The weather forecast for the weekend had been for rain, rain, and more rain! The Met Office had issued weather warnings for flooding. Not a great picture for the Stockport Community Cycling Club ride along the Ashton Canal.

Not only that but Sarah has been feeling somewhat under-the-weather recently, and just as she begins to recover it seems I am now beginning to struggle with a virus too.

So it was against this background that we began the day. At the beginning of the week we had intended to go along to the first ever Stretford Parkrun. However with the threatened rain, and our health this seemed in doubt, especially for Sarah. At the last minute we decided we would join in, and we were both glad we did. The weather was just about perfect at 9.00am and Sarah, though not yet on top form, fancied a run. It proved to be a great run, and the course around Longford Park is excellent. Certainly one we would recommend to all Parkrunners.

  

Conveniently, the Stockport Community Cycling Club Ashton Canal ride was starting (an hour later) from Stretford too. So straight after the Parkrun Sarah drove me up to the start at the Robin Hood pub. Sarah decided to give this ride a miss since she wasn’t yet fully recovered from her virus, and decided to settle with her success of having finished the Parkrun. It proved a wise decision.

Gill H was leading today’s ride and it was still a fine morning as she led us out of Stretford.

Soon we picked up the Bridgewater Canal.

After a few miles we passed the first of four stadiums – Manchester United’s Old Trafford.

For a short while we left the canal and cycled alongside the Manchester Ship Canal.

Around Pomona we had to stop for a little while whilst Bruce repaired a puncture.

Soon we were on our way again.

We picked up the Bridgewater Canal again and then the Rochdale Canal at Castlefield.

This is an amazing and seemingly hidden canal as it weaves its way through the heart of Manchester.

  

And then we were heading out the other side as we picked up the Ashton Canal.

Along here we passed the Etihad Campus and Manchester City’s academy stadium and their main stadium.

At the fourth stadium – Manchester Velodrome – we stopped for our coffee break.

I say coffee, however we arrived just in time for lunch and many of us enjoyed a full lunch. The service was quick, the food hearty, and the price fab.

However, while were enjoying lunch the rain started. So it was a much wetter Ashton Canal towpath that we rejoined.

Confession time. The photo’s became few and far between from here. It was just too wet and cold!

After leaving Ashton Canal we picked up the Fallowfield Loop.

We followed this all the way to Chorlton.

Finally we weaved our way through Chorlton (no photo’s!) and back to Stretford. We had cycled nearly 18 miles by the time we arrived back.

This was an interesting ride through the centre of Manchester. A few years back I led  a SCCC ride which just touched the centre of Manchester and had ideas for a ride that explored the canals and waterways more fully. Sadly I never fulfilled that idea. Thankfully Gill H took up that mantle with today’s cycle ride.

You can view today’s Ashton Canal route below:

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