Coronavirus streets in Manchester - XI

Almost sleepwalking

With the drudgery of sleep in my legs, my mind was elsewhere, the supermarket visit I missed yesterday along with a somewhat purposeful walk in the cool of the evening. From my bed, I charted the shortest route to the Regent Retail Park, then set out to go shopping.

The trek was to take 32 minutes and it took me through Castlefield, the path that formed part of my return journey just over a week ago on Sunday. The queue was about 30 deep and I was soon in the shop, having laden my basket with goods, I was nigh on exhausted at the checkout till.

Packing the heavier bits into my rucksack, I had the rest in a shopping bag and made for home via a slightly different route and through the canal ways of Castlefield that I learnt was the birthplace of Manchester.

Castlefield as the birthplace of Manchester.

Coal and canals were the business.

Where inland waterways began

The Bridgewater name I have been seeing prominently around Manchester belonged to the Francis Egerton, the 3^rd Duke of Bridgewater who happened to be a pioneer of canal building, this took navigation off rivers create courses of water for transport to strategic locations, first with Bridgewater Canal and then improving navigation between Manchester and Liverpool. He consequently made his larger fortune through his canal waterways and coal.

As I have written a bit about the River Medlock, I now have it on good authority that it was not always a malevolent force of nature. It was before the advent of steam-powered machinery used in the 18^th Century on the wharves at the end of the Bridgewater Canal in Castlefield to drive cranes and hoisting machinery powered by waterwheels on the river itself.

River Medlock is not all notorious.

Overlooking Castlefield wharves.

On entry to Castlefield, but I was leaving.

Soon to come alive again

The social places, bars, restaurants, beer gardens are all deserted because of the Coronavirus pandemic, it is amazing how thriving all these venues would have been at a different time. The streets remain sparse, though I could not help but notice that down the road at Bridgewater House, people seem to be back to work and closing late.

For me, there is much more to discover about Manchester, even after over 6 years of living here. Until my next outing, we hope for the best and we look to a better future.

Castlefield on Google Maps.

Coronavirus streets in Manchester - IX

A river tamed

The intention to go for a walk yesterday never happened even though it was a good day for such activity. I just could not decide what to do, so I just stayed at home.

Today, however, I had grand plans though there was little in terms of execution towards achieving that. I donned my shorts, put on my trainers and stepped out in a different direction, not south or east like I used to, but towards the west.

Soon, I caught an unusual view of River Medlock that I first wrote of some 6 years ago, when I visited Philips Park and read of how it flooded and washed away graves of the cemetery that the Victorians culverted most of the river through Manchester until it flowed into the River Irwell.

Blog - Walks through the cycle of life

A tall view of new Manchester

Then, I was walking beside the construction site of Renaker’s Deansgate Square, a group of 4 tower blocks, the South Tower at 64 storeys exceeds the height of Beetham Tower, which at 47 storeys is currently the tallest occupied building in Manchester, in terms of comparatives, it would be the fifth tallest building in the United Kingdom. [MEN: Watch how Manchester's biggest ever skyscraper shot up to soar over the north]

Out onto Deansgate, I took Dawson Street over the River Irwell towards Regent’s Road and stopped off at Regent Retail Park, a shopping precinct that I always sighted but never visited in my over 6 years of living in Manchester.

The huge Sainsbury’s supermarket was quite a big draw with the queue snaking down the whole length of the storefront and almost halfway down the side of the carpark. Obeying social distancing rules, it was about 50 people deep, yet, moving quite fast. I was in the store within 10 minutes.

Mamucium is something old

Leaving the store, I took a separate route back, towards Trinity Way, then onto Water Street where signs, plaques and signboards began to tell the history of canals, railways, and Castlefield, a Roman Wall? Now, that was a surprise as I chanced upon a pavilion and a canal wharf shaped like a tuning fork.

Further on was a rebuilt structure representing the North Gate to Mamucium or Mancunium, the old Roman names of Manchester. These were interesting elements of the history of this city going back around 1,900 years, I had not visited and considered.

People were out but not in droves, many in small groups catching the sun, but even in these pandemic times, just a stroll in a different direction can reveal some intriguing things.

Snapshots of what I saw.