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Salford Walks - The Salford Trail

31.1 miles (50 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This circular walk explores the city of Salford on a long distance waymarked trail.
On the way the route visits a number of the highlights of the area including Blackleach Country Park, Clifton Country Park, Prestwich Forest Park, the Bridgewater Canal, the River Irwell Sculpture Trail and the Manchester Ship Canal.
The walk starts at the popular Salford Quays where you'll find nice walking trails along the water. There's also the Lowry Theatre, The Imperial War Museum, a shopping centre and cinema complex here. From here the trail heads west past the Manchester Docks towards Eccles. You turn north through Patricfroft, following a shared cycling and walking trail towards the Old Warke Dam at Worsley. Here you pick up the Bridgwater Canal and west before turning north to Ellenbrook and Farnworth.
You continue south east to Walkden where you'll enter the Blackleach Country Park where there's a pretty reservoir. A dismantled railway then takes you towards Roe Green and Egerton Park. You continue north towards Clifton where you'll find Clifton Country Park with its pretty lake and riverside walks along the Irwell. Follow the river east and it will take you into Prestwich Forest Park where there are some popular cycling and walking trails to try.
Here you pick up the Irwell Sculpture Trail and follow the river trail towards Lower Kersal and Manchester city centre. A stretch along the Manchester Ship Canal takes you through Ordsall before returning to Salford Quays.

Salford Trail OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Salford Trail Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Walks near Salford

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

At the western end of the Ship Canal you can pick up the Bollin Valley Way and enjoy a waterside walk along the River Bollin.
For more walking ideas in the area see the Greater Manchester Walks page.

Photos

Salford Quays - geograph.org.uk - 5015

Salford Quays. Start of the walk.

Salford Quays - geograph.org.uk - 2158

The Mariners Canal at Salford Quays, looking towards the Victoria Harbour building.

The Aviary, Worsley

The Aviary,  Old Warke Dam, Worsley. Originally a hunting and fishing lodge.

The Bridgewater canal - geograph.org.uk - 23979

The Bridgewater canal

Blackleach Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 112921

Blackleach Country Park. An urban country park centred on former industrial reservoirs to the north of Walkden.

Clifton Country Park - Clifton Marina - geograph.org.uk - 1774980

Clifton Country Park

Clifton Viaduct, East Lancashire Railway - geograph.org.uk - 758712

Clifton Viaduct, East Lancashire Railway. This railway was opened in 1846, being a line from Manchester to Bury, Accrigton and Rawtenstall. It crossed both the Irwell and the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal by this viaduct. The line was closed in 1970 and the track has now been lifted.

River Irwell, Salford - geograph.org.uk - 7743

River Irwell, Salford. A view of the Irwell just upstream from Littleton Road bridge. 

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Salford Trail.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Salford Trail.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)