A circuit on the canals in Manchester :: Geo-Trips

Geo-Trips :: A circuit on the canals in Manchester

Manchester

A walk from Piccadilly Basin, Tue, 20 Jan 2026 by Christopher Hilton

The construction of the New Islington Marina, which creates a corridor between the two canals heading uphill out of Manchester city centre, enables an easy circuit up one canal and down the other.

Click the blue circles to see a photograph taken from that spot and read further information about the location. The blue lines indicate the direction of view. There is also a slideshow of this trip. ( Auto-sync scrolling and map dragging )

↓ Scroll down here ↓

Manchester: Piccadilly Basin
Piccadilly Basin, formerly Dale Street Basin, was a canal depot where the Rochdale... more

Dale Street Lock, Rochdale Canal
For a period in the twentieth century, the only navigable section of the Rochdale... more

Ducie Street Junction, Manchester
At Ducie Street Junction the Ashton Canal emerges from under the bridge in the... more

Rochdale Canal, from the footbridge at Ducie Street Junction

Rochdale Canal: Ducie Street Junction, from the footbridge
The Ashton Canal can be seen emerging from under a bridge on the left side of the canal.

Rochdale Canal and basin

Rochdale Canal: Brownsfield Lock from under the Tariff Street bridge

Rochdale Canal at Brownsfield Lock

Rochdale Canal, looking towards the Great Ancoats Street bridge
Taken from the point at which the towpath is raised on a bridge over the mouth of... more

Rochdale Canal at Lock 82

Rochdale Canal above Lock 82

Royal Mill, by the Rochdale Canal above Lock 82

Entrance to Royal Mill, across the Rochdale Canal

Moored narrowboat on the Rochdale Canal at Royal Mill, Ancoats

Rochdale Canal at New Islington, Manchester
On the right, the fence of New Islington Free School. New Islington is an area... more

Rochdale Canal: entrance to New Islington Marina
Looking from the marina out onto the main Rochdale Canal. The footbridge seen here... more

Moored narrowboat, New Islington Marina, Rochdale Canal

New Islington Marina, Rochdale Canal

Keepers Quay, New Islington Marina, Rochdale Canal

New Islington Marina, Rochdale Canal

Old Mill Street, New Islington Marina, Rochdale Canal
Old Mill Street divides the two sections of New Islington Marina, the large... more

Ashton Canal, at the entrance to New Islington Marina
Looking down the canal towards Lock 2; on the right is part of the bridge that... more

Ashton Canal, at the entrance to New Islington Marina
Looking up the canal towards Lock 3; on the left is the bridge that spans the... more

Ashton Canal, Lock 2

Ashton Canal: looking from Lock 2 down towards Lock 1
On the right, the entrance to the former Islington Branch, now curtailed.

Ashton Canal: entrance to Islington Branch
The Islington Branch is now a short stub between new housing, but previous was... more

Ashton Canal, Islington Branch
The Islington Branch is now a short stub between new housing, but previous was... more

Ashton Canal, looking up towards Lock 2

Ashton Canal: Lock 1 from under the Great Ancoats Street bridge
Lock 1 was previously doubled, presumably to relieve pressure on this busy... more