The walk is a three-mile circular walk that is step-free and accessible via the Go Jauntly app, and it will take less than an hour to get there from Liverpool city centre
The walk is easy to do and is just an hour from LIverpool(Image: Bardhok Ndoji via Getty Images)
Exploring hidden gems within your neighbourhood can be incredibly rewarding, and this lesser-known nature trail just an hour away from Liverpool might just be the perfect discovery. Chances are you’ve travelled past it if you’ve visited Manchester from the suburbs on the tram without realising what lies beyond.
For anyone who’s pledged to embrace more outdoor adventures and immerse themselves in nature this year, the Castlefield Naturehood Trail offers an ideal opportunity. Available as a self-guided route through the Go Jauntly app, the trail has been generating buzz on TikTok. As they describe it: “The Castlefield Naturehood Trail is a brilliant step-free nature walk that helps you discover the hidden nature all around you”.
Spanning three miles in a circular route with no steps, it’s particularly accessible for wheelchair users and families with pushchairs.
Important visitor information includes: “Please note that Castlefield Viaduct is open Wednesday to Sunday at the moment, but you can still enjoy the walk anytime.
“Add some extra fun to your walk by joining the Naturehood challenge, enjoy the best of urban nature at your fingertips – all while earning badges, exploring nature, and feeling more connected to the world around you!”
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Hanna, who narrates the promotional video, asks: “Have you ever been to Castlefield Viaduct? It’s Manchester’s secret nature park. This nature-filled walk is about three miles and just two hours of your time to enjoy at your leisure.
“Begin your journey at Deansgate-Castlefield tram station and make your way directly to Castlefield Viaduct, which the National Trust has transformed into a stunning elevated garden. It’s an ideal spot for a breath of fresh air. Your next destination is the Roman Gardens”.
It’s important to mention that Deansgate-Castlefield tram station features a lift, allowing visitors to bypass the stairs if needed. The remainder of the route is entirely step-free, making it a welcoming and relaxed stroll for all.
If you “look closely,” you’ll discover “old Roman stone work” alongside “deep ditches that once helped defend the fort”. Following this, you’ll arrive at Saint John’s gardens, described as “another mini oasis away from the busy streets”.
Your route then takes you alongside the canal. Hanna explained: “Did you know Castlefield Basin was once the busiest part of Industrial Manchester? A contrast to how calm and tranquil it feels today. Next stop is Mamacuin, the Roman fort that gave Manchester its very name”.
Being a circular route, you’ll finish where you began, which simplifies your journey home and helps you gauge your progress throughout the walk based on your starting point. The Go Jauntly app boasts numerous other walking routes throughout central Manchester and its neighbouring areas.
If this particular route appeals to you, consider trying ‘Moments of Joy in Manchester’, another circular trail that winds through Castlefield and Spinningfields, taking approximately an hour and 45 minutes to complete.
You can walk to the Trafford Centre using the app (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Fancy a stroll to the Trafford Centre? There’s a route for that, too. “Ever wondered whether you can walk to the Trafford Centre? Well, you can! Take a canal-side wander from Castlefield via some city icons,” the website shares.
This option requires a touch more commitment at two hours and 25 minutes.
For those wanting a comprehensive city experience, the city centre highlights route comes highly recommended. Clocking in at two and a half hours, it showcases the best of what Manchester and Salford offer around the Greater Manchester ring road. Perfect if you’ve got an afternoon to dedicate to exploration.
Short on time but still eager to soak up Manchester’s finest? The Manchester whistle-stop tour might be your answer. At just 35 minutes, it provides a “quick look at some of the city’s most famous monuments and the architecture of its historical buildings”.