Canals 6: Manchester Ship Canal – Manchester to Salford Quays

A walk along the Manchester Ship Canal from its junction with the River Irwell in Manchester to Salford Quays.

Canals 5. Bolton and Bury Canal: Manchester to Clifton

I try to trace the path of the old Manchester, Bolton and Bury canal through Manchester and Salford, find a lot of it and miss a lot! With trespassing, jumping fences, and finding weird graveyards.

Canals 4. Bridgewater Canal: Old Trafford to Stretford

Continuing the previous blog's journey along the Bridgewater from Manchester, past the Theatre Of Nightmares and on to where the canal splits to head either to Runcorn or Leigh.

Canals 3. Bridgewater Canal: Castlefield to Old Trafford

A short walk, but again full of history, along one of Britain's oldest canals

Canals 2. Rochdale and Ashton canals: Ancoats round trip

I start where I left off the last walk, up the Rochdale, past Manchester City FC's stadium, and back down the Ashton.

Canals 1. Rochdale Canal: Castlefield to Ancoats

A walk along the Rochdale canal from Castlefield to Ancoats

12½. Coronavirus interruption!

I was checking the weather forecast all week - this weekend was going to be the best weather since last summer. Come Thursday I was about to book a day off on Friday so I could do three walks this weekend. Fantastic! At 1:30am on Friday morning I was awoken by the sound of coughing. … Continue reading 12½. Coronavirus interruption! →

12. Overton to Heysham

A really varied and enjoyable section this one - tidal roads, marshes, villages, shingle beaches, caravan parks, nuclear power stations, ports, clifftops, ancient monuments, and promenades. Really enjoyed this one, apart from going down a loooong dead end!

11. Glasson Dock via Lancaster to Overton

I catch three buses and take an hour and a half to travel 1.25 miles, encounter a pair of other long distance walkers, and get dispirited.

10. Fleetwood to Glasson Dock

I manage to squeeze a walk in between Storm Jorge's anger fits, get accosted by a farmer, bullshit my way out of it, consider swimming across a flood, and see an animal I've never seen before.

9. Blackpool to Fleetwood

I traverse the longest promenade in Britain, surely it must be? This section of the walk should have chalked off three piers and a ferry, but I was to be disappointed!

8. Warton via Lytham & St Anne’s to Blackpool

This was my first proper day-night walk. The first half on banks and paths, the second half along the beach. I planned to come into Blackpool after sunset - after all, Blackpool is so much nicer in the dark!

7. Preston to Warton

This walk starts off lovely, quickly turns depressing, then briefly becomes lovely again before sinking in the mud and becoming totally disheartening! Oh well, I didn’t expect too much different, to be honest.

6. Tarleton to Preston

This was a really pleasant walk – first up the eastern bank of the River Douglas, then the south bank of the Ribble, and all the way into Preston.

5. Banks to Tarleton

This day started badly, picked up nicely, then deteriorated at the end!

4. Southport to Banks

On a cold, very windy day, at the beginning of February, I make the relatively short journey from Southport Pier to the strangely named village of Banks, and learn a little more about birds.

3. Formby to Southport

A long walk along an even longer beach. I get bored even though I’m in the most spectacular landscape, then end up feeling guilty about it!

2. Crosby to Formby

My second ever coastal walk is lovely, mixing dunes, countryside, and beaches. It can't get much better than this!

1. Liverpool to Crosby

On the very first stage of my round-Britain coastal walk, I get a bit emotional at the start, bored in the middle, and exhilarated at the end. Here we go, woohoo!