Manchester's canals: Castlefield to Ancoats
Along the Rochdale Canal through the heart of Manchester, from the Roman fort at Castlefield to the mills of Ancoats.
- Distance
- 4 km
- Ascent
- 20 m
- Time
- 1–1.5 h
- Grade
- Easy
- Route
- Linear
- High point
- 55 m
Drag along the profile to see where you are on the map.
Offline navigation is coming in the TRXO app. Hear when it launches.
Route mapped on from OpenStreetMap paths, with heights from EU-DEM terrain data; not yet checked on the ground by TRXO. Added to TRXO on . For planning only: always navigate with an up-to-date map such as OS Explorer or Harvey. How we make our routes.
About this walk
Manchester's canals: Castlefield to Ancoats is an easy 4 km linear walk with 20 m of ascent, taking 1 to 1.5 hours. It starts at Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop (grid reference SJ 834 975). The start can be reached by public transport.
Manchester grew up on its canals, and the towpaths still make the best walk across the city centre. From Castlefield, where the Bridgewater Canal ends among railway viaducts and the remains of a Roman fort, the Rochdale Canal climbs through a flight of locks past the bars of Canal Street.
Beyond Piccadilly the towpath leads into Ancoats, where the huge cotton mills of the industrial revolution have become flats around a new marina at New Islington.
Route
-
1
Castlefield
Start among the canal basins and railway viaducts of Castlefield.
-
2
The Rochdale Canal
Follow the towpath up the locks past Canal Street to Piccadilly.
-
3
Ancoats
Continue past the old cotton mills to the marina at New Islington.
Summit
Questions about this walk
- How long does Manchester's canals: Castlefield to Ancoats take?
- Most walkers take 1–1.5 hours for the 4 km route, which has 20 m of ascent. That allows for short stops; give yourself longer in winter, in poor weather or with a group.
- Where does the walk start, and where can I park?
- It starts at Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop (grid reference SJ 834 975). City-centre car parks (charge); easier by tram or train.
- Can I get there by public transport?
- Metrolink to Deansgate-Castlefield, or trains to Deansgate. Finish at New Islington tram stop. Check times on Traveline.
- How hard is it?
- It's graded easy. Flat towpaths, cobbled in places, with a few short climbs beside the locks and some sections on pavements.
- Can I take my dog?
- Yes, dogs are welcome on this walk. Before you go: The towpaths are shared with cyclists: keep children and dogs away from the edge.
Walked this? Tell the next walker
No reviews, condition reports, walkers' photos or trip reports for this walk yet. Yours would be the first.
