Manchester park named the best place to fly a kite in the UK

Heaton Park has been named the best place to fly a kite in the country by a leading website for days out in the UK.

Day Out With the Kids picked Heaton Park as the best place for flying a kite as part of its top picks for autumn activities, from picking pumpkins and collecting conkers, to attending spooky Halloween events.

But you don’t need a kite to enjoy Heaton Park. It’s the largest in the city and the biggest municipal park in Europe.

Gloriously restored Heaton Park Hall is one of Manchester’s finest Grade 1 listed buildings. Its commanding hilltop position has panoramic views to the city to the south and around the Pennines to the east and north.

The mansion was remodelled around 1780 in the classic style by renowned architect James Wyatt. It was home to Sir Thomas Egerton, who had recently become Earl of Wilton. The hall serves as a lasting reminder of the Wiltons’ lavish lifestyle.

Nearby is the Temple, a classical style gazebo, and the highest point in the city of Manchester.

There’s a farm and an 18 hole golf course.  There’s the boating lake, the Lakeside Cafe and the Stables Cafe. There’s a classical portico that used to be part of the old town hall on King Street.  There’s also the papal field and monument as well as miles of footpaths running up, down and around the park, through woodland, by water and through wide open fields. There is an active and innovative Heaton Park Astronomical Group, with an observatory where everyone is welcome. The park is also the home of the Manchester Beekeepers.

And for a while the park was the horse racing capital of the north.

Heaton Park is just 4 miles north of the city centre and only 20 minutes by bus (135 or 59) or tram (Bury line).