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Best Forest Hikes near Manchester

16 routes near Manchester qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 9.5 km and 217 m (712 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 101 km.

That is 9 percent of the 174 routes we map near Manchester. They are shorter than the local average, 9.5 km against 25.5 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 217 m (712 ft) against 562 m (1,844 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Forest trails are the dependable choice: shade when it is hot, shelter when it is not, and a completely different character once the leaves turn. The mix is broad: 13 are rated easy and 1 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Expert

The Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
101 km
/ 63.0 mi
Elevation gain
2,357 m
Typical duration
27 hr
  • Mountain
  • Forest
  • Long-distance path
Easy

Peak Forest Tramway Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
3.5 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
77 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Mountain
  • Forest
Easy

Lime Avenue Ponds Walk

England · United Kingdom

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Lake
  • Forest
Easy

Paddock Cottage Walk

England · United Kingdom

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
62 m
Typical duration
41 min
  • Forest
  • Alpine meadow
Moderate

A Walk to the Forest

England · United Kingdom

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
182 m
Typical duration
2 hr
  • Forest
Easy

Booth's Wood Loop

England · United Kingdom

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
37 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Forest
Easy

Heritage Time Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
3.1 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Forest
Easy

Valley Woodland Trail

England · United Kingdom

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
27 min
  • Forest
Easy

Young Woodland Loop

England · United Kingdom

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Forest

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
The Ribble Valley Jubilee TrailEngland101 km2,357 m27 hrExpertApril to October
Crags Constitutional Walk, Hardcastle CragsEngland2.7 km60 m39 minEasyApril to October
Derwent Valley and Reservoir Walk,England7.4 km163 m1 hr 48 minModerateApril to October
Hinkley Wood Route, Ilam ParkEngland0.7 km16 m10 minEasyApril to October
Longshaw Woodland Explorer Walk, Longshaw EstateEngland4.7 km104 m1 hr 8 minEasyApril to October
Peak Forest Canal towpath - part Marple to DisleyEngland3.2 km70 m46 minEasyApril to October
Peak Forest Tramway TrailEngland3.5 km77 m51 minEasyApril to October
Lime Avenue Ponds WalkEngland3.1 km68 m45 minEasyApril to October
Paddock Cottage WalkEngland2.8 km62 m41 minEasyApril to October
Railway Trail Walk, Hardcaslte CragsEngland4.6 km101 m1 hr 7 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with The Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail, Peak Forest Tramway Trail, Crags Constitutional Walk, Hardcastle Crags. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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