Discover. Explore. Enjoy.

Discover an urban wilderness

In the heart of Oldham, fifteen minutes on foot from the town centre, lies a hidden wilderness waiting to be discovered. Loved by locals who know and visit it, the Northern Roots site stretches all the way from award-winning Alexandra Park in the north, past Park Bridge Heritage Centre, to Bankfield Clough in the south; 160-acres of lush urban green space looking out onto the foothills of the Peak District.

Connect with nature

The Northern Roots site offers a diverse range of habitats, including woodland, moorland and seasonal wetlands. It is home to an abundance of native and migratory birds, plants, trees and mammals; migrant willow warblers newly arrived from Africa, foxes, and sparrowhawks circling overhead.

Explore history and place

Oldham is steeped in history. A history of Vikings, fossil forests, steel smelting and social activism. And Northern Roots 160-acre site is no exception. From Roman roads and Victorian railways, to Pony Club events and sheep dog trials, the Northern Roots site is full of history – and memories.

Get active

Whether you like to walk, run or cycle, want to walk the dog or get the kids exploring, there’s so much to enjoy at Northern Roots.  Northern Roots is actively used by local equestrians, so you may meet horses and riders on your travels too. Whatever you enjoy doing, there’s plenty of space for everyone. 

Your Northern Roots

Please enjoy and respect this beautiful community space, and please take your litter home with you.

At 160-acres, it’s easy to get a little lost on the Northern Roots site! All part of its charm. We’re working hard to improve signage and wayfinding, but to get you started, we’ve created a couple of routes you might like to explore. Download your map here (PDF)

To find out more, follow Northern Roots on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  If you’re out and about on site, please share your photos and stories with us on any of our platforms and tag us in. We’d love to see them.

For directions, parking and facilities see Find Us.