COMMUNITY WALK FROM ORDSALL COMMUNITY CAFÉ
By Sylvia Sharples, Community Reporter
For the past three weeks on a Wednesday a walk has been arranged, leaving the café at 10am and returning at 11 am. I missed the first week, when I am told quite a few people turned up, and everyone enjoyed a leisurely walk down to Salford Quays.
My husband and I turned up for the second walk where we were accompanied by Charlotte the Park Ranger. Leaving the café (giving extra time for more people to turn up) we walked down through some open space which I didn’t even know existed. Unfortunately it was strewn with rubbish and I couldn’t believe that some local group hadn’t tried to clear it up. We then went through Ordsall Park, and the smell of new mown grass was overpowering. This area was very clean and well kept. We continued down towards the canal and the moment we reached the tow path the peace and quiet was unbelievable, it was another world. The water was like a mill pond and we saw quite a few pairs of mallard ducks busying themselves with their daily routine. We even saw a couple of coots. I imagined how busy the canal must have been in the past with shipping and barges up and d
own. The remains of the davits and mooring bollards, now sadly unused, was very poignant of people’s working lives in another age.
Our route continued past walls full of graffiti, very artistic, but in the wrong place. I had remarked I had noticed it from the window of the tram, the previous week. How all this could have been painted with nobody complaining is hard to believe.
We then turned off the tow path and crossed the road near the Bricklayers Arms and noticed what a lovely building it was. We then made our way up by the Neighbourhood Office and back along Tatton Street to the café.
During our walk we got to know Charlotte and exchanged views on all sorts of subjects. We also talked about our various backgrounds and things we had done in the past and our current interest, now that we are retired. All in all it was a great success and very therapeutic.
This last Wednesday I was the only one who turned up, which was disappointing. A new Park Ranger, Steve, whose area is Albert Park had come along to see Charlotte’s area. I was asked where I wanted to walk and suggested the same walk as described above. This time I took my camera and took a few photographs, which are shown in this report.
The weather had been threatening to cancel the walk, but it remained dry for the duration. We walked back through the New Barracks Estate, and Regent Square Park which is another oasis, and hidden gem to those who have no occasion to walk through the estate. We returned to the café and I thanked the Rangers for accompanying me.
Without this opportunity I would have never have gone down to the canal on my own as it is far too lonely. We only saw one person on the second trip, but would not feel comfortable going down there alone. Here’s to next week, weather permitting!
By Sylvia Sharples, Community Reporter
For the past three weeks on a Wednesday a walk has been arranged, leaving the café at 10am and returning at 11 am. I missed the first week, when I am told quite a few people turned up, and everyone enjoyed a leisurely walk down to Salford Quays.
My husband and I turned up for the second walk where we were accompanied by Charlotte the Park Ranger. Leaving the café (giving extra time for more people to turn up) we walked down through some open space which I didn’t even know existed. Unfortunately it was strewn with rubbish and I couldn’t believe that some local group hadn’t tried to clear it up. We then went through Ordsall Park, and the smell of new mown grass was overpowering. This area was very clean and well kept. We continued down towards the canal and the moment we reached the tow path the peace and quiet was unbelievable, it was another world. The water was like a mill pond and we saw quite a few pairs of mallard ducks busying themselves with their daily routine. We even saw a couple of coots. I imagined how busy the canal must have been in the past with shipping and barges up and d
own. The remains of the davits and mooring bollards, now sadly unused, was very poignant of people’s working lives in another age.Our route continued past walls full of graffiti, very artistic, but in the wrong place. I had remarked I had noticed it from the window of the tram, the previous week. How all this could have been painted with nobody complaining is hard to believe.
We then turned off the tow path and crossed the road near the Bricklayers Arms and noticed what a lovely building it was. We then made our way up by the Neighbourhood Office and back along Tatton Street to the café.
During our walk we got to know Charlotte and exchanged views on all sorts of subjects. We also talked about our various backgrounds and things we had done in the past and our current interest, now that we are retired. All in all it was a great success and very therapeutic.
This last Wednesday I was the only one who turned up, which was disappointing. A new Park Ranger, Steve, whose area is Albert Park had come along to see Charlotte’s area. I was asked where I wanted to walk and suggested the same walk as described above. This time I took my camera and took a few photographs, which are shown in this report.
The weather had been threatening to cancel the walk, but it remained dry for the duration. We walked back through the New Barracks Estate, and Regent Square Park which is another oasis, and hidden gem to those who have no occasion to walk through the estate. We returned to the café and I thanked the Rangers for accompanying me.
Without this opportunity I would have never have gone down to the canal on my own as it is far too lonely. We only saw one person on the second trip, but would not feel comfortable going down there alone. Here’s to next week, weather permitting!
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