[1] Start on the corner of Ardwick Green South and Higher Ardwick, opposite an Esso garage with a Tesco Express shop. Cross over Ardwick Green South at the crossing here, and then cross Brunswick Street to reach Stockport Road*.
(A) Ardwick Green is a small park based in a square. It has a children’s play area, a picnic area and benches. It started life as a private park for the residents in the houses around the green, but is now a public park which contains a cenotaph. There are a number of interesting buildings around the park including The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment Building.
(B) You will see the O2 Manchester Apollo on the opposite side of Stockport Road. A listed building, the Apollo was originally built as a cinema in 1938 but is now a concert venue.
Continue down Stockport Road for 5 minutes, past Manchester Pets and Aquatics Shop, until you reach Polygon Avenue on your right at the end of the row of shops. Across Polygon Avenue, you will see some green space with a path running diagonally through it - walk through this, then turn right along Wilson Street and near the end (by blue benches) take the path on the left (through green space with trees) to join Laudersdale Crescent.
[2] Turn right along Lauderdale Crescent for 5 minutes through a housing estate (on your right you will see Longsight Youth Fitness Centre with a green space next to it). At the end of Lauderdale Crescent, turn right onto Legh Street, a short narrow street which will bring you out on to Plymouth Grove, next to the Plymouth Grove Pub (now shut down), opposite the ambulance station .
[3] Cross over Plymouth Grove immediately, using the pedestrian crossing to the left. Continue down Plymouth Grove for 3 minutes, passing a big white house on your right with a blue heritage plaque.
(C) This was once the home of Elizabeth Gaskell, a famous local author. www.elizabethgaskellhouse.org/family.html
The next street on the right is Swinton Grove. Continue along Plymouth Grove to the corner of Lincoln Grove, where there is a gate into the park. Go through the gate and follow the path on your right, then take the path on the left and follow it as it winds round to join a wider path at a bench, then take the path on the right at a flagpole and information board, which leads you to a kissing gate at the corner of the park.
(D) Swinton Grove Park was once a part of the grounds of 84 Plymouth Grove, the house in which Elizabeth Gaskell resided. It has a number of interesting features including an enclosed multi sports court, a children’s play area, a bug hotel and a butterfly garden. There are benches in the park and paths through it. History of Swinton Grove Park: www.fosgp.org.uk/FOSGP/History_of_Swinton_Grove_Park.html
[4] At the end of the park, there is a kissing gate which brings you out on the corner of Carmoor Road and Swinton Grove. Continue forward on Swinton Grove for 2 minutes until you reach a main road – Upper Brook Street. Turn left onto Upper Brook Street, passing a Tesco Express/Esso garage on your left. Walk for 5 minutes, passing two sets of traffic lights and crossing Hathersage Road. (Buses available at Upper Brook Street/Anson Road). The buildings on your right are the new Central Manchester University Hospital, formerly Manchester Royal Infirmary.
[5] At the third set of lights, after which Upper Brook Street becomes Anson Road, cross Anson Road into Oxford Place on the right, which has Saint Chrysostom’s Church on the corner. Turn left on to Conyngham Road. This is a pleasant tree lined street, with various buildings of the University of Manchester on this street, including Dalton Ellis Hall and the Victoria Park Campus. Walk down Conyngham Road for 10 minutes until you reach a main road - Dickenson Road. Here, turn right out of Conygham Road onto Dickenson Road.
Alternative route: Turn left out of Conyngham Road, walk for 2-3 minutes to the cross roads. Cross over here and enter Birchfields Park on the corner of Dickinson Road and Anson Road.
(E) Birchfields Park was opened in1888 by Prince Albert. It is a large park with lots of trees and green space and has paths throughout, although reaching some of the features of the park requires a walk over grass. Features include a play area, sculptures, stones, a football pitch and a skateboard park.
Follow the path through the park. The path turns right and after about 5 minutes you will come out of the park onto Norman Road, a quiet residential street. After about 50 yards turn left onto a shared path cycle and walkway, beside a stream on your left. Continue down this path for 3 minutes, passing allotments on your right and a church with a large spire on your left. Cross over a small green iron bridge to continue on the shared path for another 3 minute, until you reach a small side road – Cromwell Range.
You will see the ‘Toast Rack’ building (part of Manchester Metropolitan University) on your left and St James’ Church of England School on your right. Note that there may be cars parked on the road on the left next to the University building which blocks the path – there is an alternative path on the other side of the road.
At the bottom of Cromwell Road, turn left onto Wilmslow Road and walk for 1 minute to the double crossing – use this to cross Wilmslow Road, turning left down Wilmslow Road, passing Platt Chapel on your right and enter Platt Fields Park. Continue from [7].
[6] For the main route, continue along Dickenson Road (about 5 minutes) to the junction with Wilmslow Road. Turn left onto Wilmslow Road*, a very busy main road. Continue down Wilmslow Road for 10 minutes, until you see Platt Chapel on your right. Continue, and after crossing Old Hall Lane (a side-road on your left) you will see the entrance to Platt Fields Park on the right. Use the traffic island just before to cross safely and enter the park.
[7] Walk through the park on wide paths, past the Shakespearean Sunken Garden (which has pushchair and wheelchair access) to enter the park. You will reach a children’s play area within a few minutes from here can explore the park.
(F) Platt Fields Park is a large and significant park with a boating lake, children’s’ play area, Shakespearean Garden, sporting facilities and wide variety of trees and plants. www.plattfields.org/
[8] From the children’s’ play area, turn right and follow the path for 2 minutes then turn left at a signpost which reads ‘MRI, Universities, City Centre via Whitworth Park), then go straight ahead on a wide path which leads you out of the park. On the far right of the park you will see a large red brick building, this is Platt Hall.
(G) Platt Hall houses Manchester’s Gallery of costume. If you wish to explore Platt Hall, you can turn right to get to the hall and then exit the park onto Wilmslow Road. www.manchestergalleries.org/our-other-venues/platt-hall-gallery-of-costume/
[9] Turn right out of the park onto Platt Lane and then left at the bottom of Platt Lane onto Wilmslow Road famous for Manchester’s ‘Curry Mile’.
[10] Walk down this busy main road for 15 minutes until you reach Moss Lane East – cross over the double crossing here to enter Whitworth Park on the Corner.
[11] Follow the path that is adjacent to Wilmslow Road up to Whitworth Art Gallery, www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk/ or explore the park to your left.
(H) Whitworth Park is a large community park. The park is comprised mainly of mature tree lined walks, lawns and woodland. There is a five-a-side court and a cenotaph in the park. Whitworth Park: www.manchester.gov.uk/info/200073/parks_and_open_spaces/1508/whitworth_park/1
When you have explored the gallery or park, make your way to the park exit opposite the Royal Infirmary on Wilmslow Road, where this walk finishes.