Manchester Pride: Waterways walk to Salford Quays (Saturday)

Manchester's waterways - both rivers and canals - are interesting features of the city.  Key infrastructure in the industrial development of Manchester and nearby Salford during the 19th and early 20th centuries, their use declined during the later decades of the 20th century.  They became disused and derelict in some cases.  But, over the last 30 years the waterways and much of the land surrounding them has been redeveloped for residential, commercial and recreational use.  With the cancellation of the Pride parade, this walk offers you an alternative to daytime partying in the city centre, with opportunities to drink and eat along the way and at the end of the walk, at Salford Quays.

The walk includes short lengths of the Rochdale Canal, the Bridgewater Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal. It starts from Manchester city centre and heads out to Salford Quays - at the centre of Manchester's former dockland, which closed as working docks in 1982.  With a pub stop along the way, this is a linear walk of around 5 miles / 8 kilometres, and return to Manchester city centre will be by tram from Salford Quays.

Starting from Manchester Piccadilly Station, we'll largely follow canalside paths but skirt around Canal Street and the Gay Village - access to which will be restricted to paying visitors for Pride weekend.  Along the way we will pass through the interesting Castlefield area with a reconstructed gateway of the Roman fort that shows the significance of Manchester as an important settlement long ago.  Later on in the walk, we'll get a glimpse of the Old Trafford stadium.

Arriving at Salford Quays, we'll see MediaCity - a broadcasting hub for both the BBC and commercial stations - and, for those who are interested, a visit should be possible to either the Imperial War Museum North or the Lowry - home of the largest collection of paintings by local artist L.S. Lowry (1887 -1976).  Famous for his "matchstick-style" paintings of people in the industrial landscapes of Salford.  Entry to both IWM North and the Lowry are free, but advance booking is required and details will be confirmed by the walk leader nearer the time.  There are two nearby bars - The Alchemist and Craftbrew - for those seeking refreshment.  There are also a number of eating places, including Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Nandos and Pizza Express to name but a few.

The walk officially ends at Salford Quays, and you can stay for as long as you want.  Return to Manchester city centre, either individually or in groups, will be by tram from several nearby tram stops, which is a straightforward journey (cost of a one-way ticket back to the centre of Manchester is £2.80).

All photos by the walk leader, with permission granted for use by OutdoorLads.

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