1 hours 4 minutes | 3.0miles 4.8km | Easy

ID: 174.21 | Developed by: Holding Account | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

A walk incorporating the green open space of Queen’s Park and part of the River Irk.

Starts at: Sandown Hotel, 745 Rochdale Road, Manchester, M9 5SB

Getting there: Start point served by bus routes 17,18,52,53,64,115, 116, 131,163

Route instructions:

[1] Leave hotel by Harpurhey entrance, turn left and walk down Harpurhey Road as it winds downhill.

[2] When you see a blue direction sign to Irk Vally Community School, Blackley and Heaton Park turn right
down a ramp/steps and at the end of the railings follow the path straight ahead beside a fishing pond. After
about 100yds turn left downhill towards the River Irk.

[3] Turn right and almost immediately left over a footbridge across the river. Turn left and follow the path
round the playing field and along the side of the community school to reach Waterloo Street.

[4] Turn left then cross Waterloo Street at the pedestrian crossing. Turn left and continue down Waterloo
Street to reach Crescent Road. Turn right and where safe and convenient, cross this road and walk uphill.

[5] When you reach a pedestrian entrance on the left, walk up the path through the wooded bank. At the
top you emerge onto a large flat grassland. Walk along a rough path directly across this space. At the far
side the track becomes stoned and wide enough for vehicles. Continue along this track keeping to the left.
Just before you reach Woodlands Road, turn left on a concrete path that follows a small valley with a
stream.

[6] At the end of the valley you emerge at Hazelbottom Road by the entrance to extensive allotments and
you turn right. Walk across this road and continue to Smedley Lane and turn left. Along Smedley Lane,
cross over when safe and turn right at the low blue gate just before the River Irk. Take the rough grass
path and follow this path keeping the river on your left.

[7] Pass under the large Queen’s Road Bridge. On the left you will find a wooden pedestrian bridge over
the Irk. Cross over and follow the path upwards and you will join Hendham Vale.

[8] Turn right as you continue along this road, then turn left and you will reach the Queen’s Road entrance
to Queen’s Park (A).

(A) Queen’s Park is a large gently steeped green space located on one of North Manchester’s main
access routes. It is a formal park with rose gardens and used mainly for walking, hosting community
festivals and events, children’s play and school ‘Nature Hunts’ which are held on a regular basis.
The park holds a very significant place in the history of Manchester’s Parks as one of the city’s two first
parks opened on the same day in 1846 (along with Philips Park).

[9] Before you exit the park via the left entrance onto Rochdale Road look at the empty plinth to your left
and turn left walking away from Manchester. You soon reach Harpurhey Road and the Sundown Hotel.

(B) After the renowned Lancastrian dialect poet, Ben Brierley, died in 1896, a memorial statue was
erected in Queen’s Park, but it has now disappeared leaving an empty plinth but a very interesting
inscription about schools/ladders.

Notes: This route is not suitable for buggies and can be wet, muddy and slippery in winter.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Holding Account

Checked by: Sara Coy

Original Route Developer: Dave Lees

Adapted by: Chris Wakefield

Checked by: Anne Broadbent

25 minutes | 1.1miles 1.8km | Easy Access

ID: 174.20 | Developed by: Holding Account | Checked by: Nicky Johnson | www.walkingroutes.org

A short circular city walk, incorporating the Rochdale canal.

Starts at:
Wu Kau Tang Overseas Chinese Association, 2 Waterloo Street, Manchester M1 6HX

Route instructions:

[1] Turn left out of building towards Princess Street. Turn right onto Princess Street and follow it down to
the traffic lights.

[2] Cross Princess Street at the traffic lights and proceed back up the opposite side of the road.

[3] At Canal Street follow the path on your right down onto the canal tow path for the Rochdale Canal.
Take the path under the bridge, taking care down the steep slope and MIND YOUR HEAD! Follow the
canal path to another slope and tunnel with coloured lights. Mind your head! You are now beneath Oxford
Street right next to the Palace Theatre.

(A) The Rochdale Canal runs for 33 miles between Manchester and Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire,
UK. In Sowerby Bridge it connects with the Calder and Hebble Navigation. In Manchester it connects
with the Ashton and Bridgewater Canals. The canal was re-opened to navigation along its entire length
in July 2002 and forms part of the South Pennine Ring.

[4] Continue along the canal tow path until you reach Rain Bar on your right. At lock 89 take the foot
bridge across the canal, continue towards Rain Bar and take the 19 steps up to Great Bridgewater Street.
Look ahead and slightly left is Bridgewater Hall and Manchester Central (formally GMEX).

