20/08/26 - Greater Manchester Ringway - Stage 17

Peat Bogs in the Rain

I left the Greater Manchester Ringway in the Holiday Inn Express. It's been a long time since I've stayed in a corporate hotel. Vaguely interesting to have a late night pint in a soulless lounge, eavesdropping on other tables of people forced into spending time with each other. There's always one talking loudly, and that one is talking about work. You can watch the eyes of their colleagues glaze over in real time.

If the question is "Where to go in a drought for a chance of rainfall?" the answer has to be Manchester.

I'm almost too scared to throw those curtains wide, with persistent thunder heard on the other side.

But there is hope

Incredibly, after an attempt to break the record of most sausages eaten at a free buffet breakfast, the rain stops. And it very nearly stays stopped.

This meteorological prelude is necessary. This stage of the walk has absolutely nothing to talk about.

The Leeds Liverpool Canal is left behind, replaced by flat agricultural land on the Glazebrook Trail Long Distance Path. 

To add some variety, the walk designers ask us to leave the trail for a completely unnecessary circuit of what is unidentified on my OS Map. It transpires that  the series of arrow-straight canals are the Wigan and Salford Mosslands. Rewilding of peat bogs, that may provide interest to Twitchers and whatever the collective noun of lizard watchers is.

Could have stayed to the West on the Glazebrook trail...

but I'd have missed three miles of this

Just in case I was to get excited as to what Irlam might offer a lonely traveller, the storms come back.

Soaked to my pants, I decide to instantly get the train home, via Warrington, looking for somewhere to change.

Three stages to go - I'm no quitter.

Walk Information

Start - Leigh

Finish - Irlam

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13, Stage 14, Stage 15, Stage 16

Distance -  10.5 Miles

Geocaches - 3

Walk Inspiration

19/06/26 - Greater Manchester Ringway - Stage 16

The Western Wind-down 

A whole calendar year since I was on the Greater Manchester Ringway. We can blame relatives - my daughter and son-in-law (pending) have moved house. It's not that they haven't informed me of their new address. They still haven't sorted out all the decorating and can't put up guests. If I had more talent, I would take a rest from exploring and pick up some paint brushes. Weaponised incompetence is my middle name.

So, the bullet is bitten and a Holiday Inn Express is booked at the halfway point, to enable me to knock off two stages.

This is the final five sections. The website says that we are now on the Western Wind-down, with flat easy walking along canals and agricultural land. 

Back to Wigan, the pier is under scaffold, so few photos on the Leeds to Liverpool Canal, dissecting great bodies of water known locally as "flashes".

Today's walking - The Leeds Liverpool Canal

Scotsman's Flash

Sadly, from a blogging perspective, that's it. The choice about whether to stop for refreshment is made instantly. The only pub passed - The Dover Lock Inn - not only closed, but firebombed.

It's just the canal until the next flash, Pennington and a comfy bed for the night.

Leigh does have pubs. Having visited four of them, I am trying to determine if they are worthy of blogging. Nothing of real architectural or beer interest but it's sometimes the people that make pubs.

And the people of Leigh are quite odd.

Walk Information

Start - Wigan

Finish - Leigh

Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13, Stage 14, Stage 15

Distance -  10 Miles

Geocaches - 11

Walk Inspiration 

17/08/26 - Sedgley Ale Trail

Monday Lunchtime Ticking

Never the best day for visiting pubs, but I don't do too badly in Sedgley. I was here on the trail of a Victorian Widow (read on, if interested) but in the back of my mind, I knew there was another Sedgley item on my Google Calendar To Do List.

Nine available but as stated, it's Monday. Wallet and liver will be safe.

2. The Beacon Hotel

The first I reach, on my approach from a hidden medieval lane across Turl's Hill. It should be number 1 on your list too. In other pubs, I am taken as a pub tourist and the bar staff there ask "Have you been to the Beacon Hotel?". 

Even when their own pub is empty.

The Beacon Hotel

Handsome from all angles

It's the brew pub for Sarah Hughes, where their Ruby Mild is the stuff of legend. Facebook showed a delighted punter finding it in Portsmouth on the weekend. You might think a 6% easy drinker is the strongest drink available. The chalk written board has a brew called Hedgerow - coming in at a whopping 7.3%.

