Walk Leader: Stephen Martin

Number on walk: 4

Distance: 19 miles

Weather: Sunny

Day 9
Irlam to Sale Water Park 19 miles 230ft Ascent
Start - off road carpark W3W whiplash.boxer.wires
End - Sale water park W3W speeds.sparks.focal

The final leg of the Greater Manchester Ringway. Four walkers set off from Irlam at 8.10am from New Moss Woods car park along wide stoned tracks to pick up the Glazebrook Trail. Skirting Cadishead, we headed over a few ploughed, but dry, fields to Warburton and crossing the toll bridge over Manchester Ship canal. After a short break, good paths took us through Dunham Woodhouses and onto Dunham Massey where we stopped for a coffee, ice cream break and toilets. Deers could be seen displaying full antlers whilst sheltering under the trees from the sun.

Leaving Dunham Massey a short walk brought us to Altringham War Memorial were we took lunch. Shortly after lunch we where in Altringham town centre with its open market and cosmopolitan style bars and cafes. After a short tour of the town centre we soon picked up the Bridgewater canal that would lead us back to Sale Water Park . There were a couple of excursions off the canal, one taking us to Walton Park to visit the aircraft crash site where a Wellington bomber came down on the 3 rd August 1943 killing two of its six crew. After a little zig zagging through Sale we crossed the M60 dropping down into Sale Water Park to complete the GM Ringway finishing at 3.05pm Another warm, dry day on mainly good paths with the exception of some dry ploughed fields. Could be completed in walking shoes.

Highlights include:.
– Airy views from the toll bridge above Manchester Ship Canal, so important for the
development of the metropolis
 – The Grade I-listed St Werburgh’s Old Church in Warburton, possibly the finest small
church along the whole route of the GM Ringway
 – An easy and well-signposted section of the  Bollin Valley Way  past a series of country pubs
 – An exploration of Dunham Massey, which with its 17th-century hall and deer park is one
of the finest National Trust properties in the UK
 – A ‘secret’ route into Altrincham town centre via quiet pathways and ‘Goose Green’ with
its bars a – Quiet paths and byways that give a flavour of Altrincham’s past as a Cheshire
market town
 – A little-known nature reserve off the Bridgewater Canal, featuring ponds and woodland
 – Walton Park, Worthington Park and Priory Gardens, havens of greenery close to Sale town
centre
 – The shores of Sale Water Park, with its sailing boats and views over Broad Ees Dole nature
reserve, rich in birdlife.