There are plenty of well known parks around Manchester such as Tatton Hall and Gardens, but what about the less well known locations?
Manchester, like many cities has a number of popular open spaces but sometimes you just need to get out of the crowds and find somewhere a little more peaceful.
Walkden Gardens in Sale is one of the truly hidden gems in Manchester, just off the suburban Derbyshire Road in the south of the city. There are a whole series of gardens from Japanese to the Sound and Poetry Garden, so whatever your mood, this is one of those retreats which allows you to find your perfect place to chill out.
Prestwich Forest Park is one of those forests which 1000s of people drive close to every day, but few actually visit.
The forest is just off M60 J17 or A56 in Prestwich, and forms part of the National Cycle Route 6 so is ideal for cyclists. There’s even a newly built mountain bike trail for the more adventurous. If you prefer walking to cycling, why not try the Irwell Sculpture Trail and then decide if you’re feeling brave enough to take the narrow footbridge over the M60, or the wider nearby road bridge.
Clayton Vale in Culcheth is surrounded by buildings and car parks, but go under the railway bridge from Bank Bridge Street car park and you’ll enter another world with wide open spaces and a 100-acre local nature reserve, which was re-claimed from a landfill site.
Check out the web site for details of various events such as the Fools of Clayton Vale – Silly Hat Day, or the Quacky Races 2011 on 30th April.
Clowes Park in Broughton is set around a large duck pond, but can be the hardest of them all to find. The entrance is behind houses in the Broughton Park area on Brantwood Road.
The park is closed at night (according to the council), but has plenty of space for things like walks, football, picnics etc…as long as you can find it.
Alexandra Park in Oldham is actually a little way from Manchester, but still under Greater Manchester region. The park has received massive investment recently and features a glasshouse, a boating lake, playgrounds and possibly the only paddling pool in Manchester (Summer only).
More Manchester Links:
More things to see and do in Manchester
Manchester Hotels
Self-catering around Manchester
