Parks and Gardens in Manchester

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor Last Updated 7 June 2023

Parks and gardens in Manchester. From Heaton Park, with the only rowing lake within the M60 (open April to September), to Wythenshawe Park, complete with its beautiful, largely Tudor Hall, there’s plenty of green spaces to visit around Manchester and Salford without having to escape to the country.

There are hidden city centre gems like St John’s Gardens complete with John Owens’ grave and Sackville Gardens with its Alan Turing memorial, ornamental spots like Marie Louise Gardens in Didsbury and St Mary’s Park in Prestwich, and wide open spaces like the ees in the south and the cloughs in the north.

Here are our favourite Parks and gardens in Manchester.

Mayfield Park

Mayfield Park, Mayfield Park, Manchester, M1 2PY - Visit now

Manchester has a new green heart: the 6.5 acre Mayfield Park. It’s the kind of sprawling green space the city’s needed for years, and includes everything from sports lawns to biodiverse ecological areas beside the River Medlock.

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RHS Garden Bridgewater

RHS Garden Bridgewater, Occupation Road (Off Leigh Road), Worsley, Salford, Greater Manchester, M28 2GU - Visit now

In May 2021, after four years of digging, building and planting, the spectacular 154-acre RHS Bridgewater Garden in Salford opened to the public and is now beckoning outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.

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RHS GARDEN BRIDGEWATER — Image: Harris Bugg Studio

Castlefield Viaduct

Castlefield Viaduct, Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester, M3 4PU - Visit now

Although the plans are yet to be fully realised, this urban park in the sky is very much open for visitors, who can explore part of the structure and find out more about the viaduct’s heritage, the city’s long relationship with plants and trees and also learn urban gardening tips

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Alexandra Park

Alexandra Park, 180 Russell Street, Manchester, M16 7JL - Visit now

This recently restored, grade two listed, 60 acre Victorian park has glorious historic features, expansive and sweeping walkways and the most excellent coffee.

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Heaton Park

Heaton Park, Middleton Road, Higher Blackley, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M25 2SW - Visit now

One of largest municipal parks in Europe, Heaton Parks covers over 600 acres of land and offers a wide range of attractions including a historic hall, a boating lake, an animal farm, and a variety of sports facilities. A great option if you’re looking for an outdoor activity over the bank holiday weekend.

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Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden

Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden, Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden, Manchester, M20 2RQ - Visit now

Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury Village incorporates the Alpine House and Parsonage Gardens, and eventually leads down to the River Mersey via boardwalks through Stenner Woods.

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St Michael’s Flags and Angel Meadow Park

St Michael’s Flags and Angel Meadow Park, Old Mount St, Manchester, M4 4TF - Visit now

Angel Meadow is a green space just north of the city centre and a stone’s throw from trendy Ancoats, where an immersive theatre piece of the same name introduced audiences to the future work of HOME.

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Burrs Country Park

Burrs Country Park, Woodhill Road (bottom end),, Bury,, BL8 1DA - Visit now

Burrs Country Park lies on the River Irwell covering an area of 36 hectares of scenic countryside, one mile northwest of Bury town centre. Burrs features a wide variety of different wildlife habitats – woodland, open space, wetland, ponds and waterways – and also hosts the annual Burrs Live festival.

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Sackville Gardens

Sackville Gardens, Sackville Street, Manchester, M1 3HB - Visit now

Sackville Park is a lovely green space in Manchester city centre, home to the memorial for Alan Turing – the father of modern computing.

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Peel Park

Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4PD - Visit now

Peel Park in Salford is the oldest public park in Britain and the first of three to be opened in 1846.

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Where to go in Manchester

Salford

Park

Buile Hill Park

Buile Hill is the largest and most popular park in the city of Salford.

Castlefield

Event venue

Castlefield Viaduct

Launching in summer 2022, the National Trust and Twelve Architects and Masterplanners will be bringing a new lease of life to Castlefield Viaduct.

Manchester

Park

Wythenshawe Park

With a 17th Century hall set in 109 acres of open parkland, Wythenshawe Park makes a super day out for all ages. Explore the historic woodlands, lush grasslands and meadows; take a stroll around the many themed gardens and check out the sports and leisure facilities on offer.

Manchester

Park

RHS Garden Bridgewater

The spectacular RHS Bridgewater Garden in Salford has opened to the public and beckons outdoor enthusiasts of all ages.

Salford

Park

Prince’s Park

Prince’s Park lies at the centre of Irlam and offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy.

Manchester

Event venue

Burrs Country Park

Burrs Country Park lies on the River Irwell covering an area of 36 hectares of scenic countryside, one mile northwest of Bury town centre.

Manchester

Park

Boggert Hole Clough, urban park in Blackley

Situated in Blackley, Boggart Hole Clough is an urban park where all ages can boat, play, fish and walk.

Salford

Park

Victoria Park, Swinton

A flourishing park in the Swinton area of Salford.

Cathedral Quarter

Park

Cathedral Gardens

Cathedral Gardens is a partially lawned public space in Manchester city centre, located between Manchester Cathedral and the National Football Museum.

Manchester

Park

Sackville Gardens

Sackville Park is a lovely green space in Manchester city centre, home to the Alan Turing Memorial.

Salford

Park

Duke’s Drive, Monton

Dukes Drive is located next to the historic Bridgewater Canal. Situated in the centre of Monton, this green oasis has excellent links to surrounding areas and is linked by canal tow paths and cycle routes (66) to Worsley and further afield.

Manchester

Park

Piccadilly Gardens

Piccadilly Gardens is part public transport hub, part public gardens. Think of it as your gateway to Manchester.

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The Roman General Julius Agricola founded ‘Mamucium’ in 79AD; the name means ‘breast shaped hill’, as this was what Agricola discovered in Castlefield, where the original settlement was based.

Didsbury, Manchester

Follow Oxford Road South through the Curry Mile, along Wilmslow Road, past Platt Fields Park and through Withington and you’ll eventually reach Didsbury, an area divided into two main parts….