Dunham Massey Park Altrincham

Dunham Massey Park Altrincham is a garden for all seasons, an ancient deer park and a house filled with treasures and stories Encircled by its protective wall, Dunham Massey is a green oasis nestled between the urban sprawl of Manchester and rural tranquillity of Cheshire.The park and garden are the ideal place to enjoy the crisp clear days of winter. A ramble around the park will reveal a range of architectural oddities and views of the house complete with Dunham’s resident herd of fallow deer; you may also glimpse other wildlife including owls and woodpeckers. Enjoy a guided walk of the deer park, or take the chance to wrap up warm and wander freely amongst groves of ancient trees. Relax in the garden and explore its historic features such as the Orangery, Pump House, Victorian Bark House and the remains of an Elizabethan Mount. Snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells provide an ever changing landscape of colours and scents.

In summer, see the celebrated rose garden take centre stage. A herd of fallow deer wander amongst the ancient trees of the deer park. The park is also home to the fully restored 400 year old working sawmill powered by a water wheel. From 14 May 2016 visit the historic stable buildings. The buildings reveal the comings and goings of the family and their workers, the importance of horses and later the motor car.

Unique gifts, locally sourced produce and plants await you in the shop. Enjoy freshly made hot meals in the Stables Restaurant or a snack in the visitor centre café and treat yourself at the ice cream parlour. Dunham is also home to one of Britain’s finest winter gardens, with plenty of scent and colour to delight the senses even in the depths of winter. Unwind on one of the accessible circular walks before warming up with a hearty homemade meal at the Stables Restaurant where hot food and drinks are served daily.Dunham Massey’s deer park covers an area of 192.7 acres and features formal avenues, woodland and parkland. Its pasture-woodland is occupied by a herd of fallow deer that have been resident in the park for hundreds of years. Part of the Dunham Massey Estate, the park also has a magnificent collection of ancient trees.

Many of the giant oak trees dating back as far as the 17th century, a true rarity in Britain today. As such, it is considered a site of national importance. Dunham Park also has a history of housing rare insects and fungi in its ancient trees, drawing experts from around the world to research since the 1860s. Set in the grounds of the 18th century house, the Garden at Dunham Massey is a great plantsman’s garden with interesting historic features such as the Orangery, Pump House, Victorian Bark House and the remains of an Elizabethan Mount. The varied site and acid conditions provide a wide range of unusual shade and moisture loving plants including Giant Chinese Lilies and rare late flowering azaleas, all set amongst manicured lawns, mixed borders and cool woodland. At 7 acres, the Winter Garden is the largest of its kind in the UK. Designed with the help of plantsman Roy Lancaster OBE, the garden is home to over 1600 winter shrubs, trees and evergreens chosen for their scent, colour and texture.go on a nature-filled adventure by encouraging birds to your garden in our ‘make a bird-feeder’ workshop and searching for hidden winter woolies around our garden. Enjoy a picnic in the North Park or reward yourselves with a treat from the café.