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The Greater Manchester park that's a ‘lovely countryside escape’ to visit this summer

Daisy Nook Country Park, located between Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne, is highlighted as a beautiful countryside escape in Greater Manchester. The park features woodland walks, a tranquil lake (Crime Lake), picnic spots, and wildlife, including owls and foxes. It also has an adventure playground for kids and a cafe, Cafe Riverside. The park's name originates from a fictional beauty spot in a 19th-century poem. Visitors praise its peaceful atmosphere and well-maintained paths.

Daisy Nook Country Park offers a 40-hectare countryside escape just minutes from Manchester’s urban sprawl, where woodland trails, canal paths and the mysteriously named Crime Lake await summer visitors.

The Medlock Valley gem, tucked between Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne, rewards explorers with tree-shaded walks that reveal secret ponds, river viewpoints and tranquil picnic spots at every turn. Wildlife thrives here - owls hunt overhead while great-spotted woodpeckers drum in the canopy, foxes slip through undergrowth and squirrels chatter from ancient oaks that have witnessed centuries of valley life.

Anglers cast lines into waters first flooded in 1795 when a canal culvert blockage created Crime Lake, the name deriving from an old term for land carved by waterways. Families cluster at the adventure playground before refuelling at Cafe Riverside, where new owners serve refreshments daily from 9:30am beside the garden’s riverside setting.

The park’s whimsical name originated in 1855 when Lancashire poet Ben Brierley penned “A Day Out,” sending fictional ramblers to a beauty spot he christened Daisy Nook. Today’s visitors echo his appreciation - Mazhard praised the “peaceful mix of woodlands, canals, walking trails, and open green spaces” as “perfect for a quiet stroll, family outing, or even a bit of photography,” while Carl simply called it “a great place to visit with some stunning scenery.”


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