Spend the day at Sale Water Park..
Sale Water Park is an outstanding leisure resource right on our doorsteps, and if you have never been, now is the time to discover what it offers for families and individuals, no matter how fond of actually getting wet you are!
Sale Water Park, where you will find Trafford Water Sports Centre isn’t wholly about water sports – you can take part in water-based fun such as jet skiing, kayaking, paddleboarding and sailing, but you can also simply enjoy a day by the lake, explore the parkland and reconnect with the great outdoors, or throw down a blanket and some camping chairs by the water and…relax. Just 20 minutes from our Chorlton office, Sale Water Park feels like stepping into full countryside, with a lake, woodland, meadows, walks along the River Mersey, a café, a restaurant and the water sports centre.
Sailing
If you are already a committed sailor (and we’re talking small boats here, dinghies, not cabin cruisers or yachts!) and have a dinghy of your own, you can take it to the park and launch it from the Trafford Water Sports Centre, but you do need to reach out to them first to check timings, regulations and any launch fees. Alternatively, if you’re already fully qualified, talk to the team about dinghy hire, and the times when you are able to do so.
Learn to sail
While it’s not exactly a necessary lifeskill, spending time messing about on the water is, I would argue, pure mindfulness and therefore extremely good for you! At Trafford Water Sports Centre you can book yourself or your child (over the age of seven) on to a two day dinghy sailing course, where you will learn all the basics, from launching to criss-crossing the lake – hopefully in a graceful manner, but if not that’s okay as we all have to start somewhere! Getting hooked is quite possible, so you can keep learning and gaining your Royal Yachting Association qualifications, until you’re a positive sea-dog (lake dog?). Get your little one into it now and you never know… Olympics here we come!
Paddle Sports
Does canoeing, kayaking or stand up paddle boarding appeal? I must admit, I had to look up the difference between canoeing and kayaking (apparently, canoes have an open top and are moved through the water using a single-bladed paddle, while kayaks are much more enclosed and the occupant uses a double-bladed paddle) and I’d love to have a go at paddle boarding. What could possibly go wrong..? You can do an entry level course in all these paddle sports at the Water Sports Centre, or hire the equipment you need (once you have reassured them you’re competent!) by the hour.
Open Water Swimming
Open water swimming has become immensely popular in recent years. It’s incredibly good for you both mentally and physically. As well as boosting cardio-vascular function and improving your fitness, swimming in cold water can release endorphins and boost dopamine levels, potentially reducing stress, anxiety, and improving your baseline mood. Some studies have even shown improvements in life satisfaction, happiness, and feelings of worthiness among regular open water swimmers. I’m not sure how worthy I would feel, but I’d certainly feel pretty smug after climbing out of a dip in the lake on an early morning!
Open water swimming has its risks, of course, with the risk of drowning because of cold water shock, something everybody should be aware of. For this reason, you can’t just pitch up and dive in. Open Swim UK offers twice-weekly guided sessions, where not only will you swim with likeminded people, but you can improve your technique and get more from your swim.
Water Skiing
Sale Water Ski Club runs out of Sale Water Park and offers people the opportunity to learn this exciting sport, or practise skills learned elsewhere. As well as the traditional water skiing, they offer wakeboarding and even barefoot skiing, though that last sounds a bit bonkers.
Prefer to stay dry?
There are plenty of other ways to pass time at Sale Water Park.
Walking
There’s a lovely 2.6-mile path that circles the lake, perfect for a walk or a run.
Running
As well as the walking loop around the lake, you can attend the weekly ParkRun.
Birdwatching
Wildlife Watching:Broad Ees Dole is a local nature reserve and important wildlife refuge within Sale Water Park and plays host to many bird species. The lake at the water park was created from an old gravel pit (used to excavate gravel to build the M6), so it’s too deep for most birds to feed in, so in 1987 a special wildlife reserve area was created, including reedbeds, wet meadows, mudflats and open water to encourage a wide range of native and migrating birds to visit or stay and breed. You can’t walk through the reserve, but there are excellent pathways around it that allow for excellent views of the site and its wildlife.
Eat
Picnic, visit the café at the Water Sports Centre or try out The Boathouse. It has stunning views across the lake (you’d never guess you were so close to Manchester) and the menus offer all our favourites, from fish and chips to Northern Pie Co. pies and grilled sea bass.
So, next time the kids moan about being bored, throw them in the car and head to Sale Water Park, you will all return home wonderfully tired and excellently refreshed!
Eddie – Friday 8th August 2025.
