A couple months ago sat on a train I saw work being done on what looked like a gravel path behind forest bank here-ish, wondering if it’s a sustrans thing or some similar cycle route. anyone know if it’s finished yet and if so where it goes to/from?

Was going to suggest it’s NCN6, but that’s the other side of the river. Terra or HTS might know more

Look here.

the new trails are in phillips park, which again is the other side of the river, and a bit further noirth – I think

definitely looked more NCN-ish that a trail centre type fing

The Philips Park trails are about a mile away on the other side of the river.

There is a load of stuff going on round there. Google Newlands / Lower Irwell Valley Improvement Area (LIVIA) for more. Salford, Bury and Bolton local authorities have land in the area. In addition the FC are at the start of a 99 year lease for a big chunk of it.

The whole site used to be a polution black spot until the coal fired power station at Agecroft got the chop 20 odd years ago. Now it has been cleaned up they have to do something with it. The Philips Park trails and the stuff put in at Drinkwater recently are just a part of it.

Hmm might have a look on the way home, I sometimes ride through drinkwater on my commute just wondering if this would be shorter/quicker/better, will explore, if it’s open. I figured it might be another part of the “corridor” into manchester city centre if they could just sort out the bit around salford uni halls of residence it’d be tarmac free all the way.

there was talk some time ago of the trails on the Salford side of the river being improved.
I’m not aware of anything that is happening, but that’s not to say that nothing’s happening (does that make sense).
I will have a look though.

Maybe someone is planning to build a tunnel under the prison wall?

now I’ve looked at your Streetmap link, I think it’s the huge building site across the river, parallel with the Clifton Viaduct (the one you go under if you ride the Waterdale trails on the Philips Park side).

It looks like a factory demolition – loads of JCBs and stuff like that.

I noticed the other day they were doing a lot of clearing of trees that were growing out of the canal stonework.

Is that what you mean ?
I was wondering what it was all for too.

Terra they’re demolishing some of the old pilkington stuff and other buildings here but what I saw from the train just looked like a trail by the side of the canal/waterway.

madbill dunno if it’s the same, I saw it a while ago, haven’t had a look since, hence my question

OK I had a look, as the map suggests it’s a canal towpath type thing, decent surface but pretty much runs parallel to the riverside route that I was already using. Not very useful for me but others might get some use.

commute by dnkydave, on Flickr
Heading into manchester the bit where it crosses the canal (next to the blue 01) you’re onto dirt track, mainly used by crossers by the look of it but it’s in ok condition, this later dumps you in the middle of the industrial estate.

Donk, it’s not ‘Canal towpath’ you are looking for – it’s ‘Canal Street’.
Hth.
Sparkle.
😉

Yes I pass there on my commute aswell 🙂