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Rochdale Canal - Manchester to Littleborough (★★☆☆☆)

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Last year I had walked the Rochdale Canal between Littleborough and Sowerby Bridge . Ahead of doing that walk, I had already figured that would be the best section of this canal - but having enjoyed that walk, and with there being reduced options for walking (with it being early January), I'm back today to walk the rest of the canal. And so the plan is to head by train to Manchester - and from here it is a short walk along the ring road, before I join up with the Rochdale Canal (it really doesn't matter which Manchester train station you head to). From there I will head on to Littleborough, where I will catch my train home - walking what used to be a busy transportation route across the Pennine Hills. The Rochdale Canal in 1890 (from the Waterway Archives) And so I find myself turning off the ring road of Manchester - and stepping onto the towpath of the Rochdale Canal, which starts off well, with a pretty (and busy) section where the canal meets up with the ring road. From her...
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Teesdale Way - Middlesbrough to Yarm (★★★☆☆)

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On my first walk of 2016, I'm back on the Teesdale Way - this time walking it in the opposite direction to my last walk, when I had walked this trail between  Darlington and Yarm . For this walk, I retain the same destination of Yarm, but am instead starting in Middlesbrough - and specifically at the transporter bridge (which has ceased operation since 2019). Transporter bridge in Middlesbrough Middlesbrough itself does not lie at the end of the Tees - and indeed there are about ten more miles of walking to reach the far end of the Teesdale Way , at South Gare. But the majority of that is not a very exciting walk - mostly following the route of the train line between sites of heavy industry - and in all honesty the section of coast path between Hartlepool and South Gare is probably ones of the worst stretches of the entire coast path around England. But our starting point, should ensure that we stay on the good bit of the  Teesdale Way  - and indeed this is as far as I p...
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Teesdale Way - Darlington to Yarm (★★★★☆)

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I moved up to Teesside a bit under fifteen years ago - and the first thing I did upon moving up was to start walking sections of the Teesdale Way . And for a period I also used to commute to work along part of this trail. Since then I have reduced the amount I walk this trail - favoring slightly more exotic trails that can be found further away. But each year in winter I tend to find time to do this section of the trail between Darlington and Yarm - and it's a nice section of the trail, even at this time of year. And so today, I am continuing that tradition, heading out on the train to Darlington, which is always an town to visit. The town reached the middle of the 19th century with a population of eleven thousand people - and then hit an era of prosperity, as the railway industry grew up around Darlington (the first railway ran past the River Tees from Stockton to Darlington after all).  This resulted in the arrival of heavy engineering and iron foundries. And indeed, the Rob...
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North Downs Way - Folkestone to Charing (★★★★☆)

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Today was my second consecutive day of walking - having walked from Dover to Folkestone on the previous day - and would be the day where I would complete the entirety of the North Downs Way  (including both of the alternate routes between Boughton Lees and Dover). I'm heading out into a misty morning, with a thick bed of low cloud coming up off the sea - and my first task is to head back up Castle Hill (in the north of Folkestone), to join back up with the North Downs Way. Upon reaching the top of the hill, I turn left and start to follow a fairly muddy path that heads past the Channel Tunnel terminal. At this point it is fortunate if you enjoy views of concrete train terminals, with little lorries and cars heading round to board their train - because these views endure for about a mile and a half of walking - after which we turn north, and start to pull away from Folkestone. Channel Tunnel Terminal from the hills Having turned north the view cleans up Although there isn't muc...
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