New Islington

As predicted leaving the hotel wasn't as quick and clean as I'd have made it had I been travelling without a daughter. That said, travelling without a daughter wouldn't have been anywhere near as much fun!

While she slept I went for a walk and got the car. The hotel - in keeping with all the other Gallic nonsense - only allows cars to stay for two hours and then they must go to a very reasonably priced car park a few streets away. £2/12 hours or £3/24 hours isn't a big deal and it wasn't a great distance.

Manchester is the product of canals. Before the Duke of Bridgewater had Brindley build his canal to the centre of Manchester it was just a sleepy backwater known as a little fishing village on the banks of the Irwell (and the Medlock and the Irk). Following the success of the Bridgewater canal others were built to carry coal into the town and to move textiles and other stuff. This shot is of the Ashton canal and the Islington branch. This area of Ancoats was criss-crossed with canal branches which supplied factories and other industries along their banks. The Ashton and Rochdale ran in parallel here as they climbed away from Ducie basin towards the Pennines and the Ashton survived because of the need for water feeding the Rochdale.

Now this area is being regenerated and after years of being one of the most troubled communities it is attracting funding and interest.

In this shot the Islington branch runs under the bridge to the left while to the right of the lock cottages the mainline of the Ashton climbs away from the city centre. Behind the arched windows to the right of the lock is the tram stop - a new transport system articulating with an old one. My day has featured a different mode of transport and after lots of gentle bimbling at 69mph I find myself home. I hope that your Sunday has been as lovely as mine and that you feel ready for the Monday to come.