[1] From the visitors car park at Chorlton Water Park take the left hand path (ignore rough path to the left through the wood) following the path to the 'horse access'. Turn left over the bridge (River Mersey), carrying on straight through Kenworthy Woods (there are many paths leading off this track and also a community orchard on the left which are worth visiting), carry on under four motorway bridges.
[2] Turn left after the last bridge, keeping the motorway on your left (ignore blue signs) and cross the road to the path. Follow the path around the corner and under the footbridge, then take the path down to the right, with houses on your right. Continue to Wythenshawe Road. Cross the road ahead using the pedestrian crossing on your right to enter Wythenshawe Park, where you will see a lovely sculpture on your left.
An alternative way into the park - turn right along Wythenshawe Road (keeping the park on your left) to reach the entrance a little way along, on your left. Enter the park and take this path, which is the main path mentioned in point 3 below.
[3] As you enter the park turn right and follow the rough footpath through the trees along the edge of the park. The park itself will be on your left. Continue through the trees until you come to a wide tarmac path and here turn left and walk towards Wythenshawe Hall using this main path. Here you will see Wythenshawe Hall and the statue of Oliver Cromwell.
(A) Wythenshawe Hall. This tudor house was home to the Tatton family for over 300 years. Ernest and Shena Simon purchased the hall and park and gave it as a gift to Manchester City Council in 1926. It is not open to the public and used to be available for weddings and functions, although it now has an air of faded grandeur! It is Grade II listed.
(B) Statue of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell's forces won a battle against Robert Tatton of Wythenshawe Hall during the Civil War (1642). The statue faces the hall and is Grade II listed.
There is a nice tea room (open 10.00am - 4.00pm) behind the hall with toilet facilities. Keep the statue of Oliver Cromwell on your left.
Walk through the park on the path ahead turning right at the T junction and take left path out towards the main road – Altrincham Road.
[4] Cross Altrincham Road at the pedestrian lights ahead, turn right and turn left up Hall Lane. (Here you should walk up the the main 'Hall Road', signposted 'St Martins Church', rather than the parallel road to the left, which is confusingly also called Hall Lane, but which ends after a couple of blocks). Caution: the beginning of Hall Lane has no pavement but does have green space to walk on. Shortly, you will see pavement on the left-hand side. Walk up Hall Lane with bus stops on each side, until you get to Floatshall Road. Turn right here, crossing immediately and turning first left up Oakmoor Road. Follow this road, keeping right round to Baguley Park on your left.
(C) Baguley Hall is on Hall Lane, just after the junction with Floatshall Road. It is a 14th century timber-framed hall, owned by English Heritage, Grade I listed but not open to the public. Worth a look at.
[5] Enter Baguley Park and walk through to the main road (Bowland Road*). Cross the road here and turn left and first right into Dibden Walk, carry on straight up crossing main road - Hollyhedge Road – to Comrie Walk. Walk to the top (Firbank Road) and turn left. Walk approx 60 yards along you will see Alderman Rogers Park on your right.
[6] Enter Alderman Rogers Park at the second entrance further along Firbank Road, where there is a hard standing path (sculptures at entrance), you will have the opportunity to explore the woodland walk. Then make your way along the main path, which will eventually pass a school playground on your left, towards the southern-most exit of the park, which exits onto Coleshaw Road, where this walk finishes.