Monday 14 September 2026 - GM Ringway Trail Stage 13 - Bury to Bromley Cross

This was a repeat visit for me, Sue and Paul, bur it was Jeanette's last stage to give her a full house of all 20 stages of the GM Ringway Trail. My diary entry for the previous visit on 30 September 2025 is here.

We caught an early tram to Bury, so as to start walking soon after 9 am. A familiar stroll took us past the statue of Robert Peel and on towards the footpath beside the River Irwell.

After a short stretch beside the river, with the sickly smell of Himalayan Balsam and the brown mess of spent Rosebay Willowherb, we turned onto Woodhill Road and passed a well maintained house that appears to date from 1710.

Burrs Country Park, with its numerous industrial sculptures, drew us to the river again, and to the Lamppost Café. Much more friendly than on our previous visit.

Though Rufus struggled to release any of his elevenses.

A tall chimney dominates a variety of exhibits.

Our progress beside the Irwell was studied by a heron, high in a tree across the river, near some nest boxes.

A picture of the weir that Paul once paddled over is de rigueur at this point.

Our target for lunch, the Peel Tower, came into view in the distance.

The river is left for a while for us to take good paths around the privacy conscious Bank Top Farm, to re-cross the East Lancashire Railway near Summerseat.

Nice woodland paths took us ever closer to the Peel Tower.

No chance of refreshments at this site of a restaurant.

From here the lane passes some nice little houses.

The others took the same short cut to the tower as last time, but I continued on the more gentle gradient of the GM Ringway route that eventually doubled back towards the tower after dodging a massive lorry that was coming down the track. With the tower behind me, it was a good panoramic view to nearby villages and the Pennines.

Meanwhile, Jeanette recorded Sue and Paul's slog to the high point of the day.

Lunch was taken in the crater resulting from a WW2 attack on a battalion of cardboard tanks. (Maybe.)

The clear air gave us good views across Greater Manchester to the Welsh hills beyond. Sadly, my picture is under exposed and Jeanette's is over exposed.

We bumped into Steve, one of Paul and Jeanette's 'Potato' friends who we spent the day with on 30 May, lounging on a bench with his lunch, admiring the view. He was also walking stage 13. We didn't see him again.

We were soon descending steeply through Redishire Wood, where Sue found a Cep that we enjoyed later with the last portions of a beef stew that we didn't quite manage to get through last week in Scotland. However, a fine addition to the meal we enjoyed on our 24th wedding anniversary.

Delicious Cep

Steeper than it looks!

On we marched, towards Affetside, past some very pretty rare breed sheep.

Lovely views back to Peel Tower.

It's a steep pull past a Land Rover awaiting restoration, to the cross at Affetside, where our flasks were drained and Rufus gave a vivid demonstration of his feelings.

Good paths then reached the Kingfisher Trail and Jumbles Reservoir.

Soon we were on the platform at Bromley Cross station, where some children vied for the privilege of taking our group picture.

Jeanette was joyous on her 'Compleation' of the GM Ringway Trail. "What's next?"

Here's our route - 19 km with 470 metres ascent, taking less than 6 hours.

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Friday 4 September 2026 - GM Ringway Trail Stage 12 - Norden to Bury

This was a repeat of our walk on 25 September 2025 that Jeanette missed due to injury.  A diary entry for that walk is here, including a map of the route.

I'm having technical problems uploading photos and have little to add to those taken in the sunshine last year. Those that do upload tend to be in the wrong order.

Bear with me. Anyway, today we had intermittent drizzle - most welcome after the summer's drought, but not ideal for photography. 

After the 9:03 from Victoria to Rochdale, and an Uber that dropped us outside a café in Norden, we enjoyed coffee and cake before setting off back up the path to Greenbooth Reservoir, past a Vauxhall Viva that will be lovingly restored. 

After the reservoir we ascended Knowle Hill, close by towering wind turbines, to the high point of the day, with extensive views over Greater Manchester and beyond.

After the gentle descent, we reached the remains of Cheesden Lumb Mill for a coffee break sitting on the stone remains. 

Above and below - pictures from the steep climb to Scotland Lane

The walk continued through pleasant countryside, passing last year's lunch spot before the steep climb to Scotland Lane, from where the picture below shows a private bit of parkland.

Lots of fungi, including these Apioperdon pyriforme (aka Pear shaped puffball).

Lunchtime, in the absence of any suitable benches, drifted into the afternoon, by which time we had crossed the M66 motorway and entered the Nature Reserve at Chesham Green Wood. Plenty of benches here.

Good paths led to Burrs Country Park and the River Irwell, from where a kilometre of pavements got us to Bury Metrolink station before 4:30 for a gentle ride home.

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