Manchesters city centre canal

1. Manchester Piccadilly station

Walk out of the station and down the Station Approach ramp. Continue along the main road for 100 yards (100 metres) until you cross the canal. Turn left onto the road that runs along the canal, and follow the stairs down to the towpath.

Easting: 385219, Northing: 397811

2. Rochdale Canal towpath

Continue walking west, away from Piccadilly. There are seven locks between here and Castlefield - and 84 between here and the eastern terminus of the canal at Sowerby Bridge! The canal threads its way through central Manchester - sometimes in a dramatic cutting with high buildings either side, sometimes at street level. By night, the cafes and bars of Canal Street are the heart of the city's vibrant gay quarter, but are decidedly quieter during daylight hours.

Easting: 382500, Northing: 397500

3. Old Manchester and Salford Junction Canal

After three locks, you'll see the remains of a canal arm head off to the north - that is, on the opposite bank from the towpath. This was the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal. A subterranean waterway with four locks in just half a mile, it ran down to the River Irwell, from where boats could navigate to Bury, Bolton and Warrington. It was abandoned in 1936, but its remains are still intact below the Granada TV studios, and tours are very occasionally offered.

Easting: 383644, Northing: 398090

4. Dukes Lock

Continue under the short Deansgate Tunnel - once almost 400 yards long, but now just a quarter of its original length. By the final lock is an attractive pub, aptly named Dukes 92 - a perfect place to stop for a refreshing drink. This area comes alive during the warm summer months, with sun-loving drinkers relaxing by the locks until well into the evening. Continue past the lock into the Castlefield complex.

Easting: 383188, Northing: 397553

5. Castlefield

This astonishing complex of basins is the heart of two millennia of history, with Roman remains, the pioneering Bridgewater Canal, and the ground-breaking Liverpool to Manchester Railway. Railway viaducts soar above old warehouses reinvented as offices, cafes and hotels. A strong link with the past is maintained by the entertaining Museum of Science and Industry. When you've finished your exploration, head back up to Liverpool Road and left along Deansgate, passing the Great Northern Railway Company's Goods Warehouse. When you reach Bridge Street, take a left to visit the Peoples' History Museum.

Easting: 382930, Northing: 397525

6. Peoples History Museum

The Peoples' History Museum occupies the only surviving Edwardian hydraulic pump house in Manchester, and its galleries chart the history of working people in Britain. The museum has recently undergone a multi-million pound redevelopment, and is set to re-open in early 2010. Amongst other things, the revamped museum will house a cafe with a terrace overlooking the Bridgewater Canal. Once you have finished exploring, return to Deansgate by following Bridge Street until it leads onto John Dalton Street. This road will take you past Manchester Town Hall, where it becomes Princess Street.

Sometimes called the Old Town Hall (as there is a newer extension), its historical clock is actually wound by power generated from the Peoples' History Museum pump house. Dating back to 1877 the Grade I Listed building poses a striking similarity to the Houses of Parliament, and is often used as its double in political dramas. Carry on past the town hall until you reach a crossroads with Portland Street, here you will be able to see the Princess Street Warehouse on the opposite side of the road.

Easting: 383252, Northing: 398240

7. Piccadilly Gardens

Turn left along Portland Street and follow the path until you reach Piccadilly Gardens. This modern green space was developed in conjunction with the city's overall spruce-up for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Here you will find flashy fountains situated alongside historical statues, as well as excellent bus and tram links. The past really mixes with the present here, as the gardens are surrounded by a wealth of Grade I and II Listed buildings, as well as contemporary office blocks and shops. Once you have admired the view, turn right at the gardens and then left along Ducie Street. This will bring you back to the towpath of the Rochdale Canal.

Easting: 384407, Northing: 398267

8. Redhill Street Mills

Without crossing the canal follow it under two bridges until you reach the footbridge at Redhill Street. Here you will be able to see the Redhill Street Mills - a relic from the Industrial Revolution that dates back to 1818 - as well as the Old and New mills on nearby Henry Street.

Easting: 385115, Northing: 398590

9. Manchester Piccadilly station

Head back along the Rochdale Canal in the direction you came, until you reach the main road and the station approach ramp. This will bring you back to the start of your route at Manchester Piccadilly station.

Easting: 385219, Northing: 397811