Walking the River

A different morning.

Whilst I’ve now been retired nearly two and a half years, I’ve not joined the group of former colleagues now retired (and for much longer than me) who meet on a reasonably regular basis for walks. This morning they were meeting up for a guided walk around parts of central Salford, and I joined them.

The blip is looking south down the Irwell, Salford to the right and Manchester to the left. I have added two extras. One is a view from beneath a railway bridge of “The Factory” under construction on the Manchester bank of the river - it is the big new arts centre, the permanent home of the Manchester International Festival. I am not at all convinced by the design and finishes but will reserve judgement until it’s completed. It’s made the news recently because in cutting the funding of English National Opera to £0 the Arts Council has suggested that ENO leaves London and perhaps moves here. Shame they didn’t consult either ENO or Manchester, I suspect The Factory wouldn’t welcome an organisation that is being pushed here unwillingly. How not to do things. The second extra is a view from a basin on the former Manchester Bolton Bury Canal at Middlewood Locks.

As we finished the tour, and the others went for lunch, I received a text from J saying she was heading to the hospital for the afternoon. I got home before she headed off.