Macclesfield Riverside Park
Introduction
Macclesfield Riverside Park is owned by Cheshire East Borough Council and is managed as a country park by the Bollin Valley Partnership. The 70 acre linear park occupies the flood plain and gently sloping sides of the River Bollin between Macclesfield and Prestbury.
History of Macclesfield Riverside Park
The area was in agricultural use until the 1980s when work started on developing the Park. Since then thousands of trees, shrubs and flowers have been planted, miles of pathways stoned and picnic areas and seating built.
A derelict land grant created the opportunity to build a Visitor Centre on the site of an old farm building near Beech Bridge; the Centre was officially opened in 1989. The toilets are open daily; the Centre whenever there is a Ranger on site.
What's at Macclesfield Riverside Park?
Toilets
There are toilets at the Visitor Centre at Beechwood Mews (includes one wheel chair accessible toilet accessable with a RADAR key). There are also a public toilets to be found at Prestbury.
Visitor Centre / Class Room
There is a room containg display boards and leaflets that can also be used as a class room or meeting room. Unfortunately to avoid vandalism this tends to only be open when the ranger is at the visitor centre. This room can be opened up for groups or individuals by prior arrangement with the ranger.
Picnic Area
There is a picnic area near the visitor centre and there are a number of picnic benches and other seats around the park (there is however no facility to have bar-b-ques on the park)
Butterfly Garden
The Butterfly Garden, created with a grant from Groundwork Macclesfield and Vale Royal and with the help of the Macclesfield Wildlife Explorers, contains plants such as holly, marjoram, buddleia and sedum, which support butterflies, their caterpillars and other creepy-crawlies.
Wildflower Meadow
An area is ploughed and seeded every year with an annual cornfield mix which includes Corncockle, Corn Marigold, Cornflower, Corn Poppy and Corn Chamomile. A cereal crop will be added as this helps to protect the flowers and provide additional winter food for birds. Cutting the meadow will be left until October to give seeds time to drop. The dead material will be removed and the meadow left as stubble to attract seed feeding birds such as brambling.
Bird Feeding Station
Food is put out for the birds over the winter months. We first feed around Bonfire night and carry on untill Easter. We get a good number of species using the table.
Woodland
There are two areas of woodland within the boundary of the park, Sycamore Wood and Tytherington Wood, these are mainly Sycamore and Beech woods with some some Oak. Both woods have Bluebells, Lesser Celandine and Wood Anenome.
Farmland
A large area of the park is open countryside that is managed by Longhorn cattle to maintain its wildflowers.
Getting to Macclesfield Riverside Park
Address:
Macclesfield Riverside Park Visitor Centre,
Beechwood Mews,
off Manchester Road,
Tytherington,
Macclesfield,
SK10 2SL
01625 511086
Getting there:-
By Bus
Routes 10, 11, 12, 392, 393 daily along Manchester Road. Full details Traveline 0870 608 2 608, traveline@cheshire.gov.uk or 01625 534850
By Train
Stations at Macclesfield (1 mile) and Prestbury (opposite end of the Park). Full details 08457 48 49 50.
By Car
Small car park at the Visitor Centre in Bechwood Mews. Car parks in Prestbury village.