As the weather turns chillier this week, it’s the perfect time to wrap up warm and head outside for an invigorating walk. It may be cold, but the days are set to be bright and sunny - well, hopefully.
Taking in the fresh air is a great way to boost your mood, not to mention the fact that places become a bit more magical when there’s a touch of frost. A woodland walk is particularly atmospheric at this time of year and you don’t even have to travel far to find one.
Tucked away between Chorlton Water Park and the M60 is Kenworthy Woods, Manchester’s newest nature reserve. Although today it appears like any other area of urban woodland, it actually has a surprising history.
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The woodland was formerly the site of a tip which was rewilded in the 1990s. In December 2022 it was declared a Local Nature Reserve by Manchester City Council, joining the eight other LNRs within the borough.
Covering 89-acres, Kenworthy Woods has become a haven for wildlife since nature reclaimed it and it’s home to a rich variety of fungi species, flora and fauna. Its LNR statues will help to protect the area as a wildlife habitat and opens up funding for long-term maintenance of the land.
As well as the role it plays for local wildlife, Kenworthy Woods provides a tranquil place to go for walks at any time of the year, although it has a certain charm on a crisp winter’s day. There are trails you can follow through the trees which allow you to feel fully-immersed in nature - and help to muffle the sounds from the M60.
At the edge of the woods you can take a stroll along the banks of the River Mersey for waterside views. You can extend your walk by crossing the river and heading to Chorlton Water Park, where you'll find a circular trail around the large pond. The Trans Pennine coast-to-coast trail also passes through the area.
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