[5] Turn right passing Rain Bar and continue up Great Bridgewater Street, passing a green tiled pub –
Peveril of the Peak. Follow the path as is curves left. Cross the road at a wide junction and walk up
Chepstow Street. A large grey/glass building on your left.

[6] When you reach McDonalds on your right at the top of the road, turn left and cross Chepstow Street.
Follow Oxford Street up towards the Library and Theatre (large round building).

[7] Cross Oxford Street using the crossing outside “The Laundry Shop” into St. Peters Square. The Town
Hall Extension is on your left. Continue a short distance until you reach Dickenson Street and Elizabeth
House (on the corner). Turn right down Dickenson Street.

[8] With the Novotel Hotel on your left, turn left onto Portland Street. Continue until you reach the Yang
Sing Hotel and turn right, crossing over Portland Street. At the lights to walk down Princess Street. Cross
Harter Street. Turn right into Waterloo Street to return to the Wu Kau Tong Overseas Chinese Association.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Holding Account

Checked by: Nicky Johnson

Route Developer: JG

1 hours 31 minutes | 3.0miles 4.9km | Easy

ID: 174.19 | Developed by: Nicky Johnson | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

A walk to the cemetery and park via the Sport City collection of venues: the athletics stadium, the tennis centre, the squash centre and the ‘City’ football stadium. The cemetery includes areas for several different denominations.

Starts at: The Grange Community Resource Centre Pilgrim Drive, Beswick Manchester, M11 3TQ

Route instructions:

Route Developer: David Lees

[1] Turn left out of the centre onto Pilgrim Drive and follow the passage to Ashton New Road. Cross at the
traffic lights, turn left and walk along until you reach Rowsley Street. Turn right and walk around the edge
of the Sport City complex, past the ‘Main Road’ pub, to turn left at a bridge just before the entrance to the
Metrolink site.

[2] Just across the bridge, turn right and walk along New Viaduct Street. At the end, turn left into Broxton
Street and then right onto Bradford Road. Continue until you reach the junction with Hulme Hall Lane.
Turn left past the large gas holder, then cross Alan Turing Way at the lights and walk towards the
cemetery.

[3] Enter Philips Park Cemetery by the main entrance.

(A) Philips Park was Manchester’s first municipal public cemetery, built in 1866. It was badly damaged
in 1872 by flooding from the River Medlock and 40-50 bodies were washed away. The site was divided
into separate areas for different denominations.

[4] The tarmac paths meander but stay to the central path, passing a second smaller entrance to the cemetery, until you reach gate posts that are inscribed “Roman Catholic entrance.” Turn right and follow the path to leave the cemetery area.

[5] Heading downhill, you will see a large sign welcoming you to ‘Bank Bridge Meadow’. Continue along
and you will soon cross a channelled river. Then walk up the hill across the meadow, veering to the right,
to reach the community allotments/orchard where you turn left into (B) Philips Park. Turn right when you
reach a series of arches and right again at the end of the arches, to exit the park on your left into
Fairclough Street.

Alternatively a walk straight across the grass from the allotments will bring you to the same place.

[6] Opposite, you can see the Velodrome (C), the National Cycling Centre. Turn right and walk down
Fairclough Street bearing left at the end into Archer Street. Walk along this short street to turn right into
Stuart Street. Turn left if you have time to look at the Velodrome.

[7] Follow Stuart Street and at the end, you will see the entrance to Philips Park on your right, by the
Ashton Canal. Turn right onto Alan Turing Way and walk downhill to cross, using the pedestrian controlled
traffic lights, and enter Sportcity Way. Walk ahead and then turn left, over the bridge, past the Manchester
Tennis Centre (D) and walk towards the City of Manchester football stadium (E), bearing left at the City
Store. Can you work out where the strange phrase ‘Pride in Battle’ comes from? For answer, see Notes
section.

[8] Walk around the stadium and exit at the far end onto Ashton New Road. Cross at the pedestrian lights
in front of Gate 8a and walk down the tarmac path, past the School of the Resurrection, to return to the
centre.

Notes:

Manchester City’s Latin motto is “Superbia in Proelio” which means “Pride in Battle”. The club motto was
adopted in 1997 to coincide with the adoption of the new club badge.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Nicky Johnson

Checked by: Sara Coy

Route Developer: David Lees

2 hours 43 minutes | 5.5miles 8.8km | Leisurely

ID: 174.18 | Developed by: Nicky Johnson | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

A longer walk through many interesting and varied parts of the city of Manchester. It
starts at and returns to the visitor centre at Clayton Vale, passing through parkland and
along the river. It then progresses past several landmarks and along the canal.

