Oulder Hill Leisure Complex

The leisure complex sits on the outskirts of Bury, a proper sports hub if you're the type who gets excited about indoor facilities and training grounds. Oulder Hill is essentially a working sports venue - football pitches, indoor courts, the lot - rather than a tourist attraction in the traditional sense. If you're travelling with kids who need to burn off energy or you're after a casual game of badminton or squash, it's functional and accessible. The facilities are well-maintained and it's the kind of place locals use regularly, which says something about the standard.

For a family holiday, this works best as a rainy-day backup rather than a main event. Give it an hour or two maximum unless you're booking a specific activity. The real draw comes if you're basing yourselves at one of the nearby caravan parks - Burrs Country Park is less than five miles away and genuinely lovely, so you've got proper countryside on your doorstep while keeping sporty options close. Dearden Wood is another solid choice at under six miles.

Unless you're a keen footballer or a coach scouting facilities, Oulder Hill is more practical than thrilling. It doesn't compete with Bury's other attractions for memorable days out. That said, if your gang are into sports and the weather turns, you could do worse than knowing it's there. Check ahead for what's actually on - opening hours and what you can access as a casual visitor aren't straightforward to pin down.