[1] Leave the centre and turn left to walk along Princess Street until you reach Canal Street. Follow the path down to the other side of the canal and walk under the bridge. This is the Rochdale Canal. Keep walking alongside the canal, passing Oxford Street lock and underneath busy Oxford Street. Keep straight ahead, passing the entrance to the Bridgewater Basin on your right, adjacent to the Rain Bar.
(A) The Rain Bar is located in an old umbrella factory. As you walk along the canal you may spot several species of water birds, including Canada Geese. The Rochdale Canal has nine locks through the centre of Manchester. During the period when most of the canal was closed to navigation the locks remained open as part of the ‘Cheshire Ring’ but were notoriously difficult to operate.
[2] Pass more locks and a weir, keeping the canal on your right. Pass Tib Dock and go under a bridge. Then walk up a ramp to reach Whitworth Street, adjacent to the Cheerleaders Bar. Ahead and across the road you can see Deansgate Station. Walk to the end of Whitworth Street to reach Deansgate. Use the pedestrian crossing and island to cross Deansgate. Continue straight ahead once across, heading underneath a railway bridge. Immediately past the bridge take the ramp on the right to join the canal towpath.
[3] Turn left, keeping the canal on your right, and walk under a stone footbridge. This will bring you to the junction of the Rochdale and Bridgewater canals.
(B) Dukes Lock is the 92nd and last lock on the Bridgewater Canal. It marks the end of the Bridgewater Canal and the start of the Rochdale Canal. It was named after Francis Egerton, Duke of Bridgewater. He had to pay for the construction as a condition of being able to connect his canal to the Rochdale Canal.
Just past here you will see Albert’s Shed on the left. Turn left here and take the flight of steps opposite. Walk straight ahead to the Bridgewater canal basin.
[4] This is a delightful area and well worth a detour! Keeping the canal on your right, turn left and follow the path to eventually cross two bridges. The first is a straight metal bridge and then an arch bridge to reach the opposite side of the canal. Turn right and follow the canal past Choice Bar and over a wooden bridge. You can see Jackson’s Wharf straight ahead.
[5] Turn right towards the striking arched bridge, crossing it towards Catalan Square. On the far side of the square is a cobbled road. Turn left here and pass under a railway bridge. Take the flight of steps straight ahead, walking towards the Roman fort, Mamucium.
(C) The castra, or fort, was founded in AD79 and guarded the road between Deva Victrix (Chester) and Eboracum (York). During the Industrial Revolution sections of the ruins were built over, and the site is now protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Spend a few minutes here to have a look at the ramparts and the Roman Bench, then follow the path which curves to the right. Then turn right again towards the blue tourist fingerpost sign.
[6] Turn left and walk along Duke Street, crossing Rice Street, to reach Liverpool Road. Cross at the zebra crossing and continue ahead, passing the entrance to the Museum of Science and Industry. After a short distance you will see the entrance to St John’s Gardens on your right. Enter the gardens and walk through to the gate on the far side, leading onto St John Street. Walk along St John Street to reach Deansgate.
(D) St John’s Street is the only surviving Georgian terrace in central Manchester, and is at the heart of the St John’s conservation area. It is well known as home to several barristers’ chambers and private medical consulting rooms.
[7] Turn left and on reaching the first set of traffic lights (at the junction with Peter Street) cross Deansgate. Walk for a few yards along Peter Street and you will see a short flight of steps ahead. Head up these and keep walking straight ahead along Windmill Street. After a few minutes you will see Manchester Central (formerly G Mex) on your right and Bridgewater Hall behind.
(E) Bridgewater Hall is an international concert venue that opened in 1996 at a cost of £42 million. It hosts over 250 performances a year. To ensure the hall remains acoustically separated from the city noise the entire building rests on 300 giant steel springs.
[8] Cross over the tramlines at the pedestrian crossing. Turn left towards Oxford Street and St Peter’s Square.
(F) You may want to take a short detour to look at the canal basin and water feature to the side of Bridgewater Hall.
On reaching Oxford Street cross over. Walk in the same direction through St Peter’s Square with the library and rear of the Town Hall on your left. At the far side of St Peter’s Square turn right onto Princess Street. Cross Portland Street and then cross Princess Street to arrive back at the starting point.