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Greater Manchester’s new walking trail, the GM Ringway, takes a step forward next month with the organisers planning a test run of some of the stages in the borough of Trafford. As part of the pilot, participants will get the chance to try out the app and new website for the first time.
Local people are invited to join any of five free guided walks on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 July. They are invited to give feedback to help improve the experience for others as all 20 stages of the trail are rolled out over the coming months. The guided walks include a ramble from Manchester city centre that passes Old Trafford along the beautiful Bridgewater canal, a step-free walk around Sale Water Park, a gentle ‘walk for all’ around Longford Park with the MileShyClub, and a circular walk from Altrincham to Dunham Massey.
The Leader of Trafford Council, Councillor Tom Ross – one of the first people to walk the whole of the trail – will be joining the first of the guided walks on Saturday 15 July.
The Trafford GM Ringway walking weekend includes:
Saturday 15 July 2023
10:30 – Hosted GM Ringway walk from Manchester city centre to Sale Water Park Join us for a scenic 7-mile walk from Manchester city centre to Sale Water Park along the city canals and waterways.
Book here
14:00 – Accessible step-free circular walk at Sale Water Park Join the GM Ringway for a leisurely and accessible 2.5-mile step-free walk around Sale Water Park with experienced and supportive hosts.
Sunday 16 July 2023
10:30 – Altrincham to Timperley History and Heritage walk
Discover the history and heritage of the town, buildings and parks, and parks, exploring the industrial and technology links along the canal
13:30 – Gentle 1-mile walk around Leafy Longford Park
A gentle beginners’ walk around leafy Longford Park, starting with a gentle warm up to improve balance, mobility and coordination.
13:30 – Altrincham to Dunham Massey Circular walk Join us for a scenic walk sampling parts of the GM Ringway – Greater Manchester’s walking trail – and other green spaces in Trafford.
Spaces are limited and must be booked via Eventbrite on a first-come, first-served basis.
The GM Ringway has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players through a £250,000 grant awarded by the Heritage Fund to the countryside charity CPRE, together with The Ramblers, Britain’s walking charity,
Designed around existing footpaths, parks and open-access land, the five stages (1, 18, 19 and 20) in the Trafford area form the start and the end of the trail. As well as the Bridgewater Canal, highlights include Longford Park, green spaces of the Mersey Valley, quiet pathways around Altrincham, and the National Trust’s Dunham Massey estate.
Green in every way, all 20 stages of the entire 188-mile (300-km) GM Ringway are designed to be accessed by public transport. Covering all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, the trail explores an astonishing variety of landscapes, including parks, waterways and beautiful countryside. In addition to its natural beauty, the GM Ringway also allows residents and visitors to explore Greater Manchester’s rich cultural heritage. The route passes more than 40 Grade I and II*-listed buildings, 13 accredited museums, including Trafford’s Imperial War Museum, and 14 scheduled ancient monuments.
For more information and news on the GM Ringway, including route maps, visit GMRingway.org.