Starts at: Clayton Vale Centre, Edge Lane, Clayton, Manchester, M11 4BR

Route instructions:

Route Developer: Jack Christian

[1] Turn left when leaving the visitor centre and continue through the Vale keeping the river on your right.
You will pass a metal footbridge and an old stone bridge. Ignore them and eventually after half a mile you
will reach a green metallic bridge just before a pond. Cross the river via this bridge and continue along the
main track as it bends round to the left (ignoring the path climbing up some steps on your left).

This lovely valley has a mixed history but has been regenerated over the last twenty years or so and
today can claim a Green Flag. Seventeen species of butterfly and nearly fifty species of bird have been
recorded here.

[2] You will reach the end of the Vale in about 300 yards. Exit under the former railway arches onto a very
wide road; Bank Bridge Road. Cross this road with care to enter Riverpark Road. Proceed along the left
hand side of this road for about 250 yards until you reach a gap in the wall on your left. Go through this
gap, ignoring entrances to the cemetery on either side of you, and go straight ahead into Bank Bridge
Meadow. In May this meadow is usually full of flowers. Halfway through the meadow take the right hand
fork in the path to head towards Philips Park (A) opened in 1846.

[3] On reaching the park turn right and follow the path for just over 200 yards until you reach a junction of
five paths. Take the second left towards, then round the pond, passing the Peace Garden on your right.
When you reach the top of the slope follow the path right to leave the park.

[4] You are now on Stuart Street. Cross over and go to the right of the big, round building on the other
side of the road. This takes you on to the towpath of the Ashton Canal. Turn right and head towards
Manchester city centre. Keeping the canal on your left you will go under a bridge then, just before another
bridge, leave the canal by the path on your right. At the top of the path turn left towards the City of
Manchester Stadium; As you reach the car park turn immediately right and head toward the City Walk.
Follow this towards Holts Town and the City Centre – both signposted.

(B) The Ashton Canal built in 1796 which goes from Piccadilly basin to Ashton-under Lyne. From there it
joins the Huddersfield and Peak Forest canals offering a variety of walks for the keen rambler.

(C) The stadium was built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games and is now the home of Manchester City
FC.

[5] The National Squash Centre is now on your left, then a running track. On your right the Metro Link to
Droylsden is being built. You will shortly pass under a bridge and on your right is a short right of way
across the Metro Link workings. This takes you over the River Medlock into a pleasant meadow, a
somewhat surprising find. Watch out for sand martins hunting over the river. If for any reason this right of
way has been closed there is an alternative route 1.

[6] Follow the path through the Meadow taking the left fork well before the canal to leave onto Upper
Helena Street. There now follows a half mile walk through the remnants of industrial Ancoats (D) – all junk
yards, ferocious dogs and tired old mills. At the end of Upper Helena Street cross Cambrian Street with
(caution busy road) and proceed along Pollard Street East which is opposite diagonally right. At the end of
Pollard Street East turn right and cross Beswick Street – again with care – just over the canal bridge. On
this side of the road you can get onto the canal down a few short steps.

Alternative route 1: If the right of way over the Metro link is closed proceed straight ahead to come out on
Holt Street. Turn right at the end of Holt Street and go up Beswick Street to the join the canal just past
Pollard Street East as per the directions above.

[7] Turn left along the canal so it is on your right. You will shortly pass under Viaduct Street. Here the
canal goes under the street and a railway line whilst passing over the river; one of those clever feats of
nineteenth century engineering. As you go beyond the point where you joined the canal earlier you will
see an Asda superstore built just prior to the 2002 Commonwealth Games and at that time the largest
Asda Walmart in Europe.

After passing under Ashton New Road, you will see a large industrial wasteland on your right. If the canal
is closed here for Metro maintenance work, see Alternative route 2.

(E) From 1876 until 2007, this wasteland was the site of Clayton Analine, one of the oldest dye factories
in the UK. In its heyday it employed more than a thousand local people.

[8] Immediately after the waste land you will go under a bridge to reach lock number 9 of the canal. Leave
the canal here by going up the steps by the lock to Clayton Lane. Turn right along the road towards
Ashton New Road, in front of you is the splendid St Cross Church (F). Cross over this road using the
pedestrian lights and carry on along Clayton Lane with the church on your right. Between the church
grounds and a children’s play area turn right along a footpath and after some 50 yards turn right again.
The path now takes you round Clayton Hall said to be the seat of the De Clayton family since the 12th
century, eventually leading you out on to Clayton Hall Road.

Alternative route 2: If you have to come off the canal at Asda you will need to cross the car park to the far
end of the store, go down the steps on to Ashton New Road where you can turn left and follow the road to
St Cross church at the junction of Clayton Lane and Ashton New Road. Here you can rejoin the walk as
described above. Note that Ashton New Road bends to the right after 800 yards – take care not to go up
North Road.

