THE DAYS are getting longer and the weather is slowly growing warmer, meaning picnic weather is just around the corner.

Earlier this month (8 March), lockdown rules were slightly relaxed.

School children were allowed to return to the classroom with outdoor after-school sports and activities also allowed to restart.

People are also now allowed to have socially distanced one-to-one meetings with others outdoors in a public space – meaning friends and family members could sit down for a coffee or have a picnic in the park.

If you are looking to get out of the house, or do something nice with the kids in the Easter holidays, a picnic is the perfect solution.

Using TripAdvisor, we have compiled a list of the best Bradford parks and areas of natural beauty to visit for a picnic.

How many have you visited?

1. Lister Park

According to Trip Advisor, Lister Park is the number one rated in Bradford.

It’s around a mile from the city centre and is also home to Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

(Cartwright Hall, Photo © Chris Heaton (cc-by-sa/2.0))

The park really is easy on the eye and has some lovely features.

It has a lake with boating facilities, tennis courts, play areas, water gardens and more.

It even has a café on site which serves hot and cold beverages, as well as food and ice-cream for the whole family.

It has received a lot of praise on TripAdvisor, with happy reviewers eager to talk about the park’s beauty and impressive size.

One person wrote: “A lovely wander round a beautiful well-kept large park area . Nature at its best with squirrels running around and people feeding the ducks and geese.”

Another described it as: “A nice place for a picnic in summer and great for conker hunting in autumn.”

2. Roberts Park, Saltaire

This is described as a “wonderful” park that has been well-maintained, with plenty of things for the kids to do nearby.

There is a play area on site, as well as a skate park for the kids to enjoy.

After lockdown when the world can get back on its feet, there is a bandstand at the park where concerts are staged in the summer.

According to the Visit Bradford website, there is often a cricket match on for sport-lovers to watch as they tuck into their picnic.

One Trip Advisor reviewer said: It’s a lovely place to have a picnic overlooking the river Aire.

Another wrote: “Grab fish and chips or coffee and cake in nearby cafes and have a picnic.”

3. Chellow Dean, Sandy Lane

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

(Chellow Dean Reservoir
cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Paul Glazzard - geograph.org.uk/p/371875)

If you are looking for some peace and tranquillity on your picnic, then look no further than Chellow Dean.

It is a long, narrow woodland which surrounds two reservoirs.

If you are a nature lover then the area is perfect as the water attracts a fair amount of wildfowl and the woodland is full of birds.

One reviewer wrote: “I used to live close to here and always loved the place. Lovely with peace & quiet without costing anything.”

4. North Cliffe Woods, Shipley

This nature reserve is rich in wildlife and flowers.

Hebridean sheep graze the land in the spring and there are plenty of walking trails to embark on after you have finished your picnic.

One happy reviewer wrote: “Lovely walk with plenty of wildlife about… the meadow is extremely colourful.

Another said: “Decided to take the granddaughter out for the afternoon and went to Northcliffe Park and Woods.

“Spent a good hour in the play area before going through the woods and rest of the park, plenty to see and do and ideal for picnics in the summer.”