GM Ringway Stage 3 (Didsbury to Bramhall) – Sunday 27 March

This lovely walk, offered in conjunction with the Manchester Weekend Walkers Ramblers group, follows part of the GM Ringway – Greater Manchester’s long-distance trail, a joint project of both CPRE and Ramblers.

Stage 3 follows the pretty Ladybrook Valley. Highlights include:

– A riverside and woodland link between Didsbury and Cheadle Village

– The Grade I-listed St Mary’s Church in Cheadle

– Quiet paths along the tree-lined Micker Brook

– The 70-acre Bramhall Park, with its woodland, ponds and cafe

– Bramall Hall, a superb Tudor manor house (Grade I-listed)

– Carr Wood, an area of semi-ancient woodland in a gorge-like valley.

Participants will need to wear boots or waterproof footwear and appropriate clothing. Please also bring a packed lunch or a snack and drink. We will take a break half-way along in Brookfield Park, Cheadle.

At the end of the route, walkers can either relax and mingle in Bramhall village, or join the next stage of the GM Ringway – an additional and very scenic 12.2 km (7.6 miles) to Middlewood (returning on the 18.26 train to Stockport and Manchester).

Length: 7.3 miles / 11.7 km (or 14.8 miles / 23.8 km for the full-day walk)

Ascent: 328 feet / 100 metres (or 797 feet / 243 metres for the full-day walk)

Walk start time: 10.10am

Walk end time: 1.30 pm (main walk); 6.20 pm (full-day extension)

Transport: By tram and train; or an hourly bus back to the start is available those coming by car and for others returning to Didsbury

Number of people: up to 40 (subject to possible change)

Booking method: By reserving your place on this Eventbrite page. The walk is open to all and there is no charge, but booking is essential.

Meet point and start location: Didsbury Village Metrolink station

Leader: Dr Andrew Read, assisted by CPRE and Ramblers volunteers.

Grade: Leisurely – mainly well-made paths but some potentially slippery and muddy sections. We will keep at a manageable pace to suit all attendees. The optional full-day walk would be classed as moderately challenging.

Access: The walk can be accessed either by train or by car. Full joining instructions will be sent to those registering.

Green Belt is the countryside on the doorstep for millions of city dwellers in the UK, and provides green space to escape from the city in order to run, cycle, walk dogs or just spend time with nature. However, the Green Belt is threatened by development and across the Northwest many community groups have come together to highlight threats to green belt sites. This is one of a series of walks organised by CPRE Lancashire, Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester in conjunction with Ramblers to highlight the vital importance of the Green Belt and other green spaces to residents of our region.