RHS Garden Bridgewater

If you are looking for somewhere a little wilder beyond the garden walls head to the Chinese stream garden. This streamside garden is great for kids who love running across bridges, hearing the calming ripples of water and who are intrigued by what a Chinese meadow might look like! Celebrating the large Chinese community within Manchester, the Chinese Streamside Garden is one of the most exciting fusions of colour, culture & landscape designs at Bridgewater.

Amongst a flurry of vibrant gardens, you'll find the much-loved Woodland Play Area! Kids can swing, run, leap, dive, duck, and channel all their pent-up energy out in the open. RHS champion wild play, and what better way to seek adventure than in the Woodland Glades of Bridgewater? Explore over seven acres of woodland doing fun activities like a low ropes course among the sycamores or a hide-and-seek trail around the rhododendrons and massive beech trees. Clamber your way up the spider-web nets, basket swings and clambering frames. Get creative with den-building and head to a bog garden for a spot of pond dipping.

Food & Drink

At RHS Bridgewater you have the option to sit inside or outside, making it a great place to dine out in whatever the weather! Whether you've bought your own sandwiches or you've got your heart set on a homemade cake with some coffee, there's something for everyone.

Bridgewater Café

The Bridgewater Café offers fresh, seasonal food from delicious lunches to a delightful coffee overlooking Victoria Meadow.

Garden Cottage Café

Rest up in the Garden Cottage Café and tuck into a range of hot and cold drinks, freshly baked cakes and sweet treats and seasonal savoury light bites. The Garden Cottage Cafe is open daily (weather permitting).

Accessibility

• Assistance and support dogs are welcome in all areas of the garden and buildings.
• There is designated parking available approximately 65m–90m from the garden entrance with 24 accessible bays.
• Entry is provided for two carers free of charge accompanying visitors whose disability necessitates their support.
• Visitors are welcome to bring their own personal mobility vehicles to help them get around.
• Advance booking is highly recommended. Please book your scooter in advance of booking a garden time slot to ensure availability.Book a scooter online
• There are a number of manual wheelchairs available at the garden entrance for ‘on-the-day’ use. Please book your wheelchair in advance of booking a garden time slot to ensure availability.Book a wheelchair online

Find out more about access to the gardens & buildings here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/bridgewater/plan-your-visit/accessibility-at-bridgewater

Travel & Parking

Enjoy 35% off garden entry when you travel car-free, by train, bus, by bike, or on foot. Please book your car-free ticket online in advance and present a valid bus or train ticket on arrival. See admission prices.

On foot

The first phase of RHS Greenway, a new traffic-free walking and cycling route is now open. The Greenway runs along the north of the Bridgewater Canal linking Worsley (via Worsley Court House car park off Barton Road) and Boothstown (via Quayside Close) to RHS Garden Bridgewater, enabling walkers and cyclists to enter the garden direct from the canal towpath.Watch video guides to the routes along the RHS Greenway to the garden: watch the route from Worsley and watch the route from Boothstown.By bike

There are 50 open-air cycle racks with space for 100 cycles available at Bridgewater.The first phase of RHS Greenway, a new traffic-free cycling and walking route is now open. The Greenway runs along the north of the Bridgewater Canal linking Worsley (via Worsley Court House car park off Barton Road) and Boothstown (via Quayside Close) to RHS Garden Bridgewater, enabling cyclists and walkers to enter the garden direct from the canal towpath.Watch our video guides to the routes along the RHS Greenway to the garden: watch the route from Worsley and watch the route from Boothstown.The garden is close to several cycling routes including the Roe Green, Ellenbrook and Tyldesley Looplines, Bridgewater Way and the Bridgewater Canal. You can plan your journey using the West Salford walking and cycling map produced by Salford City Council. Find more information about traffic-free cycling routes on the Salford City Council website.For information about cycle paths in the region visit the Transport for Greater Manchester website.

By shuttle bus

An hourly direct shuttle bus between Walkden Station and RHS Garden Bridgewater operates on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 2 July through to 25 September.

• Saturdays: Buses leave the station from 9.20am hourly until 4.20pm, departing from the garden at 9.50am to 4.50pm
• Sundays and Bank Holidays: Buses leave the station from 9.51am hourly until 4.51pm, departing from the garden from 10.15am until 5.15pm

Services are timed to connect with trains in both directions. Single fares are £1 for adults, 50p for children and free for concessionary pass holders.

By bus

The following buses stop on Leigh Road outside the garden: Stagecoach bus 34 (Manchester Piccadilly Gardens to Leigh), Diamond Bus 126 (Trafford Centre to Leigh) and Diamond Bus 132 (Wigan Bus Station to Trafford Centre). It’s a 10-minute walk from the bus stop to the Welcome Building. Watch a video of the walking route.First Bus V1 or V2 (Leigh/Atherton/Ellenbrook to Manchester) stop on Newearth Road, about a 15-minute walk from the garden. Watch a video of the walking route.The 129 Vision Bus service (Farnworth to Higher Green) stops in Boothstown, about a 20-minute walk from the garden.For bus times and walking routes visit our Good Journey page, or Transport for Greater Manchester website.

RHS Garden Bridgewater Express Bus

The RHS Garden Bridgewater Express Bus runs direct from Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly train stations, in just 25 minutes, right to the garden entrance. For timetables and ticket booking visit the Manchester Sightseeing website (book bus only tickets or bus and garden admission).*

By train

The nearest main stations are Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria (in the city centre, 9 miles away). The RHS Garden Bridgewater Express Bus runs direct from Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly train stations, in just 25 minutes, right to the garden entrance. For timetables and ticket booking visit the Manchester Sightseeing website(book bus only tickets or bus and garden admission).*An hourly direct shuttle bus between Walkden Station and RHS Bridgewater operates on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from 2 July through to 25 September – see ‘By shuttle bus’ section for details. The most convenient local stations are Walkden (about 2 miles, on the shuttle bus) and Eccles (about 5 miles, on bus 34). Lynch Taxis provide a good local service and can be contacted on 0161 661 77770.For train times and tickets visit the National Rail website. To plan your journey by tram, bus and foot visit our Good Journey page.

By tram

The nearest Metrolink stops are Trafford Centre (for bus 126 and 132 to Bridgewater) and Eccles (for bus 34 to Bridgewater). For tram times and tickets visit the Transport for Greater Manchester website.

By car

RHS Garden Bridgewater is located off Leigh Road (A572), Worsley, Salford, about 9 miles / 30-minute drive from Manchester city centre. Car parking is free.For Sat Nav users the postcode is M28 2LJDirections:

• From the M60, leave the motorway at junction 13 for the A575/A572 exit to Worsley/Leigh/Swinton, then follow signs to the A572 Leigh Road
• From the A580 East Lancs Road (southbound), turn left onto Ellenbrook Road and then left onto Leigh Road (A572)

Electric vehicles

There are three charging stations available with space to charge six vehicles. They are supplied by EV Charge Online. Please go to the EV Charge Online website for more information and to set up an account ahead of your visit.