Our Favourite Family Friendly Dog Walks in the Greater Manchester Area

Last Updated on 8 January 2026 by Colette

We’ve always loved a good outdoor adventure – but since Lockdown, and the arrival of our boxer puppy, family dog walks are a regular feature of our weekends.

I wanted to share some of our favourite places to take the kids and our puppy for a walk in the Greater Manchester area – some are old favourites, others are more recent discoveries. I plan to add to this list of dog walks in the Greater Manchester area over time as we discover new places too so if you have recommendations do let me know!

Click here for our favourite dog friendly pubs and cafes in Manchester

Dovestone Reservoir

Dove Stone Reservoir is right on the edge of Oldham and the Peak District National Park and thanks to it’s stunning views, easily accessible pathways and places to explore, it is extremely popular.

The main reservoir loop is just short of 3 miles and is mostly quite flat. I have seen lots of families with pushchairs though be aware that there’s the odd cattle grid and some quite steep slopes in places. The path is gravelly and has the potential to be quite muddy too.

You can find out more about Dovestones Reservoir here:

Dovestone Reservoir – Walks with Kids

Huddersfield Canal path to Grandpa Greene’s

Whilst the Huddersfield Canal path runs from Ashton to Huddersfield – the section we choose to walk is from Greenfield to Grandpa Greene’s in Diggle because who doesn’t want the reward of an ice cream on a long dog walk!

From Greenfield, the walk to Grandpa Greene’s is about 2.3 miles and mostly flat though you are walking up the canal so there’s the odd steep slope or set of steps to contend with at each lock or bridge.

You can read more about walking the Huddersfield Canal path to Grandpa Greene’s here:

Huddersfield Canal path to Grandpa Greene’s – Walks with Kids

Daisy Nook Country Park

Daisy Nook (made famous for playing host to an illegal Lockdown rave) is popular with families, dog walkers, runners, mountain bikers and even horse riders (from the nearby riding school).

You can read more about Daisy Nook here:

Daisy Nook Country Park – Walks with Kids

Healey Dell Nature Reserve

Healey Dell Nature Reserve near Rochdale is a beautiful area of woodland surrounding the River Spodden – the highlight for us being numerous waterfalls and a 100-foot high viaduct (Dave loves a good viaduct!). Healey Dell is a new discovery for us thanks to a recommendation from a work colleague and as such we haven’t fully explored it yet but the kids absolutely loved it thanks to plenty of opportunities to clamber up rocks, climb trees and the potential for splashing about in the river (it was too cold when we visited!).

You can read more about Healey Dell Nature Reserve here:

Healey Dell Nature Reserve – Walks with Kids

Hollingworth Lake

Hollingworth Lake is a 130-acre reservoir at Smithy Bridge, in Littleborough and is a popular route for families, dog walks and mountain bikes. The flat, 2.5 mile loop around the lake is part tarmacked and part compacted mud / gravel meaning it’s fairly pushchair friendly and you can definitely get a bike around it but it isn’t necessarily very clean on a wet autumn day!

You can read more about Hollingworth Lake here:

Hollingworth Lake – Walks with Kids

Boggart Hole Clough

Boggart Hole Clough is a 190-acre woodland and urban park in the Manchester suburb of Blackley. It is by no means a flat space with plenty of slopes and valleys to explore. The main paths around the park are quite wide and paved making it pushchair friendly (though it can be quite muddy in the winter). There are various routes you can take to explore the park, including a short loop around the lake. We usually cover a couple of miles when we do a walk around Boggart Hole Clough but of course you can make your walk as short or as long as you like!

You can read more about visiting Boggart Hole Clough here:

Boggart Hole Clough – Walks with Kids

The best parks for cycling in Manchester

Alkrington Woods

Alkrington Woods likes to market itself as “Middleton’s Prime Recreational Space”. This picturesque local nature reserve offers over 120 acres of mature woodland, meadows, rivers and fishing lodges – and is a jolly nice place for a walk! But then I’m always won over by a waterside stroll!

You can read more about walking in Alkrington Woods here:

Alkrington Woods – Walks with Kids

Tandle Hill Country Park

Perched on the edge of Royton in Oldham, Tandle Hill Country Park is one of those places that instantly makes you breathe a little deeper. With sweeping views across Greater Manchester and towards the Pennines, it’s a local gem that offers the perfect mix of woodland wanderings (making it especially beautiful in the autumn), wide-open meadows, and that all-important sense of space. Whether you’re heading out for a family walk, letting the kids burn off some energy, or simply craving a bit of fresh air, Tandle Hill is a brilliant spot for a day outdoors.

You can read more about Tandle Hill Country Park here:

Tandle Hill Country Park – Walks with kids

Save this post for later and pop back for updates!

As I said, this is a post I plan to add to as we find new places to explore (in fact I already have notes for two more walks but I need to go back at take photos for them!) So if you have any recommendations of great places for dog walks with the kids that we need to try – drop me a comment below!

(If you fancy something a little further a field, try Entwistle Reservoir, Bolton)

Don’t forget that a decent pair of walking boots and the right outdoor clothing will make a big difference to how much you enjoy your adventures! We also whole heartedly recommend getting the kids their own backpacks to carry!

Check out our recommendations for handy apps for getting kids outdoors or our tips for winter walks with kids or find out why walking is so good for you here.

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