Irwell Towpath Closed in Ordsall

The floods over the holidays has done considerable damage to the Irwell Towpath in Ordsall. Opposite Pomona tram stop, next to Soapworks the path has been undermined, and much of this section was washed away. Further along the path also seems to be falling towards the river. The gate underneath the tram bridge has been locked shut, so this section is completely unusable and is unlikely to be repaired for many months, and possibly years.



This is in addition to the considerable amount of sand and silt that has been washed onto the lower parts of the path upstream.



So this leaves the many commuters who use this path looking for traffic free alternatives between Salford Quays and Manchester City Centre. You can cycle along Orsall Road, but I wouldn't recommend it.

There are two alternative traffic free routes, though both are unlit, so you need a good set of lights to negociate them at night. The route across Pomona is somewhat disconcerting in the dark, especially with the off-road motorbikes being ridden around, whilst the Bridgewater Canal Towpath is busier, making it feel safer, but you have to concentrate on the path surface to avoid ending up in the canal.

The nearest alternative is across Pomona. Go over the Green Bridge from Woden Street and then go through the gap in the fence on your right before the viaduct and along the muddy path. After a sharp drop the path turns into a wide gravel track.



Here you will be greeted by birdsong and the noise of the trams. Though the birds were quiet on Friday morning because of the presence of a kestrel hovering above the verge.



The track turns to tarmac in places, but watch out for some very deep potholes.



From the bridge over the lock between the Bridgewater Canal and the Irwell the route is then downhill to Pomona Tram Stop.



You then have to get onto the pavement to get through the gate.



From here you get a view of the damage to the towpath and see how it was undermined in the floods.



Then follow the road up to the roundabout by Throstle Nest bridge.



The other alternative route is through Castlefield Basin and along the Bridgewater Canal Towpath. This route has reopened as the remains of the collapsed building have now been removed from the path and the building has finally been demolished.

This is supposed to be an official Velocity Cycle route, but it is pretty poor. The cobbles are quite large and no attempt has been made to fill in the gaps, and on a small wheeled bike you could easilly catch your wheel in one of the gaps and find yourself being thrown into the canal.



There are also several steep bridges over the wharves, which will mean many people will have to get off & push.



The final bridge has a particularly poor surface.



Further along there is a very narrow bridge under a road, though thankfully there is now a handrail which makes it less scary.



And the open sections are covered in thick loose chippings, making it difficult to keep control of the bike, especially when passing cycles coming the other way as you end up on the thicker layers of gravel.



This route again brings you out at Throstle Nest Bridge.

From here there is another section of damage on the Trafford side of the towpath, though it hasn't been closed off yet.



Neither route is ideal, but both offer the chance to avoid the unpleasant experience of cycling on the roads and suffering the threats and abuse from passing motorists...

Fairbottom Branch Canal and Tramway - Waterhouses Junction to Park Bridge

This is Waterhouses Junction, the start of the Fairbottom Branch Canal. This path branches away part way along Hollinwood Branch Canal 3 - Stannybrook Road to Crime Lake.



The canal has water in it at this point and is quite wide.



The path has a good quality grit surface and at this point there are open views to the south.



However, the canal isn't open water for long and fills with plants as the hedgerow starts.



There are a number of benches if you need a rest.



Here the canal crosses Valley Aqueduct near Valley Farm over what used to be the main road used by coaches and wagons between Oldham and Ashton. Here the canal is filled in and is completely dry.



After the aqueduct stay on the right hand side, the path to the left is a path for horses.



Now the canal is in water and this spot is popular with fishermen.



At Bardsley bridge there is access out to the road via a barrier.



Here the canal is dammed to keep the water back from the bridge. The bridge is low because of mining subsidence and the canal closed at this point in 1904 as a result.



It is a steep and rough climb up on the other side.



Here the canal bed is used as a muddy bridleway whilst the tow path is on the right. The tow path here does get muddy in the wet.



The path soon becomes more wooded.



Whilst a bit muddy in places the towpath is pretty good.



The two paths then divide for a while



and come back together as they reach Fenny Field Bridge over the River Medlock. This is the end of the canal.



From here a tramway ran up to Park Bridge. The cycle route roughly follows the route of that tramway.



First it dives into the verge on the left just before the road signs,



then swings round



and back out beside Waggon Road, the route of the tramway.



Here the path is soft and sandy as it is designed for horses rather than pedal cycles. However, it is far better than the cobbled road.



The path takes you up to Park Bridge.



Here there is just one thing missing...



the bridge itself. The viaduct that carried the railway was demolished.



At this point you can join the Ashton to Oldham Greenway in either direction.

Hollinwood Branch Canal 3 - Stannybrook Road to Crime Lake

This post picks up where Hollinwood Branch Canal 2 - Droylsden Junction to Stannybrook Road left off, trying to cross a rather nasty road. The character of the path now changes from quiet Site of Special Scientific Interest into the popular Daisy Nook Country Park. There used to be a hump-backed bridge here to carry the road over the canal, but it is long gone.



Once you successfully cross the road and avoid being hit by the 4x4's in the car park you reach a little building which contains a small tea shop - somewhat of a rarity on most traffic free cycle routes in the Greater Manchester area.



The next thing you see at the end of the car park is this narrow boat shaped play area, sadly the nearest you get to a boat on this whole canal.



A little way beyond there is a small patch of water and then the entrance to what used to be called Dark Tunnel, but it was opened up into a cutting following mining subsidence.



The tunnel section is tarmacked over and infilled.



Past the tunnel, there is another short stretch of water before reaching Woodhouses Aqueduct over the River Medlock.



It has quite a spectacular curved shape.



Next you meet the remains of a lock, and then the canal turns sharply to the left.



Here there were a set of staircase locks.



The canal climbed steeply here past a basin to the canal junction.



This is Waterhouses Junction, the start of the Fairbottom Branch Canal. Here you can join the Fairbottom Branch Canal and Tramway - Waterhouses Junction to Park Bridge.



From here the Hollinwood Branch is in water. The path now goes over this outflow. The route through the water is perfectly ridable on an ordinary bike.



The path then goes under this footbridge



and over a small aqueduct



before the canal widens into Crime Lake.



This was apparently created by accident.



At the end of the lake is the site of Crime Bridge. This has now been filled in and marks the end of the usable section of canal, the next section is rather difficult to follow.



You can exit here onto Cutler Hill Road, though the gap is narrow. If you follow the path round the lake to the car park it is probably easier for larger pedal cycles to exit.