Hi All, Hoping the Mancunians can help.

I want to cycle from Manchester town centre to the Trafford centre, ideally off road, canal type disused railway type stuff…..I’ll have skinny tyres.

I don’t know Manchester at all and it may well be dark given the nights are drawing in so I’ll take a longer clearer route over street by street navigation (with in reason !)

I’ve searched on the Trafford centre site, sustrans and city council cycle maps though none of them are much of a help to someone who doesn’t know the area well.

psa…I wouldn’t recommend the Trafford centre sustainability policy as a riveting read.

Many Thanks in advance

The Bridgewater canal will take you straight there, but I’m not sure if you get a clear run at cycling it westwards out of the city centre, the towpath looks a little broken up. Someone else here will know for sure.
Once it branches to go past the trafford centre that part is fine – I’ve rode that and it’s a bit muddy and decrepit but easily cyclable.

You can drop onto the towpath from Chester Road right here

You’ll carry on past the back of Old Trafford into Tarfford Park, where you get to a foot bridge here , cross over the canal there and follow the towpath round as it bears right. Bobs yer aunties live-in-lover

Ahhh excellent, that first map suggest Rochdale Canal links directly to Bridgewater…I’ll be on the Rochdale canal path, anyone done the link from one to the other, is it navigable / sign posted?

The rochdale canal stops at the bridgewater canal at castlefields you just need to cross a bridge. The tow pathfrom castlefields to the trafford centre is mostly a dirt track so expect to get muddy

Thanks for that, mud does appear to be on the cards either way….

Should I be mostly worried about the mud or those who hang around the canal in the dark…

I sometimes cycle home that way, but only in summer. very muddy at the moment and not sure what time they lock the gate which takes you into the car park of the homewares part of the trafford centre. if its in the next couple of weeks you can follow me on the road – usually leave manchester 5:30-6:00

Why has it been raining 🙂