[9] Turn left along Clayton Hall Road to North Road where you turn right. Cross North Road at the
pedestrian lights and turn almost immediately left into Vale Street. Follow Vale Street to its end where it
leads to a path on to Clayton Vale. This takes you down into the Vale to an old bridge over the river. Cross
the river and turn right, keeping the river on your right, follow the path for around 500 yards to a green
footbridge over the river. Cross the footbridge and return to the visitor centre.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Nicky Johnson

Checked by: Sara Coy

Route Developer: Jack Christian

1 hours 10 minutes | 2.4miles 3.8km | Easy

ID: 174.17 | Developed by: Graeme Wales | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

A circular urban walk visiting the industrial heritage associated with the area. The walk
can be made shorter if so desired.

Starts at: The Grange Community Resource Centre, Pilgrim Drive, Beswick, Manchester, M11 3TQ

Route instructions:

[1] Leave the centre and turn left onto Albert Street. Walk up to Grey Mare Lane and turn right.

(A) On Grey Mare Lane, you will see the East Manchester Academy, a new high school opened in 2010.

[2] Continue along and cross this road at the pedestrian controlled lights, before the market. When you
reach Alan Turing Way, again cross using the pedestrian lights, to then head opposite into Wilson Street.

(B) Alan Turing was a mathematical genius and the father of modern computer science. Turing’s code
breaking work greatly contributed to the Allied victory in the Second World War. He was convicted of
homosexuality in 1952 and unfortunately committed suicide in 1954. He lived and worked in Manchester
in the latter years of his life.

[3] At the end, turn left onto Clayton Lane and walk along past the large, now derelict, chemical factory on
your left.

(C) This site was Clayton Aniline, the largest manufacturing location in Manchester, covering 57 acres
and employing 2,500 people as recently as the 1970s.

[4] Follow the road until you reach Clayton Bridge, over the Ashton Canal. On your right, there are ten
steep steps down the canal towpath. Walkers will need to be careful here as, even with a handrail, the
steps are quite difficult .The towpath is also slippery under the bridge itself.

For an alternative route down to the towpath, carefully cross Clayton Lane and take the tarmac path to
your right. Follow this path, keeping to the left, and head over the green area to cross Bob Massey
Close. Then, turn right to enter Ornasy Walk and after a short distance, turn left towards the Ashton
Canal.

(D) The Ashton Canal was built in 1796 to supply coal to and distribute manufactured goods from
Manchester – 50,000 tons in 1933, eventually dwindled to 7 tons by1955. The canal re-opened to
navigation in 1974 and is an important part of the popular Cheshire Ring navigation.

[5] Turn left and walk along the towpath towards Manchester, heading past a series of numbered locks
(10, 9 and 8). When you reach Lock 7, take the next bridge across the canal and continue along the right-hand
side until you reach Joe Mercer Way. Turn left and follow this road back over the canal and walk
along towards the City of Manchester Stadium. Taking the path that bears to your left, walk halfway
around the stadium and at Gate 8a, head onto Ashton New Road.

You can shorten this section of the walk by turning left, before Lock 7, into the shopping centre car park
by the sign for Next. Walk across the car park, past the ASDA store on your left, to exit at the junction
between Alan Turing Way and Aston New Road. Carefully cross Alan Turing Way and head into Aston
New Road, to pick up the final section of the walk at Way-point 6.

[6] Cross the road at the pedestrian controlled traffic lights in front of you, to then turn down the tarmac
path ahead, past the ‘School of the Resurrection’, to return to the centre.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Graeme Wales

Checked by: Sara Coy

Route Developer: Dave Lees

54 minutes | 1.8miles 3.0km | Easy Access

ID: 174.14 | Developed by: Graeme Wales | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

A leisurely short, round walk through historic gardens and footpaths

Starts at: 

Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens, Stenner Lane, Didsbury, Manchester M20 2SW (Start is at junction of
Stenner Lane with Wilmslow Road, but can also be started from a rough car park at the end of Ford Lane.)

Route instructions:

Route Developer: Jeff  Lomax

Take care as throughout the walk it may be muddy.

(A) The area around the starting point was once the centre of Didsbury, with the village green in front of
the pubs. ‘The Didsbury’ dates from about 1855 and ‘Ye Olde Cock’ from about 1790. The most exciting
historical event in Didsbury came in 1745 when Bonnie Prince Charlie’s army camped nearby before
fording the Mersey, and then returned bedraggled after they were defeated at Derby!

