ONE of the wonderful gifts which the Victorians gave to us all was the establishment of town parks. In the days when cotton was king, parks were used by the people as a sort of "lung."

One of the best of these open spaces is Corporation Park in Blackburn, which still has the same function today. A circular walk has been marked out and on the day of my visit in mid-March the sun was shining above a blue sky and the park looked a treat.

Corporation park is an 18 hectare (45 acre) site opened in 1857 and is now registered as a Park and Garden of Special Historic Interest. In the warm sunshine I entered off Park Crescent, where the grassy verges were coloured by waves of crocuses and daffodils.

From here I had splendid views of the conservatory, which was planned in 1900 and opened in 1902. Close to this is an aviary full of birds which look and sound beautiful. There are also large numbers of native bird and I watched a great spotted woodpecker and a jay. I also saw some blue tits exploring a potential nest site in the hole of a tree.

Next I reached two ponds which were full of birds not just attracted to the water -- they also they know that local folk turn up all day to feed them. Canada geese, moorhens and mallards are all resident here.

When is a pond not a pond? The answer is when it is a lake which provided the original water supply for Blackburn as the town expanded. Most parks provide a balance between native and exotic plants and this was clearly shown as I strolled through the park.

The Broad Walk, for example, is lined by lime trees which later in the year will come into flower and produce nectar which will attracted bees and other insects. I soon located a large boulder known locally as the slippery stone. This stone was found close to the River Ribble but later moved to its present position in Corporation Park. Geologists have indicated that it was brought into the area during the melting of the glaciers and almost certainly originated from Eskdale in Cumbria.

Around the Italian Gardens area there are seats set in very pleasant areas where birdwatching can be carried on and a picnic enjoyed. My cold bacon butties and coffee tasted especially good.

My bird list included long-tailed tit, greenfinch, mistle thrush, collared dove, pied wagtail, great tit and a particularly coloured male bullfinch. Corporation Park is well kept and has evolved a Park Supporters' Group. Details can be obtained from the Community Development Officer (Parks) by ringing 01254 690235.

The final lap of my walk took me up to a viewpoint called the Battlements and on a clear day I could see Darwen Moors. This stroll convinced me that for those who have not the time or the transport to walk in the countryside there is plenty to enjoy in our own backyard.

All this means that we should follow the example set by the Victorians -- let us all make use of our wonderful parks.

In the future I am going to explore a few more of our town parks.

I wonder if any readers have their own favourite "stroll in the park."