Whitworth Park to Alexandra Park (7 of 14)

Time: 40 minutes

Distance: 1.4 miles/2.3 kilometers

Difficulty: Easy Access

A route linking Whitworth Park and Alexandra Park going through Moss Side, passing two small parks providing a welcome patch of green in a heavily built up area.

Starting from Whitworth Park, Oxford Road

Finishing at Alexandra Park, Off Princess Road

[1] Start the walk at the entrance to Whitworth Park opposite the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Take the unofficial path that runs alongside the art gallery and cut across the grass between the two small mounds where the playground is. Head toward the gate out of the park ahead of you on the right. There is an information board here. Leave the park opposite the “mini market” and turn left onto Denmark Road. The offices of Get Walking are in the Active Lifestyle Centre on Denmark Road. Head up to the corner by the lights and cross over Lloyd Street North and then turn left past the primary school. Take the first turning on the right by the church, Monton Street, and follow the road round past the Health Centre.

[2] At the end of Monton Street, which has quite a few trees on it, cross over Moss Lane East (or see the alternative route below) and go ahead along the continuation of Monton Street until you come to Great Western Street. Turn right onto Great Western Street. There is little greenery along this route with most gardens paved and no trees. Cross over Broadfield Street and Moss Side Park is on the corner. Enter the park and continue parallel to Great Western Street then leave the park at the end.

As an alternative, turn right at Moss Lane East. Walk down approx 100 yards then cross at pedestrian crossing. Turn right and then left into Broadfield Road. Cross the road and enter Moss Side Park. Follow the unofficial path across the grass to the children’s play area and then straight on to the exit on Great Western Street.

Continue along Great Western Street until you come to Princess Parkway. This is a very busy road so be careful crossing.

[3] After crossing Princess Parkway continue straight ahead along the pavement beside the grass towards the houses ahead of you. Cross the road (Quinney Crescent) and continue in a straight line along Great Western Street until you reach Moss Side Millenium Green. Come out of this little park and continue along Great Western Street. Turn right into Brentwood Street which has some nicely planted gardens. You will come to a small green space along Brentwood Road and turn right onto the path across this which brings you out at the Corner of Alexandra Road, Claremont Road and Whitnall Street. Cross Whitnall Street and then Claremont Road to get to the corner of Alexandra Park, where this walk finishes.

Manchester Corporation purchased land from Lord Egerton for £24,000 in 1864. Alexandra Park was designed by Alexander Hennell in 1869 and opened to the public in 1870. Hennell’s design was experimental in its use of oval shaped and curved pathways, which contrasted with the more rigid geometry seen previously in Victorian landscapes. At its opening, this Victorian park was ahead of its time in fusing both sports facilities and ornamental features within one site. Its most prominent feature was a Serpentine Lake, on which skating was allowed during the winter, an activity which attracted large numbers of people into the park. In addition to the lake, Alexandra Park originally contained separate male and female gymnasia, a cricket ground and a Lime Walk and Terrace designed for promenading. This was flanked by carpet bedding and contained three circular islands. In 1871, Manchester’s first sunken bowling green was constructed in the park.  The lodge, gateway and clocktower of the park were the work of Alfred Darbyshire in 1868, an English archtiect born in Salford (best known for his theatrical architecture). Alexandra Park is still popular today for public recreation, and the annual Caribbean music festival takes place here.

Filed under: Manchester Walking Routes, Walking Routes
Tagged: Alexandra Park, green corridor, history, Manchester, Ramblers, walk, Walking, Whitworth Park
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