Outdoor adventure showcased in new guide

Locals hoping to get up close and personal with nature this spring can take inspiration from a new visitor guide.

The handy guide, called ‘Open Air’, has been produced by Cheshire East Council to highlight outdoor leisure opportunities at local parks and green spaces.

As well as showcasing Cheshire East beauty spots, the A5 full-colour guide lists outdoor events and activities organised by the Council’s ranger service.

Caving, kayaking and a 20-mile Cheshire walking challenge are among the outdoor activities highlighted, alongside gentle strolls, guided walks and storytelling for youngsters.

The guide showcases large family events, such as the popular Middlewood Way Open Day as well as opportunities to learn new activities, such as sculpting and bushcraft survival skills. 

Also on offer are popular ranger-led trails, tours and expeditions on themes such as canals and valleys, geology and even mini beast safaris.

The guide’s packed calendar of events should appeal to the thousands of annual visitors to Cheshire East’s countryside. Recent figures, gathered from electronic people counters, reveal more than 470,000 people visited country parks in 2010.

The people counters recorded a staggering 473,000 people passing them from January to December 2010. The counters are situated at: Tegg’s Nose Country Park, in Macclesfield; Middlewood Way, in Macclesfield; the Wheelock Rail Trail, in Sandbach; and Macclesfield Riverside Park. 

Guy Kilminster, Head of health and wellbeing, said: “The Open Air guide not only lists more than 100 activities and events across Cheshire East but also highlights the area’s stunning beauty spots that visitors can explore by themselves.

“The electronic people counters have shown that our country parks continue to be popular but let’s not forget that the equipment only counts visitors through single entry points. We have estimated that the actual number of visitors to these parks in 2010 was more likely to be around the one million mark.

“We’re very lucky here in Cheshire East to have such glorious countryside on our doorstep.”

Copies are available at Cheshire East libraries, leisure centres, nature reserve, tourist information points and Cheshire East Council public reception areas.

For more information about events and Cheshire East Council’s Ranger Service, visit www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers