Pub Walks with Chris Morris
Dunham Massey

PLEASE REMEMBER: Details accurate at time of writing

The Dunham Massey estate is popular with visitors wishing to stroll along the quiet lanes whilst admiring the many listed buildings and their perfectly kept gardens. These brick houses from the 18th century form a collective, with the dwelling title proudly displayed on a red sign outside. The area boasts some excellent pubs as well, with a variety of styles which are all worth seeking out. This walk takes us to visit the area along the double-width Bridgewater canal, which offers an escape from the hustle and bustle, along a corridor of nature and tranquillity.

Public Transport and Walk Information

This walk starts and finishes at Navigation Road station, which boasts both Metrolink and train services. Trams run every few minutes, with train services running hourly from Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport, reducing to every two hours on Sundays.

The walk is flat with mostly good paths. However, there are a few unsurfaced sections that could get muddy after wet weather, so appropriate footwear is needed.

There are four pubs featured on this walk, all selling good cask beer and food. The walk distance depends on how many pubs you want to tick off. From the walk start, the total distance there and back is as follows: the Axe and Cleaver is 5 miles, the Vine Inn is 7 miles, and the Swan with Two Nicks is 7.5 miles. To visit all four is 10 miles.

The Walk

From the station, after the level crossing gates have opened, turn right and walk along Navigation Road for half a mile, until we reach the Old Packet House. This pub serves as a useful pre- or post-walk pub, offering good food and up to three cask beers, in comfortable surroundings. This traditional local has been given a tasteful refurbishment recently, proving a big hit, especially the partly covered beer garden. The beers were Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, Ossett Blonde and Sharp’s Doom Bar when I last visited.

Axe & Cleaver From outside the pub, take a right to walk over the wide Altrincham Bridge that passes over the canal. On the other side, take the first right to enter a car park. After the Sea Cadets building, turn right and follow the straight path that joins the canal towpath. Turn right now to follow the canal with the water on your left. The scenery quickly changes from urban to peaceful semi-rural, before entering full countryside mode. Two miles after we join the canal, we come to a brick bridge and a large pipe crossing the canal. For the Axe & Cleaver, leave the canal by the path to the right, which joins the road, where we turn left to cross over the canal bridge. The pub is found shortly after passing the village hall and Heath Farm.

Now part of the Chef and Brewer chain, the Axe & Cleaver is mostly popular with diners, with an extensive menu. Drinkers are welcome too, with Trafford & Hulme branch’s Pub of the Season award for spring proudly on display. The cask beers available when I last dropped by were Axe & Cleaver Best Bitter and King Castle Pale Ale, both from Greene King. Spacious beer gardens are found at the front and rear.

Vine Inn Retracing our steps to the canal, walk under the bridge and carry on as before with the water on your left again. After one mile, just before the canal passes over a road bridge, our route is to leave the canal and take the path to the right, down to the road. We now need to decide on our next pub destination.

Turning right, away from the bridge, and walking along the pavement for half a mile brings us to the most unspoilt pub of the day. The Vine Inn is a classic Samuel Smith’s country pub, with a traditional multi-roomed interior and a warm welcome. No refurbishment is to be found here, thankfully. As well as Old Brewery Bitter on cask, there is a wide choice of bottled beers, all made by Samuel Smiths. The food is popular, and relaxing outdoor seating can be found at the rear and side.

Swan With Two Nicks Back at the bridge, turning the opposite direction and walking under the bridge, this is the path to the Swan with Two Nicks. Follow the pavement for 150 yards, then turn right and walk along the lane with green signs for Bollington Mill. Follow the lane for half a mile, with fine views of the Dunham Massey estate to our left. After a right turn at the end of the road, cross the river using the narrow footbridge.

After a further 100 yards on the lane, we reach the Swan with Two Nicks and its glorious exterior, which blends in perfectly with its delightful surroundings. The main entrance leads into a traditional country pub interior reserved for drinkers, with bench seating, low ceilings and real fires in winter adding to the charm. Old pictures of Dunham Massey adorn the walls, with a step up to the bar offering up to three excellent cask beers. These were Dunham Massey’s Ruby Sunset, Coach House’s Swan with Two Nicks and Timothy Taylor’s Landlord when I last called by. On the other side of the bar is a sizeable restaurant with an impressive menu. Outdoor seating is found to the front and side, some of which is covered.

To return to Navigation Road station, it is merely a matter of retracing your steps.

For full pub details, including opening times, visit camra.org.uk/pubs.

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