Parks, leisure and the arts Wythenshawe Park

Woodlands

Thirteen separate woodlands have been identified in Wythenshawe Park (although one is inaccessible) and there are also many trees planted in avenues or individually. The park is speckled with other, lesser copses, the largest of which is the Big Round, situated almost centrally. Bird lovers and botanists will find an array of biodiversity here.

Litter picks and involving volunteers from the general public, are an important aspect of the well-being of these areas, so if you would like to help, please contact the park on 0161 998 2117 for further information.

The separate woodlands in the Park are:

  • Fir Coppice - a mature woodland containing Sycamore, Oak, Willow and Ash. An under-storey mainly consists of Rhododendron, Bramble and young Sycamore and Beech regeneration.
  • Gib Lane Wood - on the eastern edge of the park alongside Princess Road, this is a large, well-established woodland with a broad species range and is crossed with paths. Gib Lane boasts a rich diversity of flora, from the prolific Lesser Celandine to the relatively rare Town Hall Clock. Main species here are Oak, Ash, Alder, Beech, Larch, Sycamore and Corsican Pine.
  • Mere Wood - a mature woodland of Scots Pine with some Oak.
  • Nanook Wood - this mature and native woodland mainly consists of Sycamore with Beech, Alder and Willow also present, and there's also a network of small ponds. The wood skirts Wythenshawe Road along the golf course and running track.
  • The Oval, the Middle Round and the Big Round - all of these are small, compact areas surrounded by grassland. Their amenity value and habitat value is high: all three are almost identical in character, species composition and age, with the dominant trees being mature Oak, Sycamore and Scots Pine. They also have a dense under-storey made up of Rhododendron with small pockets of mainly Sycamore regeneration with some Beech, which limits access.
  • Wythenshawe Farm Wood - a woodland that is divided into two compartments, running around the east, south and west of the Community Farm. This woodland consists mainly of Holly with some Yew, Sycamore, Oak, Willow and Alder, White Poplar, Hazel, Cherry Laurel, Scots Pine and Rhododendron.
  • Wythenshawe Hall Wood  - this is a well established woodland consisting mainly of mature Scots Pine and Oak. The under-storey is made up of dense Holly and Rhododendron with some young Beech, Oak and Sycamore regeneration.
  • Wythenshawe Park North - this woodland runs along the northern boundary of the Park in an east-west direction and consists mainly of mature Scots Pine, mature Oak, Lime, Sycamore coppice re-growth and young Sycamore, Norway Maple and Beech regeneration, as well as Holly, Rhododendron and Cherry Laurel.
  • Wythenshawe Park East This woodland is situated in the north-eastern corner of the park and contains mature Scots Pine, young Oak, Sycamore, Cherry, Norway Maple, Pin Oak, Lime, Horse Chestnut, Ash and Beech.
  • Wythenshawe Park South - a mature woodland with limited access and dominated by Crack Willow, Sycamore, Beech, Horse Chestnut, Holly and Oak. Ponds and a stream are present in this woodland, along with an area of amenity grassland south of the stream containing young Norway Maple and Horse Chestnut.
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