The final leg to Altrincham. A not so logical an end point until you know I have friends that live there and it also made the legs broadly even at between 20 and 22 miles – my liking for symmetry! This will also be the last 20 miler that I will inflict on Sophie. At 9 years old now she is finding the length just a tad far – dawdling for the last 5 miles of h. So 15 or less miles to be planned for the next year or so. Having caught the train from Ilkley at 6:40 and getting to Rochdale at 8:24 I retrace the steps to where I left the canal. The bridge at the junction of the main canal and the branch into Rochdale is a beautiful thing as are so many of the bridges. The leafy towpath is a distraction as we are still Rochdale.
Just a short distance along is Arrow Mill, one of the last cotton mills to operate in the area. It was built in the Edwardian Era, with the first bricks laid in 1906 and opening production in 1908. The architect of Arrow Mill, favoured the distinctive and flamboyant architecture at the time and like his contemporaries gave considerable attention to the water tower, which was used to advertise the name of the mill, adopting the Hotel de Ville characteristic which subsequently appears on mills I will pass during the day. In the 1930’s it was acquired by Courtauld’s and set up as a demonstration mill to showcase what could be done with Rayon and continued for decades producing the “new” fibre. Arrow Mill Fabrics Ltd bought the mill in 1979 and continued cotton processing until 1999. Today it is a storage facility.
There is a fair bit of modern along the way. The canal passes new housing, with old cobbles in evidence and under roads where new bridges have been constructed and in this instance an ugly floating pontoon towpath alternative.
The contrast between the old and new is very clear at Slattocks where the lock house is on one side and on the other side is the new road and housing.
One of the reasons I’ve enjoyed the canal walks is the variety of canal infrastructure designed to overcome the terrain and logistics of traversing diverse environments. Bridge 66 has a tow-rope pulley on the bridge parapet, lock 55 a fine cobbled underpass, large turning and mooring areas and beautiful Victorian railway bridges. Bridge 70 actually has a wooden roller that helped the tow ropes pass without fraying on the walls, however it is obvious by the ruts behind the roller that for a long time it was not present.
At Lock 62, Coney Green Lock, the Swan Mill is viable in the distance and unknown to me the canal actually bends round and actually passes by the Mill. There is a small branch filled in canal and per a 1907 map this is shown as a disused canal linking to Ferney Field Collier (disused).
The sign that I’m approaching Manchester is when the canal tucks underneath the M60.
On entering Failsworth there is a wonderfully unique corner to a building before entering the basin. Regents Mill, part of the Edwardian boom in mill construction was built in 1906. It’s lunch time as I’m exiting Failsworth and stop by Flash Street.
Lock 70, Pinfold Lock is currently under renovation. The first such major set of lock works I’ve come across.
I’m now getting much closer to Manchester city centre and love this view. A Lock built around 1800, a Mill built around 1869 and tower blocks in the far distance built circa 2000.
The mill in the distance is Victoria Mill. It was designed by George Woodhouse of Bolton as a six storey double mill with shared engine house, with am octagonal chimney. It has now been converted into office space and residential.
Much of the towpath so far has been part of the National Cycleway 66, so in a reasonable state, but as I enter the city the cycleway vias onto a different route with the towpath continuing alongside the canal in a rather overgrown state. Once through this section it is a delight to reach New Islington Marina
This first area of Manchester is Ancoats, famous for its collection of Cotton Mills and referred to as the Cradle of the Industrial Revolution.
Alongside the many renovated old mills are the modern structures. The canal branch off to the left is the start of the Ashton Canal. A stand out building is the Dale Street Warehouse. It is the earliest surviving canal warehouse in the city and is dated 1806.
The next section of the canal is amazing as it heads underneath the city.
Popping out from the tunnels lands me at the Village area of Manchester on a sunny and vibrant Saturday afternoon. I can really understand why so many students I know who have gone to Manchaster and fallen in love with the city.
Still within the city but now with a quieter feel and the end of the Rochdale Canal in sight.
This is the end of the Rochdale Canal with all 92 Locks now passed. The last lock drops down into the Castlefield basin and joins the Bridgwater Canal.
Afternoon tea had been a vague plan to meet Ursula at her home, Douglas Fir. Initially I thought she was not in so set up my own little refreshment stall, however Urs was in. Sophie got a well earned lie down and I got a proper cup of tea.
The section to Altrincham is on the Bridgewater Canal. The beautiful low railway bridge arch takes the railway line to Altrincham, which being built in 1849 established Altrincham and its neighbours as the first dormitory towns of Mancheser.
The Bridgewater goes passed the sports stadia of Old Trafford. To left of Throstle Nest Bridge is the arch of the screen at the Cricket Ground, however the football ground is far more evident.
One feature of the Bridgewater is how straight it is for so much of it. There is also a fine crop of Water Hawthorn with its finger leaves.
Sale is about 2 miles from the end. Altrincham is not necessarily the prettiest finish and the Old Packet House, which would have been the pub of choice has been closed for a while. So it was a welcome pint at the equally appropriately named The Navigation, with Hilary who had driven over for the evening with our Friends.
This last leg has been wonderful, in particular walking through the centre of Manchester and realising what a great place it is.
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