Ashton Canal Update

A quick update on the resurfacing of the Ashton Canal towpath as part of the Velocity 2025 works. We managed to walk the entire canal today in the sunshine and saw the progress being made. The first section of the canal path is unchanged.



There was some litter picking and planting being done by volunteers around New Islington.



The sections of cobbles at the locks are as bad as ever, and getting worse with the water and frost damage over the winter.



The Cyclists dismount signs have not been removed.



The wide section of path along the side of the Football Academy is now beginning to look good with the new trees planted. This was not part of the Velocity works.



Unfortunately the anti-cycling barriers have not been removed - this is the only one where the gate remains locked, though wider machines can get a bit more space on the right.



The new section of tarmac starts just after Clayton Lane.



Though the cobbles are not being covered, which is dangerous.



What this does mean is that it is now possible to reach the Stockport Branch Canal route from the centre of Manchester without having to cycle through mud.



At Crabtree Lane there is more sign of the work being in progress.



Along this section some of the locks didn't have cobbles so the path is fully tarmaced.



Again the barriers have not been removed.



The tarmac currently runs out at the Marina in Fairfield, the junction with the old Holinwood Branch Canal.



The path is gravel from here awaiting the tarmac finish.



After the bridge under Market Street, the tarmac returns. Care is needed at this point as it is the works base. It is good to see that they are using the canal to transport the stone from this point.



Unfortunately whilst the path itself is going to have a high quality finish for most of the way, the same can't be said for the access paths at the moment.



The tarmac ends just before the Hill Lane bridge.



From here some sections have yet to get the gravel foundation.



The last section of gravel



ends at the bridge under the M60 motorway.



From here on there has been nothing done to the path and e saw several people cycling gingerly through the mud.



Those on road and touring bikes were not doing at all well.



The path is very bad in places.



The last section through Guide Bridge isn't too bad



and the sign just before the junction with the Peek Forest Canal suggests that the resurfacing will get this far.



For updates on the path works and closures you can go to the Canal and River Trust web site.

Ashton Canal Towpath Closures

According to the TfGM web site there will be temporary closures along the Ashton Canal Towpath.

Ashton Canal Cycleway – From late January, sections of the towpath will be closed whilst resurfacing works takes place. Construction of the new towpath will be over a 14 week period, with various sections being closed at different times during the works. To plan alternative routes whilst works take place visit our journey planning pages

Unfortunately that is all the detail being given, as the link just takes you to the maps pages.

They do have a map with a little bit of information about the works, but with no useful details.



So the next place to look for this sort of information is the Canal & River Trust web site.
Here a search for any works on the Ashton Canal returns with

No results found

Which isn't very informative either.

So the towpath may be closed at some point for resurfacing work. However it isn't yet clear whether they will be removing the barriers



and the Cyclists Dismount signs



or getting rid of the dangerous cobbled sections.



Time will tell...

Ashton Canal - Stockport Branch part 1

This post covers the cycle path on the section of the infilled Stockport Branch of the Ashton Canal from Clayton Junction on the main branch of the Ashton Canal to the point where it passes under the Fallowfield Loop. This section is part of NCN route 60 and the Manchester Cycleway.

This section of path links up with Ashton Canal 2 - Ancoats to Clayton and Ashton Canal 3 - Clayton to Fairfield.

This branch of the Ashton Canal was apparently known locally as Lanky Cut. The total length of the branch was four miles and it had no locks, so the route is completely level. The canal has been infilled and this produces some changes in level, particularly at bridges.

Much of this part of the canal path was resurfaced at the end of 2013.



Cycling east along the Ashton Canal the path branches off just before the bridge that takes the towpath over the junction. If you go up onto the bridge you get to look down on the entire length of the canal that contains water.



The path starts off as narrow tarmac and after the junction it is lined by medium size trees on both sides.



It is not long before the first tank traps appear. These concrete pyramids occur in several places along the route. This first set is at the junction with Claytonbrook Road and are combined with a metal barrier beyond. These are a major obstruction to anyone on a trike or with a cycle trailer and give the path the feeling of an old defensive line from WW2.



The path now runs between modern housing estates with walls and fencing most of the time on both sides.



The next junction is with Sexa Street.



Here the access path to Sexa Street is filled in with more tank traps.



A little further along the path is obstructed by a set of large rocks. Here the gaps are reasonably wide and the recent tarmac surface is an improvement.



At this point there is an area of green space connecting through to the junction between Louisa Street and Orrell Street.



At the point where the path reaches Ashton Old Road it dips down to give enough headroom.



Here you have to watch out for the next set of tank traps in the path, just the other side of the bridge.



The surface of the path gets a bit wider here, reflecting the fact that the canal was wider at this point.



The next bridge takes the path under Ogden Lane.



South of Ogden Lane was a wide basin with the site of High Bank Mill on the left and the basin and canal depot on the right.


Map from Gorton Locomotive works website

The one remaining sign of the canal depot is the remains of the bridge that took the towpath over the basin entrance.



This section was once a very busy place, but is is now quite quiet.



Here the canal crosses the railway at Gorton Station.



To the right of here was the site of a series of reservoirs, but there is no sign of them now.



On the aqueduct over the railway line there is a clearly delineated towpath with original cobbled surface and the narrow canal basin.



South of the aqueduct the land opens up to the right with the recreation ground, whilst the housing on the left is Victorian, probably contemporary with the canal.



The location of the short canal branch to the east has been lost under modern housing at this point. Here there are some silly barriers and bollards push cycles into the mud.



Now the path crosses Hollybush Street on the level, this road was built after the canal fell out of use.



Next the path goes under Highmead Street. Here there is a dreadful set of metal barriers right underneath the bridge.



Shortly after the bridge the tarmac surface gives way to paving stones and the surface narrows. The path then deviates to the right at Alston Road where the bridge has been infilled.



South of Alston Road the path gives way to an access road with uncomfortable speed bumps that go all the way across.



The path then reaches the route of the Fallowfield Loop. Here you can go up the steep slope to the left to reach the railway path. The route of the canal continues under the railway route.



Continued in part 2