The Meanderthals

MEDIA CITY - VELODROME 5/6 Miles

WALKERS :- Anthony. John W, Mike, Frank, Vic,
Lawrence, Danny, Paddy. Jim T (guest)

With several stalwarts missing and a guest with us we set off down the motorway , through Salford and parked at the Lowry centre.

We then repeated our previous hunt for the "Secret" toilets before emerging in to the open where we immediately sat down for coffees, chocolate and a tea.

From here it was only a short walk across to Media City and the platforms of the "Metro".

"I walk the Line."

After our prolonged battle with the ticket machine on our last visit to Manchester we managed to obtain our tickets relatively easily this time.

Soon we were on our way to Castlefields the start of our walk proper.

As we decamped from the tram the canal could be seen below us. We simply had to walk the short distance to were a ramp led down to the towpath. A few yards from the station a rather appropriate "Sculpture" held our attention briefly.

The reader will know by now that where meanderthals are involved nothing is straightforward. The ramp we sought took us happily down to the canal but only to lead us to a barrier halting further progress.

"Follow the "Swan" to return to the canal" a poster advised - so we did. The poster can be seen at the foot of the ramp.

"Back Up lads!"

The "Swan" led us back the way we had come and past the the station. For perhaps half a mile we followed the streets as they in turn followed the canal. Eventually we were able to drop down to the canal again.

The canal, whilst showing us some magnificent buildings and fascinating glimpses of a bygone age also offered us some less savoury sights.
we soon had to leave the canal again and were now in the GAY quarter of the city.

Here there was a plethora of superb Victorian and Edwardian buildings . (Why no photos ?) We continued through this district, again for about half a mile, before again returning to the canal.

(The writer is thinking that for a simple walk following the canal there seem to be an awful lot of complications.)
We had by now passed several locks each of which looked dank and dismal and often in need of repair. Our thoughts were to be confirmed further along our walk.

Sadly as we walked alongside the canal we frequently saw evidence of rough sleepers tucked away in discrete corners.

Sleeping bags piled up underneath the canal bridges.

We now followed the canal as it wended its way through some superb old mill buildings, dilapidated and derelict warehouses as well some quite lengthy and very admirable areas of new residential developments which were entirely sympathetic with their venerable (and otherwise) original neighbours.

A modern footbridge partnered by an ancient machine.

(being used by ancient men)

Several sideways "Cuts" (old side branches) had been left in place and modern dwellings built around them. The photo above is of a bridge crossing the opening to one such side "cut".

Did your writer say we were simply following A canal - not true ! At this point we had to switch canals from the "Bridgewater" (?) to the "Rochdale" (?) So - two canals not one.

Here we are crossing the rather tricky lock gates that hold back the water of the basin where the canal divides

Now following the Rochdale canal we passed a seemingly prosperous area of rather pleasing new build apartments as well as more of the defunct and at times derelict industrial units. Many of these old buildings had found new uses.

"Dreamed a dream by the old Canal.........

Dirty Old Town. Dirty Old Town "

Ewen McColl

You will remember an earlier mention of the sometimes parlous state of the locks. At this point we met up with a team of workers who were carrying out wholesale repairs of locks. The gentleman in the Hi-Vis clothing told us all about it including the cost of between £70,000 and £90,000 per lock gate.

Just after the repairs the canal was being drained revealing a large collection of rusting bikes, shopping trolleys and nameless other mud-covered monstrosities.

In the now shallow waters a sizeable pike patrolled the edges of water that was probably oxygen deficient..

The "sizeable" pike. A rather blurred photo taken at the extremity of the cameras zoom ability.

Soon the support stanchions of the Etihad Stadium were looming before us. With no "City" fans amongst us and with no John R to be rude about it, we quickly passed it by. TRUTH BE TOLD some of our walkers were putting our leader under pressure to get to the Velodrome where a lunch stop had been promised. It would now be a LATE lunch.

A rather ominous bit of graffiti as we approach the "Etihad"

Ah ! Our promised destination at last, Heralded by a fanfare "Trumpet Voluntary" ?. or was that "Tummy Rumbles IN-voluntary.". No worries. We're here at last.

The Velodrome always offers us a warm comfortable place to have lunch,

With Olympic standard sporting entertainment thrown in.

Lunch over we crossed the complex to check out the BMX track on the other side before leaving the Velodrome and heading for the nearest Metro stop.