Having suitably enjoyed a couple of Christmas feasts over the festive season, it was now time to work off some of the excesses. This cycle ride out to Astley was the first step.

A small group of us met at our friend Mikes in Stretford. It was surprisingly mild for the time of the year.

We began by working our way towards Trafford Park.

Then turning into Barton Dock Road and heaading on towards the Trafford Centre.

A little further on we joined Barton Road and crossed the River Irwell via Barton Bridge and entered Barton Upon Irwell. In doing so, we were briefly following local cycle network route 82.

We were also cycling alongside the Bridgewater Canal.

At Patricroft, we turned into Liverpool Road and then into Green Lane. Then a mile or so further on, at Monton, we joined NCN Route 55, the Roe Green Loopline.

We have cycled along this path quite a few times now, perhaps most notably for Sarah and I, a few years ago when we returning from Blackpool.

This old railway path is ideal for walkers and cyclists.

Further on, we turned off and joined the Tyldesley loopline.

At the end of this loopline is the Leigh Guided Busway.

We followed this along its entire four and a half miles.

Eventually arriving in Leigh.

Having weaved our way through Leigh town centre, we next joined another section of the Bridgewater Canal – the Stretford and Leigh Branch.

We were also following LCN route 82. 

It had also started to rain.

Thankfully, we soon arrived at our lunch stop, the Old Boat House at Astley.

I would like to give this place a positive review, but sadly, I cannot. The host was welcoming and friendly enough, but the experience was spoilt by the extremely slow service. It took us nearly three-quarters of an hour to receive our drinks, and an hour and a half to receive our food.

The establishment may have been struggling with staff shortages due to COVID, but since we weren’t informed this was the case, this is only conjecture. We had arrived half an hour before our booking to an almost empty pub, but the wait was so long that Mike eventually had to leave in order not to miss a late afternoon appointment.

When the food finally arrived it was just about acceptable for its cost.

It was still raining when we left.

So, with Gill now leading the way, we rejoined the Bridgewater Canal and headed straight back.

This section also forms part of the Bridgewater Way and took us through Worsley.

We stayed on the canal all the way back to Trafford Park.

Then it was back onto Barton Dock Road again and back to the start.

We had cycled nearly 25 miles today. It was a shame it rained for the whole of the second half of the ride. That said, it had been good to get out on the bicycle over the Christmas period.

You can view our Astley route below: