playground, she was off. It has a spectacular setting, opposite the mill itself.

A very impressive playground, with lots of lovely features like a wooden playhouse and some skate ramps populated by lads on scooters. But CJ’s favourite? The very cool trampoline!

It’s around this time of year that festival organisers start to drip feed tempting titbits about their summer lineups. It’s making me cast my mind back to last year’s experience, which was fab despite the grotty weather, smelly mud and epic four hour car journey (which would have been bad enough, but yours truly was the driver).

I was persuaded that Latitude is the way forward by my best friend, a Latitude veteran who recommends the mix of music, literary events, cabaret and comedy. As ever, her advice was impeccable. Our highlights were The National, Bellowhead, the ‘Instigate Debate’, and Dr Brown, a cabaret artiste who speaks not a word but does unspeakable things with apron strings.

The setting of Latitude is just beautiful and if  I do go again, I’d really like to make time for a trip to the nearby seaside resort of Southwold. It was a very long way to travel from Manchester though, so maybe I’ll try to find a festival a bit nearer to home this year.

The 2012 Latitiude lineup will be announced on March 5th. I’ll have to have a sneaky look, and who knows? I may just be tempted…

This slither of whimsical fun is being put on by the organisers of Spellbound Forest, an event being held later in the year at one of our favourite haunts Delamere Forest in Cheshire. It promises to combine “theatrical performance, music, visual art and dance” all in a stunning setting. Sounds right up Parklover’s street!

The Chetham Arms is in a picturesque village on the outskirts of Bolton. We sat near one of the fires and tucked into delicious fish and chips – children’s portions of several of the main courses are available, so it was fish and chips all round.

A track leads off from the car park at the back of the pub. We followed it all the way to the level crossing over the railway line, then headed through the gate on the left onto a footpath and up onto the moors. Peace, quiet and panoramic views. We even caught some late afternoon sun before it started to disappear behind the hills.

A cosy lunch followed by a bracing stroll – ideal as long as the snow doesn’t stop you from getting up in the first place!

If you’re anywhere near Bury on Friday 14th October, you have to check out Bury Light Night. This new event sounds fantastic, with masses going on around the town centre. Personally, I’ll be heading to Kay Gardens to look at the lanterns and listen to some acoustic tunes, then on to Crompton Street for the promise of wild street performers and a candle lit labyrinth.

Alas, I won’t be there in time, but if you get into Bury by 6pm, get your pencils out and join Becca Smith’s urban drawing tour. If all that hasn’t taken up my entire evening, I’ll be popping into the Art Museum to listen to Black Jack Barnet’s specialy written songs and then calling in at the Teepee in Library Gardens.

If it happens to rain on friday, there’s plenty to do indoors, but of course the outdoor fun is the priority for Parklover so it’s wellies, raincoat and brolly for me.

Check out the details of all events on friday night on Bury Light Night’s webpage.

We stumbled upon this fab street festival today in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The action is going on in and around Edge Street, Thomas Street and Tib Street until 9 tonight, entry is free, and there is outdoor eating and drinking aplenty.

If you can’t get down to the Northern Quarter tonight but like what you see, pay this area a visit soon for vintage boutiques, independent bars and tasty tea and cakes.

A great playground for the kids, some lovely flowerbeds and some very steep hills for those of you who like to keep yourselves fit.

MAP

I’ve been at the park just as often as usual though, and have a huge backlog of photos to get through, so any posts I manage at the moment are likely to be more photos than word.

I thought I’d mark my return with an update on Springwater Park, one of the most commented on parks featured on this blog. The pipeline works which have prevented access to some parts of the park are happily now complete, so I thought it was time to check out how the park is looking now the lorries have gone.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to find little trace of the work. The scenes above are from the affected area on the path down from the entrance on Radcliffe New Road – apart from the butterfly which was spotted down nearer the river.

Has anyone else visited this area of Springwater Park since the works have finished? What do you think of the clear up?

The Marine Conservation Society has today launched its latest guide to the best UK beaches in terms of water quality.

I’m delighted to see that Formby, our local favourite gets the thumbs up from the MCS. There’s a great search facility on their website and I found some other north west beaches that I may well check out if it ever stops raining around here. Not only is there information on water quality, but lots of other useful stuff, such as nearby facilities, accessibility and what activities the beach is suitable for.

A brilliant resource for lovers of the outdoors.

I’m pleased with this photo but I can’t really claim any credit for it. The view from the top of the cliff railway in Lynton is so beautiful and the weather was so clear when we visited, that it was just a case of point and click. No editing required except for popping a little frame around it.

Lynton and Lynmouth are what you might describe as “officially quaint”. Lynmouth is all thatched cottages, with a river running down past the fudge shops, harbour and rocky beach into the sea. There’s a lovely playground next to a putting green in Lynmouth, where you can push your nipper on a swing whilst gazing out over the coastline.

The funicular railway takes you up an incredibly steep cliff to Lynton. You have to pause at the top to take in the view. It doesn’t even look real, it’s almost as if someone painted a backdrop, in the manner of a mural on the wall of a 70s Italian restaurant.

If you’re in Devon I’d say Lynton and Lynmouth are worth a visit for the cliff railway and that view alone!