Heaton Park’s Temple, designed in 1800, was built on the highest point in Manchester. Scale the hill it sits on and you can see for quite a distance. It gives a unique view of the green fells that surround Manchester.

Heaton’s appeal starts young, with an Animal Centre that, alongside the traditional complement of farmyard animals – cows, goats, rabbits, poultry, sheep and donkeys – boasts some more exotic species. The peacocks, like the park’s deciduous trees, showcase full plumage in the summer months but shed their long feathers in winter. There’s a good chance of picking one up to take home and, unlike a leaf, it won’t end up crumbling into the carpet.