[1] With your back to EAT, go diagonally across the concourse to the short escalator next to the Early Learning Centre. Go up this and continue forward to come out into Market Street. Turn right. Go under the Food Court, cross Cross Street and then turn left into it. Pass the Exchange Theatre, and immediately turn right into Royal Exchange Arcade. Go along this until you reach St Ann’s Square. Turn left.
[2] When you reach St Ann's Church, turn left into St Ann's Street and then immediately right into (A) St Ann's Churchyard (the information boards are quite interesting). Go round the church, keeping it on your right, then turn left by "Framed Opticians" and go along St Ann's Passage to King Street, cross this and go straight ahead into another passage (notice the umbrellas overhead!). Emerge into South King Street, turn left, and almost immediately right into St James’ Square which leads you to John Dalton Street, which you cross carefully at the traffic lights up the hill to your left. Just to the right of Church House you will find Dalton Entry. Go along this and diagonally left across a little court to Mulberry Passage; this will lead to Mulberry Street where you emerge with (B) Manchester’s hidden gem, St Mary’s Catholic Church (built 1794) on your right - believed to be the first Catholic church to be built in Britain after the Reformation. These passageways follow an ancient right of way.
[3] Go straight ahead towards Jordan's Home Rental in Brazennose Street, turn right and continue through (C)Lincoln Square (named after the American president, not the English city – look for the glum-looking statue!). When you reach Deansgate - and notice the new statue of Frederic Chopin, commemorating a concert he gave in Manchester in 1848 - turn right for a few yards to cross it at the lights. Then turn left and take the next road on the right, at the pillar box. This is Hardman Street. You will come to a 'Screenfields' with the Spinningfields Big Screen on your left and 'Prêt a Manger' straight ahead; cross the square diagonally to your left to reach some much older red brick houses, and turn left in front of them. You are now in Gartside Street, and will shortly reach Quay Street.
[4] Turn right here, cross New Quay Street opposite the Granada Television Studios, and continue to the T junction with Water Street, where you turn right. Shortly you will reach New Quay Street again; cross this, and go straight ahead into Left Bank, following the pedestrian sign to Left Bank Bars and Restaurants. You can pay a brief visit to the river bank by going diagonally between Strada and Cafe Rouge, but there are steps at the other end and the direct way along Left Bank is perfectly pleasant.
Either way, you will reach Bridge Street by the (I) People’s History Museum. Turn right for a short distance, use the crossing and then turn left. Cross the bridge into Salford. Just before the bridge steps lead down to a sad, overgrown little garden and a statue of a Victorian gentleman who seems to have lost his name plate. As you cross the bridge (on the right hand side) read the plaque explaining about the tragedy that occured here in 1828.
[5] Once across the bridge, turn right into Browncross Street (this has no nameplate, but there is a Londis store on the corner) and at the T junction go left into another Quay Street. You will shortly reach bollards at a dead end; pass through the bollards and turn right into Chapel Street. This is the A6 – the old main road from London to Carlisle. Notice the recently restored Victorian railway bridge over the road.
This is a much older area, with a high level railway on your left. Once there was a shop under nearly every arch, but some of them are now unoccupied. (E)The interesting brick church on the left, Sacred Trinity, is the third eighteenth century church of the walk; this says something about the rapid development of Manchester at that time, as comparatively few churches were built then .At the junction with Blackfriars Street you will find a strange brick building which was once a police station but is now offices.
[6] Cross Blackfriars Street and continue, then turn right into Victoria Bridge Street and cross Victoria Bridge (look for the regal emblems) back into Manchester. Almost immediately you will reach Victoria Street; cross it, and turn left with the Cathedral on your right. Just before you reach the railway bridge turn right up Hunts Bank towards (F)Victoria Station. Alternatively, just continue along Chapel St to the end, cross the main road at the lights, and go straight up Hunts Bank.
This potentially beautiful station with original nineteenth century tiling and metal-work is in urgent need of restoration. Network Rail have just announced plans to do so, as part of the Northern Hub project. Worth the diversion for a quick look inside. On your right is the medieval Chetham’s School of Music, unfortunately largely obscured by building works for its new extension.
[7] When you reach the station turn right and go along Victoria Station Approach with the station on your left. Cross the road at the pedestrian lights. Turn right just past the BRSA Club to come out into a modern square with a water feature. Continue forward, with the Urbis Centre (being redeveloped as the National Football Museum) on your left and the Manchester Wheel straight ahead. Then continue into the Triangle and go straight across it to the Cathedral. Go up to the ‘Welcome to Manchester Cathedral’ notice and turn right on the footpath round the Cathedral. The present Cathedral is from the 15th century with Victorian alterations.
[8] Do a circuit of the Cathedral (this footpath involves steps, but there is a route close by on the right that avoids steps and eventually turns left up a pedestrian area with the Cathedral Visitors’ centre on your right.) Turn right into Cathedral Gates with the Old Wellington Inn on your left and the Mitre Hotel on your right, and emerge into Exchange Square.
[9] Use the steps straight ahead, or one of the ramps on your left (the second one you come to is free of steps) to reach New Cathedral Street, and go straight along this to reach Market Street and turn left to return to the starting point.