It’s never been easier for Greater Manchester’s residents and visitors to experience the region’s natural environment in a low-impact way, thanks to a new walking trail that is green in every way.
The GM Ringway, Greater Manchester’s walking trail, is split into 20 stages and explores the natural landscapes and heritage of all ten boroughs. The trail is also integrated with the local public transport network to a unique degree, as each linear stage is designed to start and finish at a tram, train or bus stop, making it easy to access from anywhere in the city-region.
The trail has now been waymarked with 3,200 waymarkers including 1,200 specially designed discs on posts, pillars, gates and stiles along the 200-mile (322-km) route. Known as ‘roundels’, they point walkers in the direction of travel. They are also believed to be the first roundels installed on footpaths in the UK to include a QR code. When scanned with a mobile phone, the code guides users to the GM Ringway website.
Reflecting the ambition of making the GM Ringway a walking trail for everyone, ten shorter GM Ringway walks, including five totally step-free routes, can also be found on the trail website. Created with Heritage Fund support, the innovative new website has all the information anyone needs to use the trail. This includes interactive maps, accessibility information, and facilities such as cafes, pubs and toilets along the way. The website also gives recommendations on which mode of transport – train, tram or bus – can be taken to access each walk, together with the best ticketing options.
A handy ‘Places to visit’ section includes maps and details of the cafes, pubs, hotels, heritage attractions and nature sites that can be discovered along the route. The website also describes optional detours and any diversions to be followed when footpaths are closed.
Andrew Read, GM Ringway’s project lead said: “The GM Ringway was specifically designed with public transport in mind, so it really is a very green initiative. It provides residents and visitors with a genuinely low-impact way of accessing our incredibly varied green spaces, as every stage can be accessed by train, tram or bus network. We’ve also made it easy for people to follow the route using the Go Jauntly app, online maps and our website – along with the new waymarks, of course. The website also has details on the best public transport options for each stage and for the ten shorter walks.”
Go Jauntly – a free walking and wellness app – guides users along on the 20 stages of the trail, using pictures and route maps. The app also includes ten shorter GM Ringway jaunts, including several step-free routes, enabling everyone to sample the trail.
Users can download the free-of-charge Go Jauntly app and own a pocket-sized encyclopaedia of urban walks here: https://www.gojauntly.com/download-1
The GM Ringway project is led by two charities – CPRE, the countryside charity, and Ramblers, (Greater Manchester & High Peak Area) – and is supported by a £250,000 Heritage Fund grant. In addition, the project has received a £2,000 grant from Ramble Outdoor Worldwide Trust and £10,000 from TfGM’s Cycle & Stride for Active Lives initiative.
