Hollinwood Branch Canal 1 - Sunnyside Road to Droylsden Junction

The Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal ran from Droylsden to Hollinwood. It was opened in 1797 to transport coal to Manchester from the collieries that lie between Ashton under Lyne and Oldham. For more details see the Pennine Waterways web site. This route is clearly shown on the Tameside cycle map.

The canal branches away at Droylsden Marina. The towpath of the main canal is on the opposite bank. From this point the path along the Ashton Canal going west are Ashton Canal 3 - Clayton to Fairfield and east Ashton Canal 4 - Fairfield to Ashton.

You can just see the towpath on the left of this picture looking from the branch back to the main canal.



Looking towards the new marina, this is a short section of restored canal.



However, the canal ends here. The path of the canal goes under the bridge carrying Manchester Road, next to Droylsden Library. But the route is blocked.



The usable towpath of the canal begins at Sunnyside Road, the site of Clifford swing bridge, opposite St Stephen's View, which has been built on the bed of the canal. Refreshingly there are no anti-cycling barriers to bar your way.



From here the path runs along the infilled canal. The surface is only grit, but good quality if rather narrow.



There is some lighting of the path, and the space is pleasant and wide.



However, after about a quarter of a mile the path reaches playing fields.



Here the barrier is pretty impossible. it is a struggle to get a small bike through here, anything larger is almost impossible without removing the gate... The path is tarmac from this point.



The route of the canal turns to the left here and there is a second barrier as the route runs round Lumb Clough.



Here the land slopes away to the west into Lumb Clough.



This area is quite wooded, and the path is narrowed by the bushes. There is housing on the right behind tall fences.



As the trees clear, the fence along the railway line come into view.



From here the canal towpath continues over the railway line on a narrow footbridge. This can be followed in the next post Hollinwood Branch Canal 2 - Droylsden Junction to Stannybrook Road.



To the west from here one path heads towards Clayton Vale, and another heads east along a disused railway line to Audenshaw.



This was the site of Droylsden Junction and just to the east was the former location of Droylsden Station.


Image from Railmap Online

Cycle Forums in Greater Manchester

I've taken on the task of getting all the cycle forums into the Love Your Bike Cycling Events Calendar and there is quite a contrast between the different councils.



Manchester Cycle Forum runs every quarter, is chaired by a city councillor and usually packs out the room it is held in. Details of the meetings are posted on the council web site, but agendas and minutes of the meetings are not posted on the web site.

Salford Cycle Forum is also held quarterly, run by the cycling officer. Details of the meeting are available on the council web site along with agendas and "Action Sheets".

Trafford Cycle Forum is held quarterly. It is chaired by a cycle campaigner rather than an officer or councillor. Agendas and Minutes are both posted on the web site and the meetings are well attended.

Oldham Cycling Forum has restarted this past year and is an ad hoc affair. There is no information on the web site and meetings have come to my attention via twitter, so I have publicised them as best I can. Some details have also been posted on the TfGM web site.

Stockport Council’s Public Cycle User Group "meets once per month in the Town Hall, and is open to all cyclists and others who have an interest in cycling." There is a web page with the most recent draft minutes. In fact the general meetings are every other month with specialised meetings in the other months. Attendance is a bit smaller.

Bolton "At long last, the Bolton Cycle Forum is back! The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 12th November 2014, starting at 6pm." First meeting will be at the The Bolton Artillery Suite, Bolton Town Hall, Victoria Square, Bolton, BL1 1SA. So far this information hasn't reached the council's cycling web page I could find.

Bury Cycling Forum "was established in 1996 at the request of local cyclists. Until 2011 it met four times a year to discuss cycling issues and was attended by cyclists, Council officers and occasionally, Council Members. The Council doesn't currently have a cycling officer so meetings of the forum are not being convened." So this is a dead cycle forum.

Tameside is another dead cycle forum, it folded over four years ago.

Rochdale has no sign of a cycle forum, and very little info on their web pages.

Wigan also has no sign of any consultation on cycling, there are just the usual platitudes on cycling on their web site.

Peak Forest Canal - Ashton to Hyde

This path from Ashton to Hyde along the towpath of the Peak Forest Canal is not marked on the TfGM cycling map for Tameside, but it does appear on the Ordinance Survey Explorer map, marked as a traffic-free cycle route and labelled as the Tame Valley Way. This two and a third mile long section is well surfaced, entirely level and free from cycle barriers along its length. It is a very pleasant bike ride, but slightly spoilt by the smell from the many sewage works along the route. Unfortunately south of Hyde the path degrades considerably.

The Canal starts at Portland Basin, opposite the Industrial Museum which also has a cafe, providing a useful tea stop if you have cycled here some distance. Access from Ashton-under-Lyne town centre is via the Ashton Canal tow path, which slopes gradually down from Cavendish Street, opposite the Asda supermarket, and has no access barriers. However, from this direction you will need to get over the steep cobbled bridge to get to the tow path.

You can't miss the start.



To the left of the sign, go under the towpath bridge and round to the right



and immediately over the River Tame on a stone aqueduct. On the left is the Portland Basin Marina which is on the Alma Street Branch.



The canal then passes under the ornate railway bridge, the former site of Duckinfield Central station.



Beyond the railway, the view of the River Tame opens up briefly



and the path takes on a pleasant rural character.



The path is surfaced with a light-coloured tarmac finish that blends in well with the surroundings, whilst marking it out clearly.



There were a few boats and the occasional angler when I rode the route.



The next bridge is a lift bridge which is the access to Plantation Farm.



Beyond the canal gently curves to the left



and then passes under another railway bridge. This one has rather limited headroom.



The next road bridge is the only serious obstacle for larger cycles



because the path under the bridge is quite narrow and uneven.



To the right side of the canal you get the occasional view of the sewage works and other industrial plants, showing the rural character is a well crafted illusion.



This bridge provides access to Globe Lane.



On the opposite bank you pass Warble Boatyard.



The next bridge gives access across the canal to Newton Hall, a reconstructed 14th century house and on the right is Jet Amber Fields.



There is a final section of a rural character



before the canal hits the M67 motorway where it was realigned.



Beyond the motorway lies Hyde Wharf.



Here the high quality surface suddenly ends to be replaced by a narrow grit track.



Passing under the Manchester Road Bridge the towpath is sent up and over the canal, though there is now a stretch of bridal way on the other side.



From here the towpath is narrow and unsurfaced



and soon degrades into stretches of deep mud, so it is best to leave the path at Manchester Road, unless the weather has been very dry, or you don't mind getting very muddy...






View Peak Forest Canal 1 in a larger map