Cuerden Valley Park is hugely popular with dog walkers, and the bright-eyed, waggy tailed dogs Jem met made it clear that this is a piece of canine heaven.  The main path from the car park is gravelled, so this is a good option for wet days if the wellies have been forgotten.  Canine waterbabies will appreciate a swim in the small, clean River Lostock which runs to the left of a grass path to the left of the main gravel track. The gravel track is shared with cyclists, so the grass path is a good option if you want to avoid the bikes.  To reach the visitor centre, follow the gravel track to a point where it crosses the river, and the visitor centre is signed.