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Clare explores a section of the GM Ringway, Greater Manchester’s new walking trail. It’s a 200 mile route split into 20 stages, starting and ending in Manchester city centre. It goes around the edge of the county through all 10 boroughs of the region, and it’s linked with public transport so people can easily access the linear stages.

Joining Clare as she walks part of Stage 6, which is Strines to Marple, is Andrew Read whose brilliant idea this was. He was awarded £250k of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to make it happen.

The project also depends upon a legion of keen volunteers, several of whom join Clare for today’s walk. One of these is ‘Stage Guardian’ Roz Hughes who explains how important volunteer involvement is to keep the walk maintained in the long term.

The starting point of the walk, Strines Station, was described in The Railway Children. Craig Wright walks along with Clare, Roz and Andrew, to share his enthusiasm for this classic children’s book, and points out parts of the route that can be recognised from Edith Nesbit’s descriptions.

Presenter: Clare Balding
Producer: Karen Gregor