Down t’ Pit: Lancashire Mining Museum

New joiners welcome! 🥾

Join Yvonne for this easy 8.7 mile walk from Walkden, visiting the Lancashire Mining Museum along the way.

The museum is free. It includes a narrow-gauge railway that you can ride, an engine house, a winding engine, original headgear, spooky ‘tunnels,’ and a tea room! They allow people to bring dogs.

We’ll wander through Walkden and take a short stretch of the Bridgewater Canal, which was cut to transport coal from the mines at Worsley to Salford. We’ll take the narrow-gauge railway to the museum, have a good explore, and probably head to the tea room before wandering back through Astley and New Manchester to Walkden.

Speaking to the retired miners who volunteer at the museum is honestly the best part of the visit. They have many fascinating – and often horrific – stories of what it was like to work in the mines!

Itinerary:
11:15 - Meet at Manchester Victoria (don't forget to buy your train ticket).
11:25 - Train departs for Walkden.
11:45 - Walk starts at Walkden station.
17:00 (approx) - Walk ends at Walkden station - trains are every two hours on a Sunday, at 14:37, 16:37, 18:47, 20:38. Buses (services 36/37/38) also run regularly back to Manchester city centre.

Recommended ticket:
An off-peak day return from Manchester to Walkden costs £7.40.
Cheaper advance singles may also be available.

This walk will be led by Yvonne.

Details:

• Walk rating: Slight/leisurely
• Circular Walk
• Distance: 8.7 miles
• Ascent: 75m

FAQs:
What to wear? The route is fairly easy-going, but bear in mind some of the paths may be a little muddy after recent rainfall.

Can I bring a dog? Dogs are welcome on a short lead, see https://www.madwalkers.org.uk/about-us/policies/dogs-on-walks-policy/ for details.

Can I drive to the walk start? You’re more than welcome to meet us at Walkden station — just make sure to arrive before 11:45am. The walk will start on time, we cannot wait for late arrivals, sorry. We will wait for the tram from Manchester.

Many of our members are not on Meetup, so the RSVP list will be smaller than the total number of attendees. Typically around 30 people join each walk, so there's plenty of people to chat with.

For more information, please see our page at https://www.madwalkers.org.uk/walks/

Disclaimer
By taking part in these walks, you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk. You are solely responsible for your personal safety, decisions, and actions throughout the event. Participation is completely voluntary.
By attending, you agree that your wellbeing is your own responsibility. The organiser cannot be held liable for any loss, injury, or damage that may occur.