Walk 1:Manchester to Eccles – 22nd January 2027

Start: Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1SX
Finish: Eccles Station, St Marys Road, Eccles, M30 0DN
Distance: Approx. 5.8 miles

City to Sea is a free community walking and coaching project led by Ellie Lloyd-Jones, Paula Zafar and Hilary Mines.

Inspired by the conversations and connections that emerged during the 18-month Source to Sea journey along the River Thames, City to Sea brings the idea closer to home, exploring the landscapes and waterways that have shaped much of Ellie's own life across Greater Manchester and Merseyside.

Across 11 walks during 2027, we'll follow two routes from Manchester and Stockport which eventually converge at Lymm before continuing together towards the Mersey Estuary and Liverpool.

You can join us for one walk, several or the whole journey. Each walk will combine time outdoors, conversation and some light-touch coaching and reflection inspired by the landscape around us.

Walk 1

Our first City to Sea walk begins at Manchester Cathedral, close to the River Irwell, before heading west through Manchester and Salford towards Eccles.

It's a fitting place to begin a journey exploring the relationship between people, place, industry and water. Long before Manchester became connected to the sea by the Ship Canal, the Irwell formed part of an important navigation route between Manchester and Liverpool. The landscape we'll walk through has been repeatedly reshaped by industry, canals, transport and regeneration.

In the middle of January, we'll also be experiencing the landscape at one of its most stripped-back points of the year: bare trees, short days and, quite possibly, whatever weather Greater Manchester decides to throw at us.

This is the beginning of one of our two City to Sea routes, which we'll follow through Eccles and Irlam before eventually meeting our second route at Lymm.

What to Expect:

Changing Landscapes: Experience the changing landscape as we move through cities, waterways, former railway lines, industrial areas, woodland and eventually the Mersey Estuary. Along the way, we'll notice how nature, industry and communities have shaped (and continue to shape) the places we're walking through. 

Community and Connection: Join a welcoming group of people to walk, talk and explore together. There will be plenty of opportunity for conversation, meeting new people and experiencing familiar (or unfamiliar) places from a different perspective. 

Coaching and Reflection: Each walk will include some light-touch coaching and reflective questions inspired by the landscape, the seasons and what we encounter along the way. You don't need any previous experience of coaching - just curiosity and a willingness to see what emerges.

Learning as We Go: City to Sea is an experiment and we'll be learning alongside you. We've researched and planned the routes, but we won't necessarily have walked every mile beforehand. There may be unexpected diversions, things that don't quite go to plan and discoveries we hadn't anticipated. That's all part of the journey.

Walk Details:

Start: Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1SX
Finish: Eccles Station, St Marys Road, Eccles, M30 0DN
Distance: Approx. 5.8 miles
Walking Time: Approximately 3–4 hours, including stops for coaching, reflection and lunch

How to Prepare

1. Boots and clothing – Please wear walking boots or other suitable footwear and dress for the weather. Paths may be wet, muddy or slippery and, particularly during the winter walks, conditions can change quickly.

2. Food and drink – Please bring enough food and drink for the walk, along with any medication or other essentials you may need. Although some of our routes pass through towns and cities, we can't guarantee there will be opportunities to stop and buy refreshments along the way.

3. Getting there and home – City to Sea is a series of point-to-point walks, so you'll need to plan your own travel to the start and home from the finish. Wherever possible, we've chosen start and finish points with access to public transport. We'll share more detailed travel information with participants nearer the time.

4. Car sharing – You're welcome to arrange lifts or car sharing with other participants. Our WhatsApp group can be used to coordinate this if helpful.

5. The route – We've researched and planned each route carefully, but part of City to Sea is that we're learning as we go and we won't necessarily have walked every mile beforehand. We'll share the planned route with participants and may need to make changes or diversions depending on conditions on the day.

6. The walk – Please make sure you're comfortable walking approximately 5.8 miles. Our pace will allow time for conversation, coaching and reflection rather than being about getting to the finish as quickly as possible.

How to Join

Click on Select Tickets to book your place. Spaces are limited to 20 people per walk.

Once you've booked, please open your ticket confirmation email as it will contain a link to a short pre-walk questionnaire. This helps us capture any information we need to know to support you on the day.

There will also be a WhatsApp group for participants where we'll share updates and practical information and where you're welcome to arrange travel or car sharing with others.

Giving Something Back

The walks are free to attend, but if you'd like to make a donation in return for taking part, we'll be raising money for Cheshire Wildlife Trust throughout the journey.

We'll be walking through an incredible mix of urban, industrial and natural landscapes, and spending time outdoors and encouraging people to notice and connect with the places we're moving through is a big part of what we do. It feels right that this journey gives something back too.

There's absolutely no obligation to donate. Come along, join the walk and be part of the experience. But if you're able and would like to contribute, you'll have the option to make a donation to support Cheshire Wildlife Trust's work protecting and restoring nature across the region. Donation Link 🔗

Ready to Walk with Us?

You don't need to be a seasoned walker or have any previous experience of coaching. Come because you're curious about outdoor coaching, you're navigating some change of your own, you want to meet interesting people, or just because you fancy exploring this landscape with us.

Join us for one walk, several or the whole journey. Let's see where the path takes us.