Overview

This is one of the 20 stages of the GM Ringway – the new walking trail for Greater Manchester. Stage 20 connects Stretford with Manchester city centre via a series of waterside paths and heritage sites. The route, quite different in character from Stage 1 of the trail, includes some little-known green spaces and an astonishing series of museums and historical attractions from every age, making it a worthwhile full-day outing.

This route has recently (in 2023) been substantially revised. Firstly, there is a longer section on the canal in Old Trafford, avoiding match-day diversions. Secondly, the Roman gardens in Castlefield are visited as a ‘loop’ so as to avoid closures during events at Castlefield Arena. And thirdly, the route has been improved by using Prince’s Bridge – a newly-opened footbridge across the Irwell from Salford into Manchester.

The route can be followed, downloaded or printed using the mobile-friendly Plotaroute site. To use Plotaroute on your phone’s browser, simply click the map. Then, when you’re ready to start walking, click the tracker icon (bottom right) to show your position as you follow the route. We recommend carrying an additional power source and/or map when following online routes on your phone.

Map and directions

All our walks are available on the mobile-friendly Plotaroute site. They are also being addedto the Go Jauntly app. Written directions can also be downloaded or viewed via the Go Jauntly app link.

Go Jauntly app & PDF link

Feedback on the route

To give any feedback or notify us of any issues with this route, please click on the button below

FEEDBACK

Highlights include

– The vibrant waterside attractions of MediaCityUK and Salford Quays
– The Grade I-listed Ordsall Hall, a 15th-century manor house surrounded by Elizabethan gardens
– Riverside paths along the Irwell, the surprisingly peaceful waterway that separates the cities of Manchester and Salford
– A wander between green and traffic-free spaces of the city centre, including Castlefield’s Roman gardens and fort and Manchester’s Medieval Quarter.

Accessibility and facilities

– Cafe or pub nearby
– Dogs permitted (on a lead)
– Toilet facilities
– Transport via Metrolink, bus, or train

Two shorter options are shown in the city centre for those who wish to save some of the sightseeing for another day.

While some sections may not be fully wheelchair or pushchair-friendly, much of this route is hard-paved and uses canal towpaths (shared with cycles), pavements and well-made paths at Salford Quays and in the green spaces along the route. We will be adding step-free and shorter walks on parts of the GM Ringway over the next few months.

Toilet facilities are available for customers at the many cafes and pubs along the route, some of which are shown on the Plotaroute map. Accessible toilets are also available at Stretford Mall near the start (during opening hours), in the Lowry arts centre at MediaCityUK, and in the Town Hall Extension right at the end of the route.

How to get there

Start point Stretford Metrolink M32 8JN

View start point on Google maps

End point St Peter’s Square Metrolink M2 5PD

View end point on Google maps