Philips Park Manchester

frankspencer1979
frankspencer1979 Posts: 525
edited April 2013 in Routes
Can anyone confirm if these trails are actually open? A post on Greatrock's website mentions riding there, but there's not much up to date info elsewhere. If it is open, what's there and is is it decent!?

Comments

  • mcnultycop
    mcnultycop Posts: 2,143
    There was a race there at weekend, so something is open. I've never ridden there though.
  • The trails are open and at the moment very, dry and fast.

    It's definatly worth going, have a look for GPS loop of the Hit the North route. Plus there are other bits near the free car park.

    If you want a couple of hours riding you'll have to do 2 or 3 loops
  • Muttly1981
    Muttly1981 Posts: 815
    The trails are open and at the moment very, dry and fast.

    It's definatly worth going, have a look for GPS loop of the Hit the North route. Plus there are other bits near the free car park.

    If you want a couple of hours riding you'll have to do 2 or 3 loops

    Phillips has become a bit of a training ground for a few of us lately, we do a lap of the north & south loop then link it in with the blue down by the river Irwell then onto Clifton Park, then back for another loop of Phillps with a bit of a jump line session. We've got it to around 18ish km, if you want to push the boat out you can also link it up with Cycle Route 6 and go upto Peel Monument at Holcome Hill which is about a 50km ride
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  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    This is only 10miles from me, don't know why i've not seen it before.
    Might have a pop up there this sat, is the skills stuff all open?
  • Muttly1981
    Muttly1981 Posts: 815
    DodgeT wrote:
    This is only 10miles from me, don't know why i've not seen it before.
    Might have a pop up there this sat, is the skills stuff all open?

    No skills area but the loops are pretty short so easy to session the jump sections, take it easy on the first couple of runs though as there are some loose sections where they put down new stone as sections had washed away so it's still being run in yet. Racing at Caersws this weekend but will probably head over the week after to get a few miles in the legs, we've found a few potential natural lines/hips/jumps inbetween Phillips and Clifton Park that we are gonna clear in the next few weeks.
    What if your dreams and fears existed in the same place? What if to get to heaven, you had to brave hell? What if everything you've ever wanted cost you everything you've ever achieved? Would you still go there?
  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    Just got back from a couple of hours up there, it is really good fun! The first couple of red runs from the car park are so quick and the swoops are great. Amazing how such a simple bit of trail is such good fun. The guys who've done that have made a cracking job.
  • mcnultycop
    mcnultycop Posts: 2,143
    I'm going to give that a crack next week then; where is best to park?
  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    There's a car park at the start of the trails M45 7QJ
  • mcnultycop
    mcnultycop Posts: 2,143
    Cool, cheers. This is on my way home from work at the moment too, might try getting an hour in on the way home in summer.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Is there enough riding to justify travelling from Southport, would need to be about 3 hours riding to make it worthwhile and is there a caff or burger van on site.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • Proutster
    Proutster Posts: 785
    stubs wrote:
    Is there enough riding to justify travelling from Southport, would need to be about 3 hours riding to make it worthwhile and is there a caff or burger van on site.

    Was up there on Tues with DodgeT & Tudj, it was the first time there for all of us - we all loved it.

    We did the anticlockwise red, then branched off onto the blue - messed about down there for a while (including the few, small, red bits), then did the clockwise bit of the red. Then we did both bits of red, one after the other. Then finished with 2 laps of the anticlockwise red (as that was the bit we enjoyed the most).

    In total we did just under 11 miles and it took about 1.5 hours.

    So, I think you'd struggle to fill 3 hours but it is great fun - sort of like a mini, mini Llandegla! There's no caff or burger van on site, but there must be some just up the Bury Old Road.

    And as all of the Peak District - and all of the nearby trail centres - are full of snow, it might be your only option this weekend.
  • stubs
    stubs Posts: 5,001
    Cheers Proutster the snow is why I was asking I got stuck in a snowdrift last sunday so looking for something different where I dont need snowshoes and Polar Bear repellant. Might give it a spin on Friday.
    Fig rolls: proof that god loves cyclists and that she wants us to do another lap
  • piker
    piker Posts: 353
    Are the trails waymaked?
  • jscl
    jscl Posts: 1,015
    Proutster wrote:
    stubs wrote:
    Is there enough riding to justify travelling from Southport, would need to be about 3 hours riding to make it worthwhile and is there a caff or burger van on site.

    Was up there on Tues with DodgeT & Tudj, it was the first time there for all of us - we all loved it.

    We did the anticlockwise red, then branched off onto the blue - messed about down there for a while (including the few, small, red bits), then did the clockwise bit of the red. Then we did both bits of red, one after the other. Then finished with 2 laps of the anticlockwise red (as that was the bit we enjoyed the most).

    In total we did just under 11 miles and it took about 1.5 hours.

    So, I think you'd struggle to fill 3 hours but it is great fun - sort of like a mini, mini Llandegla! There's no caff or burger van on site, but there must be some just up the Bury Old Road.

    And as all of the Peak District - and all of the nearby trail centres - are full of snow, it might be your only option this weekend.

    Cafe in the National Cycling Centre itself, where the free car park is.
    Are the trails waymaked?

    Not yet. The trails aren't finished and don't open until early May 'officially'.
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  • compo
    compo Posts: 1,370
    JSCL wrote:

    Cafe in the National Cycling Centre itself, where the free car park is.


    There seems to be some confusion here.

    There are two Philips Parks in Manchester...

    The one I think the guys are talking about here is near Prestwich/Whitefield


    However,there is some trails under construction in Clayton Vale, East Manchester, near the National Cycling Centre. These are also named Philips Park
  • DodgeT
    DodgeT Posts: 2,255
    Your right compo, were on about the ones just by J17 Whitefield.

    We only found out last week about the other soon to be opened Philips Park the other side of Manchester which is the one JSCL is on about.
  • compo
    compo Posts: 1,370
    They should have called it something different to be honest.
  • Yeah they should, I can't even remember which trail I was asking about in the first place! :roll: