Radcliffe – 05/07/2026 – Leader Glyn Beck

12 Walkers met at Greenbank Road Radcliffe, as everyone arrived early the walk commenced 10 minutes earlier than planned. Before setting off, I gave a brief insight into what to expect on the walk. Also, that there was to be a few stops whilst I read out some history on certain things enroute, the group photo was taken and then we set off. 

We headed down Greenbank Road before taking a left onto cemetery road to take us into the cemetery for our first lesson, it was then out of the cemetery heading north Ish to cross a recently mown field and into Fairclough and Sons farmyard. From here we walked towards St Andrews Road before taking a right turn down a long dirt track before following a footpath through some bushes and eventually through a small tunnel formed by the trees, it was then over the first of only two stiles. To emerge into a field with waist high grass, we followed the well-trodden single person path to the other side of the field to climb our second Stile. This dropped us onto a tarmac path which in turn brought us to the disused Bolton to Bury Train line and our second history lesson. After a while we took a path of to the right to drop down to the Greater Manchester Fire Training Facility, at this point we stopped walking away from the cars and started heading back in the general direction of Radcliffe. Soon we came to the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal and another history lesson, it was then on until we came to the first bridge which we had a bridge photograph taken on. We then crossed the bridge and headed to Elton Reservoir ascending the short steep hill mentioned in the walk description, to have our third history lesson. It was then time for lunch, which we had perched on a small wall. 

After lunch it was only a short walk of about a mile and a half back to the cars, but still time for another short history lesson stood at the side of what was Withins reservoir until a couple of years ago. From here we dropped back down hill to rejoin the Canal passing by some nice cottages, after we joined the canal again, we came across a family of Swans. Then it was back over the canal to follow a tarmac path named the Banana Path which took us back to the cars on Greenbank Road, although just before we got back to the cars our chairman enlightened us about a project he had worked on as an apprentice at General Engineering Radcliffe which was a machine that made Compost. It was then back to the cars well before 1pm to say our goodbyes.

Distance 5.14miles Ascent 284feet (86.56m)

Thanks to Sue G for back marking & Diana M for taking the photos. 

A huge thank you to Judy for doing the website for me.

Write Up by Glyn Beck

‘If you wish to see a static view of the pics all in one go, then click here.’

Continuously running slideshow below – you can see it full screen by clicking in top left of picture