Hartford Picnic Area

Tables scattered beneath mature trees make this a proper old-school picnic spot, the kind where families spread out blankets and kids can run about without dodging traffic. Hartford Picnic Area sits just outside Northwich in pleasant Cheshire countryside, offering nothing fancy but doing the basics well enough.

Families with young children will find it most useful - there's space to kick a ball around and the trees provide decent shade on sunny days. Dog walkers seem fond of the place too, though you'll want to keep an eye on little ones if there are excitable pups about. The lack of facilities means bringing your own everything, but that's rather the point of a proper picnic.

It works well as a lunch stop if you're staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Blakemere or Oakmere Country Park. The location makes it handy for breaking up a day out exploring the Cheshire countryside, though don't expect spectacular views or anything approaching a tourist attraction. This is simply a pleasant patch of grass with tables - sometimes that's exactly what you need when the kids are getting restless in the car.