[1] Starting from the junction of Wilmslow Road and Stenner Lane, enter Stenner Lane and continue along
the road, between the pubs. Very soon turn right through the ornate gateway into Old Parsonage
Gardens (B). Go ahead, passing a building with palm trees in front of it.

(B) The Old Parsonage was the home of Fletcher Moss and is the oldest building in Didsbury. The
central part of the building dates from about 1650. In spite of its name, it was seldom occupied by
clergy. More recently (but not now) it has housed an art gallery.

Fletcher Moss was a local historian and alderman. In his will, he left the gardens he had designed (Old
Parsonage Gardens and Fletcher Moss Gardens) and the land near the city, to be kept open for the
public. Both gardens are famous for the variety of plants in them. Fletcher Moss approached the
philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to build Didsbury Library.

[2] Beyond the house, turn right and then left to pass in front of a cactus house (not usually open). Turn
left with an herbaceous border on the right. Go down steps and (keeping a lawn with more herbaceous
borders on the left) turn left. Go through a gap and turn right to leave the garden opposite St James’
Church. (C)

(C) Tradition has it, that there has been a church on this site since 1235, but the oldest part of the
present building, the tower, was rebuilt in 1620 after a fire. The church was extended in 1770 and was
renovated several times in the Victorian era.

Turn right down Stenner Lane, to pass Stenner Brow, some cottages and a playing field successively on
the right. Go past a gate, ignoring a path to the left, lined with poplars, which is a shorter way to the river.

[3] At a sign for Simons Bridge, by a small car park, turn left up steps and turn left above the Mersey to
take the path beside the river. (Safety point: open water). Note that the higher path above the river gives
better views, but is rougher than the lower one.

Across the river is Didsbury Golf Club, surounded by a loop of the river.

[4] Walking beside the river, ignore the first two paths to the left, which lead to the poplar avenue and into
Stenner Woods (which are among the oldest in the Mersey Valley). Just before a sign for Millgate Fields,
turn left. Soon there is a neatly laid hawthorn hedge on the right. At a T-junction of tracks near a seat,
turn left, with ponds down on the right and Parrs Wood Road beyond. Ignore one path to the right.

[5] Where the main track bears left, there are two other paths that go down steps. Take the one to the
right which soon leads to a long boardwalk, which winds its way through a swampy area, great for wildlife,
part of Stenner Woods. At the end of the boardwalk, go up a slope towards a gate, turning left before the
gate. Soon you will enter Fletcher Moss Gardens. Shortly there is a house ahead of you, with a small
toilet block to the right.

(D) The house is The Croft, which dates from 1795. In 1870 three local ladies, concerned about the use
of fur and feathers in ladies’ hats, met here to form a society which became the Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds. The building is partly a dwelling, but also contains a Visitor Centre and a café, which
is open mainly at weekends.

[6] Pass to the left of the building. A set of shallow steps, followed by steeper ones on the right, lead up to
a higher level, but a more interesting (possibly challenging) route leads through the Rock Garden. Bear
left, then keep to the left of a series of small pools. Curve right round the end of the pool and go up the
first set of steps. Keep left at the next junction on the top path. Go up the steep steps at the end. Turn
left and pass to the left of the tennis courts to reach an exit onto Wilmslow Road. Turn left to pass ‘The
Didsbury’ pub to return to the start of the walk.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Graeme Wales

Checked by: Sara Coy

1 hours 28 minutes | 4.4miles 7.2km | Easy Access

ID: 174.13 | Developed by: Graeme Wales | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

A ‘figure of eight’ easy access walk. The majority of the route follows a lake and a river.

Starts at: Chorlton Water Park car park, off Maitland Avenue, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 7JJ

Route instructions:

The walk is likely to be muddy at times, especially after wet weather! Care is required when walking close
to open water.

Route Developer: Netty Bell

[1] Leave the car park, entering Chorlton Water Park. Take the path on the right going down the slope
and when you reach the lake turn right. Follow the lake all the way round until you reach the far side
(almost directly opposite to where the car park is!). You will see a gate.

[2] Pass through this gate. (Here there is a National Cycle Network 62 post). Cross over the concrete
path and take the path going right along the river. The river is now to your left. Continue to follow it,
passing Jackson’s Bridge (A) on the way.

(A) In 1816 a footbridge was erected across the River Mersey. A halfpenny toll was charged to cross it on
foot (or one penny with a bicycle). The bridge was named after a local farmer Jackson who cultivated
land in the area and who regularly ferried people across the river by boat, charging them a small fee.
This bridge was washed away in a storm and was rebuilt in 1881 as an iron girder bridge, still charging a
toll to cross the river. In the 1940s Manchester Corporation bought the bridge and the toll was abolished
by the end of the decade. The river Mersey is the traditional boundary between Cheshire and
Lancashire. Jackson’s Bridge is in the odd situation of being in old Lancashire (within the boundary of
Manchester city) but on the Cheshire side of the river. This is because of natural changes in the course
of the river Mersey over the centuries.

