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Best Riverside Hikes near Manchester

There are 8 hikes near Manchester in our database that fit. They average 25.3 km and 556 m (1,824 ft) of ascent, with the longest running to 150 km.

That is 5 percent of the 174 routes we map near Manchester.

River routes keep the gradient friendly and the navigation simple, with moving water alongside for most of the way. The mix is broad: 6 are rated easy and 2 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day.

Trails

Expert

Two Saints Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
150 km
/ 93.5 mi
Elevation gain
3,310 m
Typical duration
40 hr
  • River
  • Mountain
  • Pilgrimage route
Easy

Riverside Way

England · United Kingdom

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
1 hr 17 min
  • River

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Two Saints WayEngland150 km3,310 m40 hrExpertApril to October
Padley Gorge and Burbage Brook Walk, Longshaw EstateEngland3.4 km74 m49 minEasyApril to October
Gritstone Trail (Disley - River Dane)England32.9 km725 m8 hr 29 minExpertApril to October
Gritstone Trail (River Dane - Rushton Spencer)England2.2 km48 m32 minEasyApril to October
Railway Trail Walk, Hardcaslte CragsEngland4.6 km101 m1 hr 7 minEasyApril to October
Holme Valley Riverside WayEngland1.3 km28 m18 minEasyApril to October
Mill Walk (Riverside), Hardcastle CragsEngland2.1 km47 m31 minEasyApril to October
Riverside WayEngland5.3 km117 m1 hr 17 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Two Saints Way, Padley Gorge and Burbage Brook Walk, Longshaw Estate, Gritstone Trail (Disley - River Dane). Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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