Dog-friendly cafe is perfect spot to finish a walk in Greater Manchester's 'absolute gem' of a country park

My perfect weekend usually involves a walk with the dog, which, if we're lucky, ends with a bite to eat at a cafe or pub.

Fed up with our usual haunts, we decided to head a little further afield to Burrs Country Park in Bury.

Described as 'an absolute gem' of Greater Manchester in one of many five star Google reviews, it's a great place for families to have a wander.

On the banks of the River Irwell, there are various paths and trails you can follow and places where dogs can have a paddle or swim.

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Ours was in his element and would probably have dived straight into the waterfall if we'd let him.

There's an exercise trail for kids to have a go on the beams and climbing equipment and the park is also home to a station for the East Lancashire Railway, where you can hop on or off, or just stand there to watch the steam train.

There are loads of spots to have a picnic when the weather's warm and there's even a pub there too, The Brown Cow.

But for those just wanting a brew and a snack, like we were, there's the popular cafe, The Lamppost and its neighbouring Burrs Ice Cream Parlour, which has a handy hatch for people to order from outside and has the dog-friendly ice cream Scoop's on the menu.

Since opening in 2018, the café has built up quite a reputation among visitors for its homemade dishes and tasty treats.

Many stop off for the cakes alone, as we did for the millionaire's shortbread, which was delicious.

The counter was full of cakes of all kinds, which you can either takeaway, or eat inside or out on one of the outdoor tables.

Dogs are welcome inside too, so we took a seat while us grown ups had a latte and our daughter a milkshake.

Milo wasn't left out either as there are shelves inside the café filled with natural dog treats so he sniffed out one of those. Our bill for two lattes, a shake, two cakes and a dog treat came to less than £20.

For those wanting something a bit more substantial, there's lots of choice on the menu, with sandwiches, baked potatoes, salads, paninis and more.

A lot of visitors head there for a full breakfast, or the baked avocado with smoked streaky bacon served with toasted ciabatta fingers is a popular choice, and available on both the breakfast and lunch menus.

As well as being a popular spot for walking and picnicking, the park is home to three sculptures on the Irwell Sculpture Trail - Picnic Area, Stone Cycle and Waterwheel - the latter of which sits at the main entrance and signifies the changes that have occurred at the site, transforming from a river to an industrial site and finally a park.

If you're wanting to visit, it's about a mile north of Bury town centre and can be found via BL8 1DA, with free parking at the main entrance. The café is now open seven days a week from 9am to 4pm.

Do you have a park or café that you'd recommend to other families? Let us know in the comments, or email emma.gill@reachplc.com.