Heaton Park

Spread cross 600 acres of land, the biggest park in Manchester is much more than just a park. Home to Heaton Hall, which occasionally opens to the public, Heaton Park is also the location of a number of historical Grade I and II listed buildings dating back to the 1700s. A large part of the land is taken up by an 18-hole golf course, and the boating lake hires out rowing boats during the summer. There’s also an animal farm and playgrounds for children, as well as tennis courts, football pitches and bowling greens. A volunteer-run tram system operates across the park, and the ornamental gardens that were once a private area for the Heaton Hall owners are now available for the public to visit. The park is nowadays more notably used for live music events in the summer including Parklife Festival. In recent years it has hosted huge names such as Oasis and The Stone Roses, with over 225,000 fans flocking to the park over three days to see the latter. Similarly, the occasional open air theatre production and film screening is held. [Charlotte Davies]