I always seem to end up here: Mayfield Park, Manchester
For the first in the Park life photo blog series, I’m starting close to home.
Manchester is the city I spend most of my time in - I’ve always loved it, and I love it more with each passing year. Especially as more and more green spaces appear, interweaving with the city’s historic foundations and, in turn, helping to shape the foundations of its future.
And, whenever I’m in town, I always seem to find myself in Mayfield Park.
Mayfield just feels lovely. Lovely might sound vague or underwhelming, but I mean it in the most sincere and complimentary way. The place has a warmth to it. A calm. It’s somewhere you want to linger.
I first heard about the work they were doing from my sister, who works in heritage conservation. She’d visited and told me I absolutely had to go. My first visit was in winter. It was very cold. And also very grey. But I loved it. Since then, I’ve returned countless times, seeing it come to life through the seasons.
A bit of info: Once a derelict rail depot behind Manchester Piccadilly, Mayfield has been reborn as the city’s first new public park in over a century. Opened in 2022, it blends industrial heritage with wild planting and flowing water - transforming a forgotten space into a vibrant, welcoming green heart for the city.
A few things I love:
The way it connects yesterday, today and tomorrow. It openly celebrates, and subtly acknowledges its industrial heritage, without ever tipping into being twee or overly nostalgic.
The planting is sublime!
It’s smoke & alcohol free - a small but powerful choice.
The seating is practical and plentiful.
It still feels a bit under the radar. Mid-week especially has a touch of an ‘undiscovered’ feel to it.
If you find yourself in Manchester, Mayfield is worth the trip.