News

Recent developments

Brookdale Park

Posted On 27 Feb 2016
By Dave McCann
In

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Course Status
Last checked June 2026. Everything OK.
nb. the missing Start/Finish is now a post across the road from where it was before.
nb. the path in the valley between E and K is totally overgrown.
nb: post O has moved across the junction to the metal sculpture.
20/12/2021 – control P has been moved to a nearby wall corner.
A few controls are found as plaques mounted on existing posts or other items rather than as posts in their own right eg. D is now a plaque on the low fence.
The garden valley between E and K was nicely renovated, but hasn’t been maintained.
Posts K, T and F may become overgrown in Summer.

Orienteering map details
A4 Landscape, Scale 1:4000. Comprehensive update March 2024.

Start/Finish
The Start/Finish is on the SouthEast side of the road junction, 30m SW of the car park.

Map detail showing the way in, car park and Start/Finish

Start/Finish post

How to get a map
Brookdale Park waterproof print£1.50
Brookdale Park waterproof print quantity
Brookdale Park PDF£1.50
Brookdale Park PDF quantity
Or buy any map from Get a Map

Park Facilities
K Car Park z Playground

Directions
From A62/A663 junction (to the NE of Manchester) travel south west. In under a km turn left into Droylsden Road. The park entrance is on the NE side of this road, and you can drive in to a small car park.
OS Grid Reference: SD 888 003 Nearest Post Code: M40 1PE
Public transport options

Other useful information
Manchester East Parks: 0161 223 8278
Manchester City Council web site for Brookdale Park
Wikipedia entry for Newton Heath – says that “Brookdale Park was formed in 1904 and spans over 44 acres (18 hectares). The park has two bowling greens, tennis courts, and a children’s play centre.”
Facebook page for Brookdale Park User Group (BUG)

Course Maintenance
Maintained by GMOA
Postwatchers, please click here to submit your report.

Manchester

Page last updated by John Britton on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 pm30 17:37 PM

Photo: John Britton

Brookdale Park is a fairly small urban park, mostly open grass with patches of trees, suitable for beginner orienteers of all ages. In the SouthEast, a park road crosses a wooded valley to a playing field.

Courses available (see Course Colours)
W
White is the easiest level of course, suitable for young beginners. Controls are fairly close together, and usually at path junctions, or junctions of paths and streams or walls; distance is typically 1-1.5km; the best route should be obvious, along paths, and require very few decisions.

Y
Yellow is slightly longer and harder than White. Controls may be further apart, and are placed at junctions or obvious features; distance is typically 1-2.5km; the best route should be relatively obvious, but not necessarily along paths.

O
Orange courses are of medium difficulty and distance, suitable for adult beginners - controls may be 50m from paths, and reading map detail such as contours may be necessary; distance is typically 2-3.5km; you may have several choices of route - some of which may be across terrain rather than along paths.

SL
Star and Loop courses are where the group leader chooses a central base, and sends the students out to collect a single control, or pair of controls, and then return to base. They are particularly suitable for very young beginners.

S
Score courses are where you visit as many controls as you can, in any order you choose, usually within some kind of time limit - or see who can visit all the controls in the shortest time.

The suggested base for Stars and Loops exercises is control L - at a central group of trees.

The White course (1.3km, 8 controls) tours the perimeter of the main park area.

The Yellow (1.6km, 11 controls) and Short Orange (1.9km, 8 controls) courses visit the SE field.

Course Status
Last checked June 2026. Everything OK.
nb. the missing Start/Finish is now a post across the road from where it was before.
nb. the path in the valley between E and K is totally overgrown.
nb: post O has moved across the junction to the metal sculpture.
20/12/2021 - control P has been moved to a nearby wall corner.
A few controls are found as plaques mounted on existing posts or other items rather than as posts in their own right eg. D is now a plaque on the low fence.
The garden valley between E and K was nicely renovated, but hasn't been maintained.
Posts K, T and F may become overgrown in Summer.

Orienteering map details
A4 Landscape, Scale 1:4000. Comprehensive update March 2024.

Start/Finish
The Start/Finish is on the SouthEast side of the road junction, 30m SW of the car park.
Map detail showing the way in, car park and Start/Finish

Start/Finish post

How to get a map
Brookdale Park waterproof print£1.50
Brookdale Park waterproof print quantity
Brookdale Park PDF£1.50
Brookdale Park PDF quantity
Or buy any map from Get a Map

Park Facilities
K Car Park z Playground

Directions
From A62/A663 junction (to the NE of Manchester) travel south west. In under a km turn left into Droylsden Road. The park entrance is on the NE side of this road, and you can drive in to a small car park.
OS Grid Reference: SD 888 003 Nearest Post Code: M40 1PE
Public transport options

Other useful information
Manchester East Parks: 0161 223 8278
Manchester City Council web site for Brookdale Park
Wikipedia entry for Newton Heath - says that "Brookdale Park was formed in 1904 and spans over 44 acres (18 hectares). The park has two bowling greens, tennis courts, and a children's play centre."
Facebook page for Brookdale Park User Group (BUG)

Course Maintenance
Maintained by GMOA
Postwatchers, please click here to submit your report.

About us

GMOA is a volunteer organisation which creates and looks after Permanent Orienteering Courses in and around Greater Manchester. Its members come from the two active Orienteering Clubs which cover the area - MDOC (South Manchester) and SELOC (North Manchester).

Address

Email: enquiries@gmoa.org.uk
Phone: 0161 426 0301
Post: GMOA,
28 Turncliff Cres,
Marple,
Stockport,
SK6 6JP

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