Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve

A free 100-hectare wildlife reserve where former opencast land has become lakes, wetlands, woodland and wildflower meadows. Families get accessible walking routes, wildlife hides, picnic spots and a nature-themed WildPlay area, plus a visitor centre, café, toilets and baby-changing facilities. The surfaced paths make it particularly useful with pushchairs, while longer trails and wildlife spotting can easily stretch the visit into a half day or more.