The bar is a near unique experience. There is a glass partition that only opens to belly button height. You can either remain anonymous, or crouch down - where the staff crouch down back to meet your gaze. It must be a health and safety concern for cricked necks for staff and punters alike.

Once you've chosen your poison, you have a considerably bigger decision to make. Where to sit. There appears to be room after room internally and then a pleasant rear patio and play area. Or you can just do what this tourist did - wander around until you find the most life.

Back to the wall pensioners

I love the old school opening hours..... maybe it was so busy, as people know it closes at 2:30 for an afternoon hiatus.

3. The White Lion - Closed on a Monday lunchtime.

4. The Bulls Head

A pleasant enough Holdens Pub, suffering with a lack of punters. I awoke the barmaid from her doom-scrolling and enjoyed another tick on the Holdens Chain, with a Black Country Special.

My type of pub

Steven Brown Highland Cow and an indication of brewery distance

1. Mount Pleasant and 9. The Crown - The Mount Pleasant is a "Want to Go" but is not open on many lunchtimes, so saved for another day. The Crown, a desi pub, will be ticked on that day.

7. Sandy's - The only one on the PDF that is closed down. It was a cafe with an alcohol licence.

8. Seven Stars - Too far out of my way.

5. The Clifton 

'Spoons cannot be kept out of the news. This week, the mainstream media has Timbo's announcement that mobile phones on loudspeaker are to be banned. The sooner we give this man other parts of society to manage, the better. And in the latest Critic Magazine - a two page article in praise of the most democratic of pub chains.

Timely article in this month's The Critic.

Mirroring yesterday's joy. pic.twitter.com/NKDJVBPUPe

— Mappiman (@Mappiman1) August 18, 2026

The crux of the article - how he saves important high street buildings, promotes cask ales and offers value for money for all perfectly experienced during my visit of this old picture house which would be otherwise left to rot.

A grand 'spoons

6. The Swan Inn

A little bit of an ugly duckling - I couldn't find a decent angle to photograph it in a reasonable light. It certainly exceeded expectations. Two old boys watching the golf and one old girl with an older dog did not seem to warrant the four cask ales available.

Yet, my Town Crier was in perfect condition.

You cannot always succumb to your own prejudices.

And on blogging, I determine it's in the 2026 Good Beer Guide.  My 1191 tick.

Reassuring to see that I concur with the bible, even when unaware.

17/08/26 - On the Trail of...... Eliza Tinsley

West Midlands' Widow

The latest West Midlands History Podcast concentrates on Victorian widows. The central argument is that widowhood was not simply a story of female tragedy and poverty. Although many widows faced extreme hardship, the death of a husband could also fundamentally change a woman's position. In a society where married women were often financially and legally subordinate to their husbands, becoming a widow could give a woman control of property, money, household affairs and, sometimes, a degree of political independence.

They discuss the life of a West Midlands Widow - Eliza Tinsley.

Eliza Butler married Thomas Tinsley in 1839 and they had six children. Their home, The Limes in Sedgley, was built for them shortly before Thomas died in 1851, along with their eldest daughter Elizabeth. Eliza was then widowed and took over the family nail and chain-making business. She expanded it into a major Staffordshire manufacturer, employing around 4,000 people by 1871 and producing nails, chains, rivets and anchors for markets in Britain and overseas. She lived at The Limes until her death in 1882.

Sedgley - the obvious target for a walk and to find what remains on the ground. Getting there might be easier when the tram extension is created. For me it's bus, rail replacement bus, train, train and a 2 mile walk from Coseley station. The walk is through houses, although I do find a medieval lane over Turl's Hill. 

The Limes is the obvious target. The grounds have been donated as a public space. There is a filthy notice board telling the history of the building. Information on that board can be used to plot the co-ordinates of the only Geocache on route.

Italianate Tower no longer present 

Now executive flats

Who need to show as much civic pride as the Victorians

There are other potential locations. The Leopard, a pub owned by the family, is just down the road. Alas, demolished and replaced by Lego houses. Their main factory was at Cradley Heath. But the Victorians were great at celebrating civic success.

Now located in St Andrews Church

And although not her final resting place, a large memorial cross at All Saints Church.

Easy Find

Walk Details

Distance - 4 miles

Geocaches - 1

Walk Inspiration - History West Midlands Podcast