A. Make your way down to the moorings at Coal Wharf and put in between the moored barges. Head out of the basin under Merchant’s Footbridge, turning left along the canal toward Salford.

B. Once you pass under the A57 Mancunian Way and leave the restored Castlefield area, an area of industrial waste is entered. The Manchester Ship Canal is never far away and after a mile you pass Pamona Lock, on your right, which is the connection of the two canals. After this the two canals move away from one another.

C. After just under two miles Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United towers above the canal on the left.

D.After passing a massive container terminal the canal splits. To the northwest (right) is Worsley and Leigh, southwest (left) is Stretford and Sale. You are taking the left hand fork.

E. The busy Manchester Metrolink again joins your journey and both transport links continue side by side for 5 miles to Timperley.

F. The Bridgewater Way also begins here, with numerous dwellings and a refurbished towpath, providing many access and egress points as it makes its way through Stretford and Sale.

G. At Stretford there is a small, busy marina surrounded by a pleasant modern housing estate. It is also home to Stretford Cruising Club. Here it is difficult to imagine this is still part of the Greater Manchester urban sprawl.

H. After around 4.5 miles you pass over the River Mersey and under the vast M60 motorway flyover. On your left is Sale Water Park and Chorlton Nature Reserve.

I. The canal and towpath is busy with boaters, fishermen, walkers and cyclists. You will also pass a couple of canal side pubs.

J. Having passed through Sale and a large cemetery on the right, you then pass the Trafford Rowing Club, which shares facilities with Walton Park Sports Centre. This is just over 6 miles into your journey and can be used as an alternative start or finish as there’s parking and access here.

K. You now pass through another large industrial area before the surroundings give way to a more rural feel. After Seamon’s Moss Bridge, at just over 8.5 miles, the scenery abruptly changes to the largely flat, arable countryside associated with the Cheshire Plain.

L. It is obvious you are now within the boundary of Dunham Park, as the fields fall gently away into the valley of the River Bollin, a tributary of the Mersey. After passing through Dunham town the canals skirts Dunham Massey hall, on a high embankment.

M. The canal now crosses the river on an aqueduct, before arriving at the tiny village of Little Bollington. It is then just a short distance to your egress point at the layby by Ye Old No. 3 Public House.