Alternative Route: For a shorter walk, go straight to way-point [8].

[3] When you see a gate on your right hand side leading into ‘Chorlton Ees Nature Reserve (B)’, go through it
and follow the path with the wood to your left and the field to your right.

(B) The Chorlton Ees Nature Reserve is full of lovely tracks and paths through meadows, woodland and
rough grassland. It is an ideal location to observe birds and other wildlife. For over a hundred years the
site was the Old Withington sewage works the remains of which are still visible today. One of the paths
here was once an old sewage channel. The sewage works were closed in 1972, when a nature reserve
was planned to restore the fragile habitat of the region. Many of the paths are accessible to wheelchairs
and push chairs.

[4] At the end of the path go through another gate and when you get to the road turn left. (It is very muddy
around here!).

[5] Carry straight on through another gate (ignoring the footbridge on your right). Continue along the
same path for some distance.

[6] When you reach a T-junction take the left hand path that will soon take you back to the river. Take one
of the paths on the left to follow the river which is now on your right. The top path is initially less muddy
but this changes further on. Continue to follow the river, retracing your earlier steps, until you arrive back
at Jackson’s Bridge (B).

[7] Cross over Jackson’s Bridge (you will notice Jackson’s Boat pub opposite).

(C) Jackson’s Boat pub (previously known as The Brige Inn or Greyhound). Originally the inn was built at
the end of the 18th century, replacing an old wood and planter house. Illegal cock fights used to take
place in the surrounding fields. The pub is said to have had associations with the Manchester Jacobites.
It is reputed that men such as Colonel Townley of the Manchester regiment and Dr John Byrom used to
regularly meet with other royalists to drink the health of the King.

[8] Turn left immediately to follow the river again. (This time with the river on your left!). Continue along
the path passing under a bridge that you cannot cross. Walk under it and continue to the second bridge
where you cross back over the river into Chorlton Water Park (D).

(D) Chorlton Water Park stands on what was the site of Barlow Hall Farm. Up until the 1950s the farmer
flooded the field to increase the fertility of the land. He recalled that ‘the sluice gates were never opened
for the first flood as this brought down the rubbish: the second flood brought down rich mud’. Gravel was
excavated from the site and used in the construction of the M60 motorway in the 1970s. The gravel pit
was subsequently flooded; creating the lake that is central to the Water Park today.

[9] Turn right and follow the path around the lake, past the pond and the play area.

[10] Turn right up the slop to arrive back at the car park.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Graeme Wales

Checked by: Sara Coy

40 minutes | 2.1miles 3.3km | Easy Access

ID: 174.11 | Developed by: Maria Quesada | Checked by: Nicky Johnson | www.walkingroutes.org

A circular walk around the Longford Park passing by the Chorlton Baths and houses
from the late 1920s and 1930s.

Starts at: Community Revival UK, 2 Selborne Road, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester, M21 0BL

Route instructions:

Route Developer: Andrew Bennett

[1] Leave the centre, turning right along Selborne Road, and at the crossroads turn right onto Manchester
Road East. Walk along the road for 600 yards until you reach Chorlton Baths.

(A) Chorlton Baths were one of the rewards for the township of Withington, which included Chorlton,
voting in 1904 to join Manchester. Like the library, they were rather slow being built. Originally, in
addition to there being swimming pools, there were also bathing facilities since the majority of smaller
houses did not have bathrooms or large facilities for doing family clothes washing. The roads off
Kensington Road are typical of the smaller terraced houses built at this end of Chorlton.

[2] Cross the road and walk down Kensington Road on your left, walking towards Firswood in Stretford.

An alternative route to avoid walking across a field on Firswood is to go left down Oswald Road, and then
right into Longford Road and walk to the end of the road then continue from Waymark (4).

Here the houses were built in the late 1920s and 1930s. Builders were very keen at that time to build
houses just outside the Manchester boundaries, since the Council rates in Stretford were much lower
than in Manchester. Of course much poorer services were provided, but if you lived close to the border,
you could go into Manchester for their much better services. An obvious example was that people from
Firswood used Chorlton baths, although not the wash houses, since most of these semi-detatched house
were built with a bath room and a clothes washing lean-to.

[3] The second left turning off Great Stone Road is Ryebank Road. Turn left here and walk to the end of
the road. Go through the fence (be careful to avoid a metal spike sticking up out of the ground). Go
straight across this rough ground on a reasonable path, almost to the end, then turn right into Longford
Park, and then left to join a metalled track.

