Friday 2nd October 2015, Another Curry Walk

Manchester to Bury, and no curry

The Plan was hatched a couple of weeks ago: Rick and I fancied trying out Bury’s Katsouris eatery and it seemed a good idea to incorporate a little walk into the visit.

Considering that this was early October, the weather was just glorious. Although it was slightly chilly and a little murky first thing it soon warmed up. Walking in shorts proved to have been a good choice.

The Gang of Six convened at Manchester’s Castlefield Tram stop and wandered off through the back streets of Manchester and Salford in search of the River Irwell.

We left the tarmac of Salford’s Crescent to descent to the bank of the River Irwell:

Carrying Manchester’s drinking water all the way from Thirlmere without the aid of any pumping stations, gravity does all the work.

L > R: Sue, Martin, me, John, Rick, Rob 

A compulsory brief sit down was called for coffee and a piece (each!) of Martin’s (equally compulsory) rather wonderful chocolate fudge :-)

Then we carried on walking:

 Dismantled railway line that once ran from Clifton Junction to Bury

One of the Irwell Sculpture Trail’s sculptures. Actually the ONLY sculpture we saw.

Onto the towpath of the disused Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal

A couple or three miles before Bury I spotted a fast walker coming up behind, it was Phil who Rick & I know from Lymm Folk Club. Phil had intended to meet us at the start of the walk but missed us by minutes. He set off, without a map and with only a vague idea of our route – and he caught us up.

What was even more surprising was that he knew t’other John. They used to run together – which is how I first met John. A small world!

Leaving the canal, we then once again followed the River Irwell – although only for a short distance. Half a mile later we arrived at our destination, Katsouris….and lunch. Most of the meals were good, Rick and I got the short straw: a tiny meal that took ages to prepare. Having checked out Trip Advisor it seems our experience was very common. That’s such a shame, the Katsouris in Manchester is really excellent.

(Late) Lunch at Katsouris, Bury

Martin, Sue and John went off home after eating. Rick, Rob, Phil and I wandered the back streets of Bury, guided by Phil, to the Trackside Bar at the Bury station of the East Lancashire Railway. It’s essential that walkers maintain a good level of hydration, so we rehydrated enthusiastically. It was good.

The Beer Menu of The Trackside Bar

Phil and Rob showing off their Tinner’s Rabbits

After a couple of beers each it was time to go home – although not for Phil, he was staying in Bury for a concert. And more beer.

We had a brilliant day out, the route was so much better than I had expected. Although the weather helped enormously, the good company was the icing on the cake. Thanks folks, we’ll plot another Curry Walk soon.

Where we went:

 

Around 12.8 miles with norralot of ascent.

More photographs here.

Good Friday 2015, Cycling the Eight

It’s Good Friday so it must be the Mobberley 8

Every Good Friday there’s a bicycle ride around the pubs of Mobberley. It all started in the 1970s and has continued ever since. It’s not organised, it just happens every year. Apart from last year, when I was walking a section of the South West Costal Path, I’ve done the M8 continually since the mid 1980s.

Whilst most cycle around the route, although in previous years there have been some on horseback, a couple of runners, the inevitable walkers….usually those who have a bike that’s let them down – punctures etc.

In the early days the challenge was to get around nine pubs, starting from the Plough and Flail at twelve o’clock midday, and finishing 2 hours later at the Railway. Why nine pubs? Well, the parish of Mobberley has 8 pubs but the route takes you out of the parish to pass another pub. And it could be considered rude to pass the pub by without calling in for a swift one.

In these days of extended pub opening hours the Mobberley Eight still starts at mid-day, but it’s finish is far more relaxing. Many don’t leave the last pub until 6pm.

This year the event was supported by those fine young ladies (?) of the Macclesfield W.I. Well that’s who they said they were. The contents of the teapot were ever so slightly suspect.

At the first pub, The Plough & Flail:

 

The Frozen Mop:

 Some ladies appear to have taken a wrong turning – in more ways than one

LJH (on the left) engineer and carpenter extraordinaire‎. He built the machine below.

The ‘8’ always attracts some real feats of engineering contrivance, this year was no exception:

Front wheel drive: a 24v motor powered by 2 x 12v GelCells. the motor had a reduction drive and further gearing was via a cobbled-together derailleur mechanism hanging off the front forks. It worked but the lack of a soft-start on the motor made for some interesting standing starts.

Slightly damp conditions kept many away this year, numbers were definitely down

Two pubs were closed this year, the Stag and the Roebuck. This meant other arrangements needed to be made. One substitution was The Mobberley Victory Hall, purveyors of very fine ales indeed:

 

 The Victory Hall’s very tasteful dedication to those who fell

The Route:

 

From Timperley it’s around 25 very gentle miles

A very jolly day, some folk were jollier than others :-)

More photographs here.

Until next year then….

Friday 27th February, In search of curry

The challenge continues…

The challenge wasn’t to find a decent curry – we know very well how to do that, but to find another green route into Manchester City centre, or in particular This and That.

This was a short-notice walk. I’d just returned from two weeks in USA and really needed to get out.

As well as notifying the usual Curry Crew I popped the plan onto the Meetup website and also mentioned it to Judith – who blagged a day off work to join us. This was A Good Thing. In addition to Judith, another newly inducted member of the Curry Crew, Lynn, was able to join us. This was another Good Thing.

Cathy was hoping to join us but at the last moment had been called into work. Hopefully she’ll be able to join us on a future walk.

Lynn and Judith leading, Rick and Martin trying to keep up

The first couple of miles was on the well-trodden and recently re-surfaced Bridgewater Canal towpath. The new surface has made a terrific difference, it used to be just so muddy in many places.

The Watch House (JW Lees fizzy-pop), the oldest building in Stretford

Judith in the dead centre of Chorlton. Sorry…..

Hough End Hall, yours for a lot of money

On the Fallowfield Loop (FLOOP), on the course of an old railway.

Wiki has quite a bit of information on the FLOOP, it’s well worth a quick read.

 

 Entering Platt Fields Park

Platt Fields Park Boating Lake

Lynn and Martin 

A once very grand house in Rusholme 

The Anchor, the former very excellent (Marston’s) Whitworth pub 

Through Manchester University….

…where Alan Turing did much work 

 It might have won an award in 1968, but not in 2015

More Manchester University 

Rick, Martin & Judith…..and curry 

Followed by a beer or two in the Abel Heywood

Where we went:

Around 12 miles of flatness

As ever, another interesting route into Manchester in good company. The curry was as excellent (and cheap!) as ever, and we have two new Curry Crew members, Lynn and Judith.

Unfortunately Lynn had an unavoidable appointment and had to get back to Altrincham as soon as we arrived in Shude Hill. Consequently she wasn’t able to join us for the curry or the beer. this means she’s not been FULLY inducted. Yet.

It was good to meet you Lynn, we all look forward to you being able to join us again before long.

Addendum:

There’s going to be another Curry Walk on Thursday 12th March: