You know how much I love getting outside, right? Well it doesn’t stop for the weekend and on Saturday after doing a load of cooking we took a walk and picnic down the Ashton Canal.
Breakfast Picnic
You might remember from my post the other day about Getting Outside and Starting Small, that I suggest having a warm picnic outside. I know a lot of my friends think I am mad for wanting to get outside in the colder weather let alone picnic out there. But you know what there is often a sunny, dry spot to sit and plenty of spaces inside.
We did a good mile and a half before settling for a spot just by the Manchester City ground – luckily we were early otherwise we would have been surrounded by fans as it was match day. There are loads of places to sit around the ground and luckily because of all the space around it, there is sunshine on many of the places too.
We took some hot breakfast burritos that I packed into our Polar lunchbox to keep warm. (recipe coming soon over on Susty Meals, my food blog!) and brought a flask of tea too. The main tips that I can give you for Autumn/Winter picnics is to wrap up warm with layers and to bring some hot food and drink with you to battle the breeze.
Down the Canal
After we had warmed up with out tea and burritos we started back on the canal towards Manchester city centre. The walk on the Ashton canal is pretty different to the Rochdale Canal. It is more cared for (perhaps because of the City ground) and the paths are neater and easier to walk on. There is less poop too.
The canal weaves behind the buildings and houses on Bradford Road and if you’re there on the weekend, you’ll usually get to hear some new music from the bands that practice in Brunswick Mill studios. I love the cacophony that you can get from the mixture of genre sometimes, it makes for an amusing part of the walk.
When we were there not only did we have the glorious Autumnal sunshine and some hard rock, we also made friends with a cute dog peeping through from Hope Mill on the other side!
I love that no matter how many times you wander the same route, there is always something surprising that you haven’t discovered yet. Oh and dogs that you haven;t met yet! Did I mention the Staffy that wanted to share our picnic by the City ground that gave Jit’s knee a hug?
Ancoats and the Stubbs Building
We have been passing the Stubbs building for years and watching it develop from a disused mill space into what promise to be fantastic offices has been a lovely experience. Having seen many of the other mills in the area burn down or be demolished, it is a joy to see that some of the history and heritage are being conserved (even if it means we have to fight for it!)
I finished my photowalk at Stubbs because I was excited to get to Castlefield Market in Royal Mills (it is the first Saturday of every month) as we were there to grab some of our favourite Real Bread Campaign sour dough that comes in fresh from a baker called Nigel in Bolton.
Weekly Photowalk Chalenge
If you’re interested in taking part in my Weekly Photowalk Challenge, check it out! It is a fun and easy way to get you to get outside, get exploring and take some pictures of the things you discover that link with the theme. It is aimed to get you out and about and looking at where you live in a different light! Then you share a picture (Or pictures when you go out more than once) and tag them with #TUWphotowalk so that I can find you and share you discoveries.
Tips for getting outside in the cold!
To give you that little bit more encouragement for getting outside in the cooler months, here are a few tips to get you going.
Layers, layers, layers!
Layers are a great way to stay warm when you’re out walking in the cold because it hold the air between the layers and helps to keep you warm. Not only that, when you get active you will start to warm up, so being able to strip off a few layers really helps to keep you comfortable.
Bring along a hot drink and some food
So many people share with me that being skint stops them from getting outside more often because they can;t afford to buy lunch or a snack. I love taking my own food and drink with me because it is a) cheap, b) easy and c) means you can get a much better view than a wall in a cafe. It’ll also keep you warm from the inside out too.
Pick up your speed
If you’re feeling cold, pick up a bit of speed, that way you’ll naturally warm up. The plus side of this one is that pushing a bit harder than a stroll can really help boost your health and also help you lose some weight too. (I have personal experience of this one which I’ll be sharing soon!)
Grab a friend
Sometimes it can seem like a bit of a chore to get outside, but if you have a friend to go with it can be a lot more entertaining. It also means that you might have someone nagging at you if you don’t go, that in itself is a reason to get there.
Join in on the Weekly Photowalk Challenge
I set a new theme every week and more and more people are getting out and about exploring where they live, getting outside and taking some pictures. I then pick some to share on Instagram and am adding them to the previous posts on the blog too – even a linky if you have a blog too!
Anyway, I must dash as I am about to go on my evening walk to get in my miles for the day! I’m lagging behind a bit today with a mere 5.22, so time to get my exploring on! Make sure you get outside too – take part in my photowalk, I think you’ll love it!
Whether it is going for a walk and picnic down the Ashton Canal or wandering around your town of village, make sure you get outside today!
I’ll be nagging you from afar! 😉
What are you doing to get outside even when it’s cold?
Let me know in the comments below!