(B) This rough ground was once a very large clay pit and brick works. It was used up until the 1950s,
when the owners discovered they could make more money selling a very, very, large hole in the ground,
than to keep draining it to go on making bricks. The hole was bought by Manchester Council, and used
for many many years as a place to dump domestic rubbish. Finally it was covered over, and was going to
be a nature reserve. However very little has been done with it, although there are some crows nests in
the trees.

[4] Coming along Longford Road, or coming off the rough ground, you arrive at the sports ground. View
though the railings. Several Olympic competitors have trained here. Go round the outside of the ground,
and then straight on towards the trees. Here is a small pool and nature area. Keep straight on and then
bear left by the rock garden, and then right to the pets corner.

[5] From the pets corner head towards the red brick arch with a stone front.

(C) This used to be the entrance to Longford Hall, the home of John Rylands. John Rylands made a vast
amount of money out of textiles; he was Manchester’s first millionaire, and his widow organised the
building in Manchester of a memorial library to house a large collection of very valuable books. She also
left the hall and park to Stretford Council, who neglected the hall and eventually pulled it down, just
keeping the portico.

[6] Facing the portico turn right and walk past the other end of the sports ground, and out through East
Gate. Turn left along Ryebank Road, and then right into Nicholas Road.

Notice a wide variety of houses along Ryebank Road.

[7] Walk straight along Nicholas Road. At the junction with Manchester Road East, cross over into
Selborne Road to return to the centre.
Notes:

Waymark [4]: The sports ground area and nature area are being remodelled, so the directions may need
some alteration.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Maria Quesada

Checked by: Nicky Johnson

1 hours 7 minutes | 2.3miles 3.7km | Easy

ID: 174.10 | Developed by: Robin Segulem | Checked by: Sara Coy | www.walkingroutes.org

Starting from Chorlton Metrolink stop, this circular walk covers the second half of old
Chorlton, featuring leafy streets of Victorian houses, a glimpse of the Mersey valley
and a Coronation Street connection.

Starts at: Chorlton Metrolink Station, Wilbraham Road, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester M32 8LP

Route instructions:

Route Developer: Andrew Bennett

[1] From the Metrolink stop, turn right along Wibraham Road and turn right on Barlow Moor Road. Cross
Barlow Moor Road at the traffic lights and go past the side of the Co-op Funeral parlour on Nicolas Road.
You immediately pass a primary school with a new nursery and some prefabricated buildings.

This was built as Oswold Road Central school. The city of Manchester was not only one of the first local
Authorities to build its own Grammar Schools for boys, and High Schools for girls, but also in the 1920s
established central schools for the next level of ability. Just at the end of the school play ground, notice
the tree they have planted. Is it a Monkey Puzzle?

[2] Turn left down Oswald Road. You soon come to Wilbraham Road, with the Spread Eagle, the
Conservative Club, and Lloyds. Cross at the traffic lights on your left and then turn left at Manchester
Road, where you get the Methodist Church, then on High Lane where you will find the St Johns RC
church and the new St Clements Church of England. Turn left to cross High Lane at the traffic lights and
return to turn left down St Clements Road.

The New St Clements was built with a great deal of controversy, since it was built to replace the old
church by the village green. It seemed the different branches of Christianity were each trying to out-do
each other with the size of their churches. The Catholic community had grown up in Chorlton as a result
of large scale immigration from Ireland. Notice at first more large Victorian houses, one with a “frying pan”.

[3] As we reach Chorlton Green the houses get smaller. Information about the Green and old church is
given in walk 2. Walk along the green and through the lych gate and pass the Bowling Green public
house. If the weather is good in an afternoon or evening the bowling green is still well used.

[4] Just past the pub we cross the road to a small car park at Ivy Green. Turn right off the road, and then
keep taking the right hand paths, which come round to join Ivy Green Road further on. This section
through the trees offers a chance to see a very large variety of English trees, Oak, Ash, Willow, Silver
Birch, Hazel, Beech, and Hawthorn.

[5] Continue straight across into Cartwright Road, right along that to Kingsmill Road, and then left
along Kingsmill Road back to High Lane. At High Lane we turn left, but just over the road on the right is
the ruin of South Manchester Masonic Hall. There is some nice detail in the stone work.

[6] Cross High Lane/Edge Lane when is safe to do so and walk along it until it meets the end of
Wilbraham Road. Turn right and walk along Wilbraham Road back to the centre of Chorlton.

