Jodrell Bank Science Centre and Arboretum

by Alec and Val Scaresbrook

The huge dish, which is visible from miles away, although often more difficult to spot when nearby, is a radio telescope that was sited here because there was too much electrical interference in Manchester.

Manchester University already had a botanical research station here and the radar equipment was set up from the end of 1945. The telescope with its 249ft (76m) bowl was finished in 1957, in time to track the newly launched Soviet Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite.

The science centre explains the science of space study and in the grounds, the Environmental Discovery Centre (opened in 1992 by Dr David Bellamy) gives an insight and introduction to the arboretum, which was started in 1972. Amongst the trees grown here are the national collection of flowering and fruiting crab apples (Malus species) and the national collection of mountain ash and whitebeams (Sorbus species).

There's also an adventure playground to keep the children occupied, ponds with bird hides and a cafe. See the map below