Last Updated on 22 January 2025 by Colette
When you search of “off road cycling near Manchester” you’re met with swathes of mountain biking venues, BMX tracks and gravel trails when what I really want is for my kids to be able to cycle on relatively smooth tarmac where there’s no traffic and they won’t get in anyone else’s way. In an ideal world I’m looking for clearly marked, designated bike paths or trails and well-maintained surfaces.
With this in mind I asked other Manchester parents for their recommendations for the best parks for bike riding in Manchester and these were the suggestions.
If you have any more information about the parks listed that you think needs including or if you can recommend any other Manchester parks that are great for cycling please let me know!
The best parks in Manchester for bike riding
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Wythenshawe Park, Wythenshawe, Manchester, M23 0AB
Wythenshawe Park is well set up for cycling with facilities for little ones who are just learning to ride or teens who are looking for somewhere safe to ride their mountain bikes.
There is a “learn to ride” area with a smooth, flat surface and painted roads perfect for building confidence, a Pump Track with no peddling or pushing required, just use the peaks and troughs of the track to give you the momentum you need to get around the course and then finally a MTB skills area – the mountain bike skills trails are colour coded from beginner to experienced routes.
Simply Cycling are based in Wythenshawe Park and offer a range of fun bikes for all abilities. It costs £3 for 45 minutes (booking is essential).
Longford Park, Ryebank Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Stretford, Manchester M21 9TA
Friends of Longford Park have worked hard to establish Longford Park as a “cycling hub”.
Simply Cycling host an all ability cycling group open based at Trafford Athletics Stadium within Longford Park on most Mondays (9am -12pm), Fridays (9am -12pm) and Sundays (1pm-3pm). There’s a whole range bikes available for all abilities, sizes and ages (bikes / tricycles / tandems / side by sides / recumbents).
There is a small entrance fee of £3 payable for a 45 minute session and whilst it is possible to just turn up, it is recommended that you pre-book your session to avoid disappointment.
Of course you can just use the normal paths around Longford Park to practise riding your bike too! The paths around the park offer a one mile circular route.
There are bike and scooter racks around the park, at the Athletics Stadium, playgrounds and Pet’s Corner in case you need to lock up your equipment while you have a picnic or go for a play in one of the two play areas (Longford Park has one play area aimed at children aged up to 8 years and one for children aged 8 to 14 years).
Parking at Longford Park is limited so if you can avoid driving to the park, so much the better. However if you do need to park, use postcode M21 9LF for the car park.
Queens Park, 158 Queen’s Park Rd, Rochdale, Heywood OL10 4UY
Queen’s Park in Heywood is a large family friendly park with a range of facilities including a BMX bike track which I’m told is “behind the lake to the right, opposite the cricket club – you won’t see it unless you literally walk right past it“. Of course being a BMX track, the surface is gritty and the track features lumps, bumps and turns that might mean it isn’t very suitable for little ones who are just learning to ride their bikes rather for more confident children looking for a bit more excitement! (It’s also not somewhere that would be any good for Ben with his road bike and skinny tyres!)
Queen’s Park itself is really hilly so on the whole is probably not ideal for children who are just starting to gain confidence on two wheels!
There is free onsite parking at Queen’s Park.
Stamford Park, Stamford St, Stalybridge SK15 1QZ
Stamford Park was described to me as “fairly flat for newbie cyclists” – the paths around the park are wide and fairly smooth making it a good option for both younger children who are just learning to ride their bikes. Of course Stamford Park can get very busy so if you have older children who want to fly about at speed, it’s worth planning your visit for a quieter period!
This is a park I’ve only been to once and my over riding memory is that parking was a bit tricky and I should have definitely taken towels and spare clothes for my children who were like moths to a flame when they saw the splash pad.
Bruntwood Park, 6 Bruntwood Ln, Cheadle SK8 1HT
Bruntwood Park was recommended to me as “Has a great track but not sure how it works in terms of access and booking – always well used.”
Bruntwood Park has a 400m long BMX race track that is free for anyone wearing the appropriate protective clothing. If you’re keen to get involved in the sport, check out Bruntwood Park BMX Club.
