Manchester City Centre
December 20, 2023.
PICADILLY STATION, ASHTON CANAL, WETHERSPOONS, MANC ART GALLERY, THIS & THAT, MILLSTONE, SEVENOAKS, CITY TAVERN.
Distance: No idea
Difficulty: Not at all
Weather: Raining cats and dogs for 30 mins then fine
Walkers: TomC and AlastairC
Alternative walkers/diners/drinkers: SimonW, KeithW, CliffW, AndyB
Late Arrival: Jock McFarland
Apologies: Everyone else
Leader: Cunliffe/Cairns. Diarist: Cunliffe
Starting point: The “Victory over Blindness” monument at Picc Station
Starting time: 9.50am. Finishing time: whenever
With a sorry number of attendees and so many cry-offs, it was left to “we two, we happy two” to sally forth. Unbeknown to your diarist, Jock Mc arrived at our RVP but we’d already set off, apparently he took a few train numbers then went looking for us at the Kabana. Oh dear!
Our plan was to walk along the Ashton canal to reach Audenshawe by noon then board a tram back to Manc for lunch. Sadly the weather turned decidedly soggy for the first 30 mins, there was no way this could be described as enjoyment, with a heavy heart we reluctantly retreated to the warmth and comfort of the Piccadilly Wetherspoons.
Alastair spotted something especially noteworthy before leaving the canal: we reckon we were lucky enough to be one of the first to see Banks’s latest Urban Art creation, there was no title but I reckon it must have been called “Man Having a Piss” see pic.
At Spoons a new plan was hatched involving a visit to the Man Art Gallery, just a couple of hundred yards away, where we could while away the next hour in a warm building before our lunch. We eased on over to Thomas Street and waited for other walkers/diners/drinkers to join us. Keith suggested we pop into the Millstone for an aperitif before taking up our reservation at the world famous Indian Restaurant - This and That on Soap Street - see pics. And what a delight it was too; any three curries on offer for just £6, add rice £7 add a chapati £8, what an absolute delight.
On leaving the restaurant we visited a couple more pubs (Circus Tavern Tavern, Sevenoaks and City Tavern) before your diarist had to withdraw. I believe the remaining fellows had one for the road at the Bull’s Head.
Next week's walk will start at 9.40am from the car park at High Lane Village Hall, off Windlehurst Road, High Lane (SK6 8AB) aiming for a livener at The Boar's Head, 2, Shrigley Road North, Poynton (SK12 1TE) for about 12.15pm and finishing at The Bull's Head, 28, Buxton Road, High Lane (SK6 8BH) around 2.15pm.
Happy wandering !
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