Off Wilbraham Road on the north side is Sibson Road where actress Doris Speed lived; for over twenty
years she played Annie Walker – landlady of the Rover’s Return in the ITV soap opera ‘Coronation Street’.

[7] Continue along Wilbraham Road, to the junction with Barlow Moor Road, cross and continue back to
your starting point.

This is the second walk through Old Chorlton, but it also has a glimpse of the Mersey Valley. This area
used to flood most winters, so Chorlton was built on the first bit of higher ground away from the river.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Robin Segulem

Checked by: Sara Coy

1 hours 0 minutes | 2.0miles 3.3km | Easy

ID: 174.9 | Developed by: Robin Segulem | Checked by: Robin Segulem | www.walkingroutes.org

Starting from Chorlton Metrolink stop, this circular walk takes you round the older
parts of the interesting area of Chorlton, visting Chorltonville and a churchyard with a
dark story……….

Starts at: Chorlton Metrolink Station, Wilbraham Road, Chorlton cum Hardy, Manchester M32 8LP

Route instructions:

Route Developer: Andrew Bennett

[1] Leave the Metrolink stop and turn right along Wilbraham Road. Continue, and using the traffic lights, cross over Barlow Moor Road.

[2] Cross Wilbraham Road at the pedestrian lights, and go left into Brundretts Road. Go down the road noticing the variety of Victorian houses.

In the 1911 census, most houses had between two and five people living in them, one of whom was probably a maid. Today many of the houses are bed-sits.

[3] At the end of the road you’ll reach High Lane. Cross it using the traffic lights on your left and then turn left and walk past the Buddhist Centre, which uses an old Nonconformist church.

[4] Just after the center you reach Cross Road, turn right into it and walk down the road past the Recreation ground.

The Recreation Ground (Beech Park) was opened in 1896 having been donated to the community by Lord Egerton. He had owned most of Chorlton, and had done very well out of the sale of land for housing, and went on doing so for many, many, years. Some of the big houses we have walked past cost less than £100 to buy when new. The price of the land for each house was less than £10, but the owner had also to pay an annual ground rent, anything from £2 to £10 per year. It meant that buying the land was not prohibitive but it also provided a nice income for the owner of the land. Most of the houses will still be paying ground rent today.

[5] At the end of Cross Road you reach Beech Road. Cross over and turn left, and walk along the road to turn right at Reynard Road.

Notice some nice ornamentation in the brick work of these smallish Victorian houses. Reynard Road gives way to Claude Road, and the start of Chorltonville. Alderman James Herbert Dawson, one of the promoters of the garden suburb at Chorltonville, was a long-serving Councillor in Manchester. The emphasis was on gardens, and Arts and Crafts style. A significant estate was built between 1906 and 1914. We just see a little of it as we follow Claude Road round.

[6] Walk all the length of Reynard Road until you reach Brookburn Road.

(For a longer walk – approximately half a mile there and half a mile back – you can turn left at Brookburn Road and go down onto the Mersey fields and all the way to Jackson’s boat).

Pass the Bowling Green pub and take the steps leading from the pub’s outside seating area into the old graveyard. Walk through the graveyard and exit under the lych gate.

The Victorians replaced this old church St Clements with a new large one some distance away, causing much controversy. The old church fell into ruin and was pulled down. Nicolas Cook, a murdered Policeman, was buried here – you can see a memorial stone just inside the church yard. Charles Peace was hanged on 25th February 1879, but just before his death he confessed to a priest that he committed a second murder. Several years earlier he had shot PC Nicholas Cook dead in Manchester after he had disturbed Peace on a burglary. William Habron, an eighteen year old, was convicted of the murder, watched by Peace who attended the trial. There are a number of sources on the internet that show William Habron being executed for Charles Peace’s crime. In actual fact after Peace’s confession to Rev Lockwood in his cell, Habron was released. He had served three years for a crime he had not committed but received a £500 indemnity for his erroneous conviction.

[7] Cross Crossland Road and continue straight on with Chorlton Green on your left. The Horse and Jockey Pub is at the far end of the Green. The 1911 census shows 5 shops and 4 farms around the green. At the end of the green turn right on to Beech Road. This is Chorlton Village and you will pass a variety of pubs, bars, restaurants and shops – although in some cases it is not easy to tell what the shops are selling. Continue to Beech Road Park (a suitable place for a rest) and turn left into Wilton Road.

[8] Notice the houses on this side of the park are much smaller than the ones we passed on the other side. Continue down Wilton Road to High Lane, go right to cross the road and then left back into Brundretts Road. Thus back to your starting point. You have now seen much of the older part of Chorltoncum Hardy.

Acknowledgements:

Developed by: Robin Segulem

Checked by: Robin Segulem