If you’re simply looking for a vehicle free space to ride your bike and don’t want the humps, bumps and gravel of a BMX track then Bruntwood Park has a network of paths to explore.
Parking at Bruntwood Park is pay and display.
Alexandra Park, Kings Rd, Oldham OL8 2BH
Alexandra Park is a firm favourite for us as a family when it comes to looking for somewhere that the kids can cycle safely. The footpaths throughout the park are wide and smooth with various routes around the park and ponds – there is generally plenty of space to stay out of people’s way and the park is big enough that you can rack up a bit of distance if you want to. Although the park is quite hilly, there is a nice flat stretch across the top of the park – we used to take Amy up there to practise riding back and forth whilst the other two enjoyed cycling around the park freely.
Alexandra Park has a lovely gated play area and toilets which are open most of the time and, from memory, free to use. The Boathouse Cafe is worth popping in even if just for a cheeky Grandpa Greene’s ice cream!
Parking at Alexandra Park is free but limited however there is plenty of space for parking on the road nearby.
Heaton Park, Middleton Rd, Manchester M25 2SW
Heaton Park is massive and full of lovely wide paths perfect for little ones to practice their cycling skills though its worth bearing in mind that the whole park is basically on a hill so they’re going to need to be quite confident with their brakes unless you stay down near the lake where the path is pretty flat.
What I would say however is that Heaton Park is a really busy park – like all the time – so I don’t think I’d really recommend it for older kids to be riding their bikes. That’s not to say people don’t – I think I’d just be too worried about my three crashing into someone!
You can find out more about Heaton Park here:
Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6LA
Platt Fields Park in South Manchester is home to a BMX track owned by the National Cycling Centre – the track is built to National Standard with a range of technical features to challenge all abilities. The BMX track in Platt Fields Park is open seven days per week (subject to coaching and those glorious Mancunian weather conditions). Safety equipment and bikes available to hire, and there’s a varied program of drop in sessions, coaching and clubs available.
Just next to the lake you’ll find the Platt Fields Bike Hub which offers a bicycle repair service.
In terms of general cycling in Platt Fields Park, the central lake has a lovely wide, flat path to ride on – my three quite enjoy doing loops of the lake whilst Dave and I potter along with the dog! Platt Fields Park is a relatively flat park covering almost 2.5 acres so there’s plenty of space to explore.
Boggart Hole Clough, Charlestown Rd, Blackley, Manchester M9 7DH
Boggart Hole Clough is a 190-acre woodland and urban park in the Manchester suburb of Blackley. It is by no means a flat space with plenty of slopes and valleys to explore. The main paths around the park are quite wide and paved making it perfect for bike rides (though it can be quite muddy in the winter).
Some of the slopes can be quite steep so there’s plenty of chance to learn how to manage cycling both up and down hill – we’ve used the hills to teach Amy how to manage her gears and also how to zig zag up hills to make them less arduous! There are various routes you can take to explore the park, including a short loop around the lake.
Simply Cycling host sessions at Boggart Hole Clough with a variety of cycles to try on Mondays from 10am – 2pm and Saturdays from 9am – 12.00pm. Sessions are charged at £3 per person for a 45 minute session and it is advisable to pre-book online.
You can read more about visiting Boggart Hole Clough here:
Boggart Hole Clough – Walks with Kids
Which parks in Manchester are best for bike riding?
Hopefully those suggestions have given you some ideas of parks to take your child to ride their bike – and if you’ve got other suggestions of places for kids to cycle in Manchester then let me know and I’ll add them in!
I think for the most part choosing a park that is easily accessible and convenient for you and your child is probably key – especially if you don’t have a bike rack or means of transporting your bikes to the park – taking bikes on public transport is doable but a massive hassle.
Do make sure to check individual park websites for specific bike-riding rules and regulations in case anything has changed since this post was published! Happy cycling!
You can read our tips for family bike rides here or for cycling adventures further afield check out the Monsal Trail.
Check out this post on encouraging my children to find a sport they love.
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We love a bike ride! If ever we are in Manchester I will check this out x