[1] Leave the centre and turn left to walk along Princess Street until you reach Canal Street. Turn left along Canal Street with the Rochdale Canal on your right.
On the opposite side of the canal there is the “Beacon of Hope” dedicated to all the people who lost their lives due to HIV/AIDS and those living with and affected by the virus (for a closer look you will pass it on the way back) . A little further on notice the barge that the Eden restaurant uses as an eating area. The first bridge was built by The Stockton Forge Co in 1875.
Cross Sackville Street and cross Chorlton Street then at Minshull Street go right over bridge and left onto towpath. Go trough the tunnel at the end of the tunnel turn right up the ramp into Dale Street then turn left towards Ducie Street .
The Rochdale Canal was opened between Rochdale and Manchester in 1799.
[2] Go left along Ducie Street then cross over and just past Jutland Street and at the fingerpost, turn right onto the towpath of the Ashton Canal, pass the 5 ton derrick made by Ellis & Norton, Manchester, keeping the canal on your right.
Note the aqueduct when going over Store Street and at Piccadilly Village there is a 2 ton derrick made by Butler Brothers, Glasgow.
Go under the bridge at Great Ancoats Street and pass the first lock on the Ashton Canal built in 1796 to the New Islington Wharf (see information board) pass the lock keepers cottage and two more locks.
Just past here you can see far to the left the remains of the Victorian Ancoats Hospital which was closed in 1998.
(A) The Ashton Canal was completed in 1796 running from a large basin behind what is now Piccadilly Station climbing eastwards up 18 locks to Droysden and then to Whitelands Basin, Ashton under Lyne. As you walk along the canal you may spot several species of water birds, including Canada Geese.
[3] Continue along the towpath, under bridge 4 at Carruthers Street then at bridge 5 go up the steps and turn right along Beswick Street, across Pollard Street and then cross over Beswick Street before Ashton New Road. Go left at Ashton New road and cross at controlled lights continue left and then immediate right follow the footpath that goes to the right of the terraced houses on Purslow Close. A short distance along the tarmac road turn right down the steps and across the bridge over the River Medlock.
Look for wildlife i.e. wren, robin, blackbird and crows.
At Gurney Street cross the bridge and turn right along the footpath on other side of the river to Palmerston Street. Cross the street and go right past Ardwick Youth Centre built in 1897. Just after the closed pub “The River” bear right along the footpath and keeping to the left footpath with the river on your left until you reach Great Ancoats Street A665.
[4] Go left and use the controlled lights to cross the A665 and right across the A635 then continue up Great Ancoats Street. Cross Helmet Street and after the bend turn left into Gidding Road then right at the junction along to Adair Street. Go left along Adair Street pass the Royal Mail centre, cross over at a convenient point and continue along Travis Street under Piccadilly Rail Station. At Fairfield Street turn right pass the Taxi rank and use the controlled lights to cross London Road, continue along Fairfield Street past the Old Fire Station. Use the controlled lights to cross Aytoum Street and Chorlton Street and go along Whitworth Street with the large buildings of the Manchester University on the left hand side.
(B) The Old Fire Station was built in 1906 and served as central Manchester's main fire station until it was vacated by the Greater Manchester Fire Service in 1982. Since then it has stood empty, dilapidated and gradually deteriorating.
[5] After a short distance go right into Sackville Gardens which was purchased by the Manchester Corporation in 1900, and go diagonally across the park.
(C) In the centre there is a statue of Alan Mathison Turing who was born in London in 1912 and in 1936 he published “On Computable Numbers” about a machine that would carry out thought processes using numbers and so he became known as the Father of Computer Systems. During the Second World War he broke the Germans Niva Enigma Code and helped to save thousands of lives. After the war he came to Manchester University and he contributed to building and programming the first all-electronic computer. In 1952 he was prosecuted for his relationship with another man, after that he was persecuted and in 1954 he was found dead at his home after taking a bite from an apple laced with cyanide.
At the far side of the park stands the “Beacon of Hope” and at the exit onto Sackville Street there is an information board.
[6] Go right at Sackville Street over the canal bridge; turn left along Canal Street then right at Princess Street to arrive back at the starting point.