Free BMX pump track has got families racing to one of Manchester's most popular parks

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A Manchester park is proving more popular than ever thanks to a free BMX pump track installed for visitors to use. A new cycle hub opened at Wythenshawe Park in the summer of 2022 and features the new pump track alongside a learn to ride area.

It's suitable for all wheels, including roller skates, scooters and bikes, and features a number of skills trails to help riders master some mountain biking twists and turns, as well as a family trail that follows the perimeter of the park in a 2.1km circuit. Read more: The £5 pick your own fruit farm where you get a punnet of strawberries to take home If you're wondering why it's called a pump track, it's the way you use it - by weighting and unweighting your bike over a roller to generate speed.

This is called pumping and, by pumping the track, you are able to ride without pedalling or pushing. The park, which is home to Grade II listed Wythenshawe Hall and has another two listed buildings within its boundaries, has seen significant infrastructure investment in walking and wheeling over the past two years, with Manchester City Council declaring it 'more accessible than ever'.

With the city awarded the accolade of European Capital of Cycling for 2024, it's one of many capital cycling projects Manchester has invested in, including the refurbishment of elite venues such as the National Cycling Centre.