Central Manchester linear walk

Leader: Mary
Difficulty: Leisurely
Distance: 9.7km / 6.0mi
Ascent: 100m / 328ft
Type: linear

The walk will be undertaken at a steady pace. The route is mainly flat with undulating sections and there will be muddy/unsurfaced rural paths. There are steps to descend and ascend on the route - with the exception of a couple of them, there will be an alternative gentle slope paths option.

Meet Point: Near the ticket barriers at Piccadilly station at 10:00.

The walk will start promptly at 10:00 so please ensure that you arrive in good time as we cannot wait for latecomers due to a later meeting.

Way Points: Rochdale Canal, New Islington Marina, Ashton Canal, Holt Town (Beswick Street/Holt Town Metrolink stop), Medlock River, Mayfield Park, UMIST, Symphony Park, Rochdale Canal, Deansgate Station, National Trust - Castlefield Viaduct , Mamucium Roman Fort, Castlefield Bowl, Castle Wharf, Deansgate Square, Home, Rochdale Canal, Bridgewater Hall.

Extra: Optional pub visit at the end of the walk at The Britons Protection where MWW’s AGM will take place at 13:00 in an upstairs room. If you do not want to visit the end of the walk pub/attend the AGM and need directions to return to Piccadilly train station as it is a linear walk, the walk leader will assist you.

Toilets at walk start and at two locations en route. Map is Ordnance Survey Explorer OL277 (Manchester & Salford).

We begin with a short section of canal towpaths from Piccadilly Station. From Holts Town, we leave the canal towpath to follow a rural urban green section of the route of the Medlock River towards the rejuvenated lovely area of Mayfield Park and then onwards to Oxford Road via the UMIST campus, following the quite green path along the river Medlock to Oxford Road to avoid the 'hustle and bustle' busy city centre roads and streets. We then return to the Rochdale Canal and walk along the towpath towards the National Trust's Castlefield Viaduct via the steps and bridge at Deansgate Train Station From there we will follow the Bridgewater Canal/River Medlock to meet the Rochdale Canal again to the end of the walk at the Briton's Protection pub near the Bridgewater Hall/GMEX.

Although it is a six-mile leisurely walk around the centre and outskirts of Manchester city centre, please ensure that you carry food and water to sustain you for the duration of the walk.

No lunch break is planned, but we will have a couple of short breaks during the walk.

There will be descending steps at: UMIST; between UMIST ande Symphony Park (the old BBC site); Castlefield Viaduct; Roman Fort; Bowl; and Rochdale Canal. There will be two ascending steps at Rochdale Canal to Beswick Street and at Deansgate Station (there is a Metrolink lift option at Deansgate).

Please wear suitable walking footwear as some of the route is uneven and will be muddy in sections (NO sandals or crocs).

No dogs please, other than registered assistance dogs.

https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/group-walks/pre-agm-walk-central-manchester-linear