Platt Fields Park

Lovely and surprisingly large park south of Manchester — a great place for an early morning run. On Saturdays there is a park run held here.
There is a nice pond home to plenty of ducks and those evil geese that chase you in spring.

This absolutely huge park offers a lot for families to walkers to runners to families. You can stroll around the lake or around the big park itself. The vast areas of greenery are taken up mostly by students with their BBQs and beer in the summer but can make for a really nice walk any time of the year. It’s definitely some greenery that this part of Manchester badly needs in the middle of student-​town.
The main event here throughout each year is named Parklife where many big artists feature at a big music festival hosted here every year. Its very popular with the local students of the Fallowfield area and with many people around the UK for a cheap festival out.
Definitely worth a visit.

Subject: ducks !
on a recent visit to this park, i spent nearly an hour having a very heated argument with the park security about feeding the ducks bread, i am 50 years old and have some lovely memorys of visiting the park with my mother who is now sadly not with us due to a big mistake by manchester royal (another story) and it was a real shame she never got to see the old water fountain that used to be in the old piccadily gardens. i have been feeding the ducks since they were taller than me and when the lake was frozen solid i was really proud of myself for making the big effort to collect bread from my local supermarket that would have ended up as land fill and take it to 4 local parks, i was really proud off myself doing something positive on this very negative planet that we have to live on, then on my visit on monday (24/​01/​2011) i was shouted at very loudly by some woman from the offices who was leaving in a council car who then turned around and told the park security who had just driven in to go over and tell me yes tell not ask me to stop feeding the ducks, at this point i said i would never stop feeding them unless i had to by law and i asked him if it was law and he said he didnt know, so i said that he was trying to enforce something that he knew nothing about, and if it was not for my gift of the gab he was willing to take it to the next level which i would pressume in calling the police. i was under the impression that most parks in manchester were given to the people and not to the right wing idiots who are trying there best to ruin our lifes. there are not many things left in this country that they have not tried banning but even feeding the ducks is under threat. if you would like to know more and that i am willing to be arrested for my bealiefs.

Platt Fields Park has long been one of my favourite parks in Manchester. Back when I was a nipper, my Mum used to take me on long walks here, and we’d often stop at the boating lake to feed the ducks some stale bread I had shoved into the pocket of my duffle coat.
Manchester City Council have put a lot of work into doing up Platt Fields Park over the past few years, and it’s come a long way on from the rather scary, rather scruffy place of my childhood years. Apparently it was also the preferred park for Mancunian flashers in the 1990s, but I’m not entirely sure if this is still the case (so don’t come here necessarily expecting a bloke in a dirty raincoat to flash his knackers at you if you’re into that kind of thing).
Being an urban park situated near a rather built up inner city area, it can be a bit on the rough and ready side at times — particularly if there’s a big music event on when it can often feel as though it’s been overrun with Stella swigging né’er do wells. But on a chilly Autumn day when the sky is filled with bright watery sunlight, it becomes one of the prettiest places in Manchester, and is great to walk around with just an ipod and your thoughts for company. And in the Summer, it’s an oasis of students, families, lovers, music, fun and good times.
A really really lovely park — and definitely a place you should go and explore for yourself the next time you’re in the area.

Platt Fields Park is a lovely little inner city park. In the summer it is glorious and busy with events, festivals, feasts and, if you’re feeling like it, there’s a chance to hire some scruffy little boats to mooch around the tiny island where the birds with amusing feet seem to live.
In Autumn, the best season, Platt Fields is staggeringly lovely to look at. Unless it is tipping down with rain of course, in which case, its as grim as anywhere.
Of course, this being a park, it isn’t the best idea to walk through it at night and, like anywhere else, when the sun is out, you might find shirtless scallies swigging cans of Stella while their dogs bite each other’s genitals… but Platt Fields can’t be blamed for our failing species.
Essentially, Platt Fields is a lovely place to hang out and for the most part, is filled with very lovely people indeed.
Go explore it.

Platt Fields Park comes into it’s own during the summer festival/​events period. Last weeks Picnic in the Park was as close to sublime an inner city park can hope to achieve. This years event was back on form following what I thought was a less hearted festival last year. I was always believe it’s only in this kind of event do you realise what wonderful pockets of garden and area’s are dotted around this huge park. This event is situated around the lake and utilises the aforementioned overlooked spots you would ordinarily bypass. With thousands of people from all over Manchester (and virtually everyone I know in South Manchester) attending, this is such a well conceived (and played out) event there shouldn’t be that many reasons for missing it.
Aside from the lake (for both fishing and boating), the festivals and the huge fields Platt Fields Park also boasts a generous amount of sporting opportunities. There is a a basket ball court; a number of kids playing area’s; a skate park; tennis courts and (just about to open) a huge BMX track which has the interest of the 2012 London Olympic committee.
Yes at times it can have a little edge to it and once in a while you can spot one or two colourful characters but, like all inner city areas, if you’re sensible you won’t really find any trouble.
I’ve just purchased tickets for the next event in July (Sat 12^th and Sun 13^th July) — the ‘summer in the park’ music and food festival which should hopefully be a winner. See you all there!

This is a large park that offers lots of playing fields that are great for a kick around. Alternatively, you can take a stroll round the boating lake, or, if you’re feeling very brave, take a boat out yourself! This park can be a bit ‘rough’ and certainly isn’t the prettiest in Manchester, but it’s still a nice enough inner city park.