The Fallowfield Loop has been known for its incredible art for a while, from huge Mac Miller murals to smaller artworks. But this might be the first time the loop has been covered top-to-tail with art that literally jumps off the walls.
And the best bit? It's free. So it's the perfect excuse to spend a Spring bank holiday out exploring with friends and family.
Now, thanks to two local artists, the loop has been transformed into a street-art treasure trail for everyone to enjoy.
It's easy - and helpfully, the artists have even created a map.
First, you'll need to download the Artivive app on your phone. Then, get on the Fallowfield Loop at St. Werburgh Road's tram stop near Chorlton, and follow it all the way to Station South in Levenshulme - perfect for a post-trail bite to eat.
When you find each installation, open the Artivive app, point your camera at it - and watch them all come to life!
A complete A-Z and 0-9 set of bold, graphic letters and numbers make up the trail. And every character has a unique animation, turning the whole loop into a dancing game of gotta-scan-em-all to spell out a hidden message.
Once you've completed the map, take it into Station South for 15% off food and non-alcoholic drinks in April 2022. And let's be real: by this point, you've earned it.
The full AR art trail is about 3.5 miles long, ending in Levenshulme. So if you're walking, it might take you just over an hour to complete in one direction.
You can run, cycle, trike or scoot it, too. On wheels, it'll take about 30 minutes to finish. But leave another 30 to get back.
The Fallowfield Loop is a scenic walk and cycleway that connects Chorlton and Fairfield, via Fallowfield and Levenshulme. So the path is well maintained and easygoing. Any comfortable pair of shoes will do the job.
The team behind the art-alphabet art local artists are Oskar (@oskarwitha.k) and Will Albin-Clark.
Both graphic, digital designers and wall muralists, they collaborated on the designs, animation and painting of each letter and number.
The process involved creating two versions of each design: the physical design, to be painted, and an animated, digital version which they then animate.
The app recognizes each of the individual designs and overlays the digital counterpart - blending the two images.
If you do get out about, tag Oskar, Will and @LevYouLots in your photos - we'd love to see them.
Happy scanning! 🤳
