This Thursday we go along the Bolton arm of the canal heading north towards Bolton, this part is in water for a short distance.
The weather on this excursion was fine but due to a lot of wet weather over the previous couple of days the path was a little trickier than normal. Along the first part of the canal the towpath is cobbled, after a short distance the cobbles disappear and the path becomes a dirt path with expanses of mud. Soon come to the basin at Little Lever (a popular place for fishing) which is the end of the canal which is still in water, now we drop down the steep banking taking us down to Hall Lane, across the road we follow the path of the river Croal and after a short journey climb steeply back up to the level of the canal, this part of the canal has been filled in. Due to all the heavy rain the footpath is very muddy in places with large stretches which require careful navigation but we are soon through this.
The canal ends at Radcliffe Road, Bolton opposite the Farmers Arms pub; we turn left up the hill and towards Darcy Lever under the disused railway bridge. Leaving the road we head towards Leverhulme Park across the river and arrive at the west side of the park. Following a path we exit the park into Oakembottom Road which in turn leads us up to Bury New Road, turning right we head towards the north side of the park and follow the paths leading us back to the canal at Radcliffe Road on our return journey.
