Ashton Canal 3 - Clayton to Fairfield

This one and a quarter mile stretch of path runs along the Ashton Canal towpath from the junction with the Stockport Branch Canal to the junction with the Hollingwood Branch Canal. This is a continuation from Ashton Canal 2 - Ancoats to Clayton and the Stockport Branch Canal cycle route.



From the signpost with the Stockport Branch Canal cycle route the path goes over the cobbled bridge which goes over the original canal junction.



The path starts of reasonably good, but there are many locks along this section.



Soon, however, the path degrades and is sometimes muddy.



At lock 13 there is the somewhat strangely named Strawberry Duck Pub.



The Yew Tree Swing Bridge



and the Copperus Lane Swing Bridge



and as you reach the last two locks, both of which were double there is what's known as the camel's hump footbridge. You can see from the photo how puddled this part of the path is.



Finally the ornate, but unlocked bike barrier marks the arrival at the junction with the Hollingwood Branch, as the canal turns sharply to the right.



Here water has been put back into the first few hundred yards of the Hollingwood Branch as part of the redevelopment of the area.



Next Ashton Canal 4 - Fairfield to Ashton and an investigation of the cycle routes along the Hollingwood Branch Canal.


View Ashton Canal 3 - Clayton to Fairfield in a larger map