STOCKPORT ASHTON LOOP

                                                 
Finally sorted a nice quiet route from Stockport to Ashton and back.

    From Morrison's I headed for Stockport and dropped down to the Trans Pennine Trail at the green bridge by Gorsey Bank (as was)
    Followed the signs for the TPT through the heart of Stockport and out to the bottom of Lancashire Hill. Up the hill and first right and back onto the Trail, took the first left on the trail and ended up just above the giant TESCO's.
    Crossed the road using the lights and into Reddish Vale. Up the weird green hill and all the way to the visitor centre. Turned right and then, avoided the hill up to Reddish and dived right onto the Trail, heading for Broadbottom.
    Followed the trail all the way through woodland and past a poor cyclist with his bike upside down and a patch in one hand. He looked like a proper cyclist with a bedroll and tent. Made sure he was OK and had everything he needed. Thought his accent might have been Dutch.
    Up the rocky road (and it is rocky, trust me) past all the horses and over the M60, past that lovely old farm and thence into Denton, past a pub called "The Jolly Hatters". and up to the main road, Stockport Road in Denton. Took in the view of St Lawrence's church, first built in 1468, black and white timbered building.

pub just off Ross Lave Road

St Lawrence's church Denton

Crossed the road with lights right at the pub, Old Chapel House and went straight along St Lawrence's Road to where it curves left. Here I went off road onto a rough heathland path and bumped and rolled downhill till I came to a kind of T junction. Here I went left through a really substantial set of gates with some lovely horses in the field nearby. Up past various buildings onto Watson Street, which in about fifty yards brings you to the large main road, Manchester Road. 

     I crossed over and headed right for about thirty yards, crossing the River Tame, then left onto the riverside path. It's really nice here and have made a note to explore this path further. I went right under the M67 and along for about a quarter of a mile, till I suddenly saw a wooden sign pointing uphill and right - The Peak Forest Canal!

    A substantial encampment of tents with a fire burning was on the right. Got up onto the canal towpath, turned left for Ashton and just tootled happily along to the Portland Basin, where I took a left onto the Ashton Canal.

    Stayed on the towpath till bridge 20 at Audenshaw, where I turned left and went along Audenshaw Road to pick up signs for The Fallowfield Loop.

    This part takes you past St Anne's school and through a new estate and out onto the fields of Wright Robinson Sports College. Rather than head off to Fallowfield I dropped left down to the reservoir and then used the underpass to cross Hyde Road. I was now next to Gorton cemetery and followed the path till it ran out. Weaved round some metal garages and up to and across Reddish/Gorton Road and went up towards the cycle signs for Brinnington and Reddish Vale. 

    Here I turned right along Harcourt Street which is nice and quiet and followed signs to South Reddish. Went back into Reddish Vale park and headed right, bringing me back to near huge Tesco's.

    The rest is straightforward.