Just outside Manchester lies a beautiful spot with its own botanical gardens
Fletcher Moss Park & Parsonage Gardens, Didsbury(Image: MEN)
Many of us will have woken up this morning, drawn back the curtains, and seen the streets outside our houses transformed as the snow and ice blanketed the region. Large parts of Greater Manchester have been greeted by wintry scenes with lakes frozen over and landscapes primed for sledging.
As the week gets underway, sub-zero temperatures are hitting the region, with snow and ice warnings in place across Greater Manchester and the wider UK. Monday night is thankfully expected to be the last of the really freezing temperatures in Greater Manchester for the time being.
During the day on Tuesday (January 6), temperatures will reach highs of 3C and lows of 0C, Wednesday (January 7) will creep up slightly further with highs of 4C and lows of 1C, followed by Thursday (January 7) which will see highs of 5C and lows of 1C in the Greater Manchester area.
Fletcher Moss Gardens in Didsbury(Image: Manchester Evening News)
When it warms slightly and it’s safe to travel, a winter walk which is beautiful at this time of year can be found in the south Manchester suburb of Didsbury. The area is home to a number of parks, but one that boasts secret gardens, a tearoom and plenty of pubs nearby is Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens and Park.
Tucked between the southern end of Didsbury and the River Mersey, it is is split into numerous areas. Many are drawn to the botanical gardens here, which feature a beautiful rockery, pond, tiny waterfall and a wide variety of shrubs and trees.
Fletcher Moss Park & Parsonage Gardens, Didsbury(Image: MEN)
It is named after the philanthropist Alderman Fletcher Moss, who donated the park to the city of Manchester in 1915. And at this time of year, it looks particularly magical with frost on the leaves and snow on its paths.
More widely, Fletcher Moss, which is part botanical garden, part wildlife habitat, provides visitors with a number of open, green spaces to explore as well as tennis courts, rugby and football pitches, and a small tea room and outdoor food and drink truck.
If you have time to spare and really explore, there’s also a horticultural must-visit in the form of Parsonage Gardens, which is tucked between Ye Olde Cock Inn pub and The Didsbury on Stenner Lane.
The River Mersey (Image: Manchester )
Unlike other gardens where you can peek through iron fences, the Parsonage Gardens is hidden behind high walls, but if you head through the stone archway you’ll discover a tranquil spot with towering trees and velvety, grass lawns – though at this time of year that may be frozen over.
Here, you’ll also find a Grade II-listed building which was the former home of Alderman Fletcher Moss who left the building and gardens to the citizens of Manchester in 1919, he had lived in the house with his parents and bought the house in 1885.
The gardens here, and botanical gardens, give way to the park itself and open up a number of walking routes around the River Mersey. For a short stroll, you can explore the winding paths in the rockery area, but if you’re if you fancy a longer walk, you can head down the paths which lead you along Stenner Woods until you reach the river, where you can pick up the riverside path.
Fletcher Moss Park & Parsonage Gardens, Didsbury(Image: MEN)
Near the entrance to Fletcher Moss as you head towards Didsbury Village is the tearoom, which is a charming spot to stop for a drink and slice of cake before or after your walk. It typically opens daily around 8am and closes between 4-5pm depending on the day. It also operates an outdoor food truck too.
Beyond the park, just on its outskirts, you’ll find The Didsbury pub and Ye Olde Cock Inn, perfect stop offs for a pint or something too eat after a wander or stroll around Fletcher Moss Gardens. Just a ten-minute walk from here, you’re also straight into Didsbury village home of the Didsbury Dozen pub crawl, and plenty of cafes, coffee shops and pubs.
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