Just the Boy: Manchester Legal Walk

The overall plan of action......note lots and lots (and lots) of really pointless turns!

I would like to thank those of you who left their views on the what to wear on our round Manchester ramble (although unfortunately I was advised that for legal reasons......and my future employability......I would not be allowed to walk round Manchester in a Mankini! - I also didn't realise that our little wander would take us down Canal Street!)

The start point, just outside the Crown Court

We managed to set off from the Corwn Court at about 5.30pm, and managed to complete the 10 km in just under an hour and a half.....quite a respectable time I thought.

The weather over the week before had been less than condusive for a ten kilometre walk but we were promised sunny spells, and that was what we got.

Chapel Street

More Chapel Street (I think!)

Blackfriars Road

Like the Toad Trail, it was actually really nice to spend an hour (well okay an hour and an half after work walking round, with little to worry about, other than working out which road we had to take, or who were we following!)
Within the first ten minutes the 27 of us who were doing the walk had managed to spread out along the route, well not the whole route as there would have definitely been something wrong with that, but it ended up walking and chatting to friends as we wandered round and the weather was really nice, and the whole atmosphere was very friendly.

Victoria Street towards the Manchester Cathedral

The front of Manchester Cathedral

Thomas Street

Portland Street

More Portland Street

Princess Street - Towards the Manchester Art Gallery

St Peter's Square - still with the security barriers from the Labour Convention

I really enjoyed it and it was fantastic to see places that I had probably seen, but never noticed, and through areas that I had no idea existed.

With some crazily long legs and a real enjoyment of walking it was not long until my friends and I ended up at the front of the pack (although we were really following another team from another legal firm) so the pressure to correctly read the directions was never going to be too onerous.

Manchester Central Library

Manchester Town Hall - sorry about the blurry photo

Cross Street

Just under the 90 minutes after we started, we crossed the finish line, aptly at the door of the Ha Ha Bar. Somehow, although taking the lead after about 20 minutes, there were at least 10 people from our team were already there (work that one out if you can!) Unfortunately the guy who had the free drinks vouchers was somewhere with the back group (and who hadn't taken that magic turn to get to the bar early!)

Within about 10 minutes the rest of the our team arrived, and a free drink (or two or more for those of us who didn't have to then race for a train!) but it was well worth it and we raised £775 for Charity, so a good eveing.