Irwell Sculpture Trail Day 2

Ramsbottom to Prestwich

Distance 16miles, about 19.5 total

Little egret, grey heron, deer, house martens, toads, teal, midges

We used the trams to get to Bury and then the bus to Ramsbottom, starting the walk in Nuttall Hall Park. A cobbled path leads down into Summerseat where we crossed the river passing impressive mills, now converted to apartments. The village link path goes through the woods and over the East Lancs railway line into farmland, where a sign said there was shooting in progress but none of the sheep appeared to have guns.

We followed the riverbank into Burrs Country Park, enjoying the 'Picnic Spot' sculpture and Troll trail. We walked through Bury (which seems to have a lot of schools) through some industrial units, over an old disused viaduct and onto the canal towpath, where it was quite suddenly very pleasant. There were a lot of toads swimming and croaking in the reeds.

We emerged onto a busy road, where another school is being built, next to the Radcliffe metro station, which has a sculpture 'From the Tower Falls the Shadow' on the side, and walked through town. The NHS Primary Care Centre has the sculpture 'Eternal Waves' in its forecourt. We had a sit down next to the bridge which has 'Over The Horizon' on it, although it is difficult to make out all the words, the walked through the bus station, McDonalds and Asda carpark into Outwood Country Park where there are collections of monoliths by Ulrich Rueckreim. 

A disused railway through woodland (with 'Trinity') took us back to the river and into Clifton Country Park, where we missed the gruffalo but did see a very interesting mine shaft and engine shed. The sculptures 'Lookout', 'Pit Pony', 'Miners' and 'Dig' are here. We saw cool fungi and a deer and some badly behaved dogs.

The path goes through woodland under the M60 motorway, where teal and geese swam on the river, next to the disused Fletcher canal. We turned off the trail into Philips Park, had a sit down and a snack, before the woodland path comes abruptly to an end at the back of a petrol station and Premier Inn car park, and we walked through Prestwich town centre to the tram stop.

Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail Day 1

 

Bacup to Ramsbottom

Sunny and warm

On route 17 miles, total about 20

Lost water bottles: 1

Injuries 3

Shoes: filthy

Today's walk was considerably more strenuous than I expected for a sculpture trail.

We caught a bus from Shaw to Rochdale, then to Bacup and then up on the moors to Weir. The source of the River Irwell is in the middle of a field, so we went across to start close to it. There were some fluffy Galloway cows and the grass looked nice and short and it all looked fine but soon turned into an adventure of grazed shin, wobbly grass tussocks, bog filled boots and slow going. 

We made it over to a reasonably solid grass path and on to the Rossendale Way, which led along lanes by farms and a wet rocky path to the first sculpture The Sentinel. 

Through Bacup town centre to "Birds" which is a series of three metal birds rising alongside a quite busy road. There looks to be a nice path along the side of the hill, but we didn't walk along it because we weren't sure if you could get down at the end. You can.

The next sculptures are in Lee Quarries, up a short steep track/MTB trail into the quarries. The Frond and Ferroterrosaurus are very impressive in their settings. The path down the hillside had a warning sign strongly recommending finding an alternate path down so we turned back and crossed the stream higher up, heading up and on to the moors - with more bog, wind turbines,  highland cows and lapwings.

Coming out of the quarry down a narrow wall lined path, which turned into a cobbled path blocked by a fallen tree so we detoured through some housing to the main road. The tunnels into Rawtenstall contained lunatics on horseback, plus one very embarrassed rider bringing up the rear.

The trail goes through industrial units alongside river, with the Spaces 9.XXXV'94 around the back - looking less mystical more destitute.

In Haslingden we called in at the Lidl for a replacement bottle of water ( there had been an incident as we were getting off the bus) and had a sit down.

Passing the Gateway 1 sculpture near to East Lancs railways line, we walked out of town and on to a pleasant path beside river, hearing chiffchaff and a woodpecker, thrushes and songbirds. The path alongside river quite muddy and washed away in places, we stopped for some foot faffing and then followed the path under railway line onto grassy path at edge of moorland. Here we went up a grassy slope to the Remnant Kings sculpture and had a sit on a very rickety bench.

The footpath has been fenced off by a couple of big fancy new houses with a big new pond and it was muddy and brambly and all the trees on the riverbank had been chopped down. Thankfully it wasn't long before we were into woodland and then a small park. On the OS map there are trails marked on both sides of the river here, but the path disappeared into someone's garden on our side and the nearest crossing to the other side was miles back, so walked up the road into Ramsbottom. The Tilted Vase sculpture is enormous in the village square and we sat beside it before catching the bus to Bury. 

Manchester Green Trail Day 5

 

Cold and windy, but occasional sunshine.

We started the walk in Peel Hall Park, where the buildings have gone but the moat remains, and then into Ash Wood which was very pretty and tidy. Then we got a bit lost in a housing estate and Rose Hill Woods, visiting the memorial and bridge to some local chap, before having a bit of a look at the edge of a golf course. There was no exit here so we turned back the way we'd come and into Northenden through some nice houses and Riverside Park on to the banks of the River Mersey.

We followed the river towards Kenworthy Woods and into Fletcher Moss Park, where we had a coffee at the pretty cafe.

Cringle Fields proved a bit difficult to get out of, but we did make it into the park, where we stopped at a bench near to the stone circle and the end of our walk.

Manchester Green Trail Day 1 Central Park to Queens Park

MGT Sections 3, 4 and 5

Distance 16 miles

Cloudy, drizzle turning to rain

Through Moston Vale, Broadhurst Park and Boggart Hole Clough.

Then Dam Head Park, Plant Hill Park, Tweedle Common and Heaton Park. Had a stop for coffee and cake at the lakeside cafe.

Blackley Forest, Herristone Park, Crumpsall Park, Harpurhey Ponds and Queens Park

Tame Valley Way Day 2 Stalybridge to Denshaw

 Distance

Weather: cold but dry, snow later

Got the little bus through the Saddleworth villages to Stalybridge, which was rather an uncomfortable ride but interesting to see new sides of local places. Had breakfast in Stalybridge and set off walking along the canal.

Saw woodpecker, nuthatch, dippers and a heron.

The end of the walk through Delph and Denshaw was, as expected, very wet underfoot. The Tame River continues up to the reservoir above Denshaw on the map but there is no footpath and the trail ends in the village. We followed another unnamed tributary towards Brushes Clough where it started snowing and into Shaw. 

Tame Valley Way Day 1 - Stockport to Stalybridge

Distance

Weather: overcast

Teal, nuthatches, parakeet, little grebe, many squirrels, bullfinch, dippers.

Bench with an abandoned book on improving your chess game.

GM Ringway Day 18 Stretford to Manchester