It’s Love Parks Week!

Parks are vital to a healthy, active community and we think they’re worth celebrating.

Love Parks Week (26 July – 4 August) celebrates our city’s green spaces and their vital role in boosting the health and wellbeing of people living in Manchester.

Whether it’s enabling cycling routes or cycling events for us to celebrate the year Manchester was deemed European Capital of Cycling, providing a space to break free from the bustle of city life, or somewhere to play with friends, we love and need our parks.

So whether we’ve got rain, wind, glorious sunshine (or a bit of all 3) – get outside and show your park some love during Love Parks Week. Check out what’s available to you below

Wythenshawe Cycle Hub

Wythenshawe Cycle hub was opened in 2022 and has seen many visitors from the local area and much further afield visiting the MTB trails; skills area and pump track, as well as ride the accessible trail.  The club Wyncch has run a number of events there focussing on children and young people, which have now evolved into Pedal Parties with British Cycling.

The Mid Week Mountain Bike Madness event took place there with additional coaching support for attract new riders.

Women and girls mountain biking sessions will soon start at the hub.

TFGM run their free cycle training there and Bikeability will deliver cycle training for children over the summer holidays (link below).

Simply Cycling (Wythenshawe and Boggart).

Simply Cycling offer weekly opportunities at Wythenshawe Park and Boggart Hole Clough for people to try a wide and fantastic range of bikes.

They offer opportunities for all, including people with any disability, health conditions or those who would are nervous and would like to build cycling confidence.  Tricycles, hand cycles, bikes for wheelchairs, recumbents and many more are included in their stock.

Simply Cycling also offer one-to-one ride-outs – supporting riders to grow in confidence and develop bike handling skills, and explore the local area.

Wheels for All (Debdale).

Inclusive Cycling sessions have re-started in Debdale Park.

Attendees can try a range of adapted cycles in a fun, safe environment with trained staff and volunteers to support you.

Wheels for All is an Inclusive Cycling programme that embraces all children and adults with disabilities and differing needs to engage with quality cycling activity, using adapted cycles such as handcycles, trikes and wheelchair transporter to assist in building confidence and independence in cycling.  Sessions take place each Tuesday 11am-3pm.

Find the sessions near the bowling club and tennis courts. Click the link below to learn more.

Bike Hive (Alexandra Park)

Bike Hive offer weekly cycling activity including led rides in Alexandra Park at their bike hub.

Pedal Parties (Wythenshawe Park & Alexandra Park) 

Wythenshawe Park is running free monthly pedal parties for families to enjoy this summer. Pedal Parties are a fun way the whole family can ride together in safe space.

All events are all traffic-free and have fun activities for children to develop their skills on a bike. As a family you can ride around a short route and for those children looking to learn to ride, we’ve some fun activities that help them develop.

Pedal parties now take place in both Alexandra Park and Wythenshawe Park.

Platt Fields Park BMX track.

An excellent national standard BMX track is located in Platt Fields Park.

Manchester BMX Club run weekly activity at Platt Fields BMX track, as well as events such as the recent National BMX series.

Bikeability Cycle training (Wythenshawe Park and Boggart Hole Clough):

Bikeright who deliver the Bikeability training in Manchester, are offering free Bikeability sessions during the summer holidays.

Bikeability Level 1 & 2 training – this is aimed at children aged 9 and over who can already ride unaided and Bikeability Level 3 which is aimed at children aged 11 who have already done their Level 2 Bikeability.

The sessions are being held at Wythenshawe Park and Boggart Hole Clough.

Clayton Vale

Clayton Vale is the home to 12km of open-access urban mountain bike trails.