Yahoo News The Greater Manchester park you need to visit on a hot day with a lake and an ice cream stall
Greater Manchester is basking in sunny weather this week with temperatures soaring today and tomorrow. Although it’s not expected to last with conditions cooling over the weekend - so it’s a good idea to make the most of it while it lasts.
Make hay while the sun shines, as the saying goes, and head out to one of the many parks we have across the city-region. There’s one which is especially nice on a sunny day with gorgeous waterside walks, a lake and café selling delicious home made ice cream.
Etherow Country Park is located between Marple and Romiley in Stockport and boasts more than 200 acres of woodland, grassland, lakes and marshland. The park began life as the estate of George Andrew, a mill owner who built nearby houses to support the mill’s workforce, along with a lake to power the water wheel for the mill.
READ MORE: The water park tucked beside the M60 perfect for hot sunny days
In the 1960s it became one of England’s first country parks and today it’s a pocket of idyllic countryside just outside of the M60. At the heart of the park is the lake which is used by Etherow Country Park Sailing Club, which offers courses for both children and adults.
From the lake you can follow the River Etherow through the park and there are trails to follow alongside it. If you’re looking to shelter from the sun you can choose one of the paths which takes you through the woods.
Look out for the spectacular weir along the way, which creates and impressive waterfall. A bridge crossing the river provides the perfect vantage point to admire it.
At the far end of the park is the Keg Pool, which was originally built as a fishing lake. There are plenty of spots for a picnic throughout the park, as well as a cafe by the lake.
But one of the park’s hidden gems is The Potting Shed, a garden centre and cafe located on the edge of the park. It’s small but well stocked with a range of shrubs, flowering perennials, herbs, edibles and bedding plants.
The cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating and serves a range of light meals including paninis, wraps and crepes. They also make their own ice cream - perfect for a sunny day. You’ll find traditional flavours alongside more adventurous options; recently they had a strawberry and pink peppercorn sorbet.
The Potting Shed also hosts pizza and BBQ weekends, as well as free cinema screenings and activities for children. It's a place well worth checking out this summer.
