John reaches Manchester.

................Further on the pushchair man swerved off the towpath into a clearing, and the youths stopped. I had to choose - follow the pushchair man (who may perhaps have been escaping a possible assualt by the gang) or keep on the path thus having to walk through the youths. I walked through the youths, who weren't interested in me. As I left them behind they were gathering with the man, whose pushchair, I suspect, was probably carrying more than just a small child. A supplier.

If this episode set the heart racing then a less threatening incident in Miles Platting angered me. I met a man who was busily collecting aluminium cans from the canalside detritus. He had plenty - two, going on three, bin bags full. He looked desperate, not deathly. Desperate to find any small source of income to keep himself, maybe a family, in food. In his eyes I saw shame. Seeing him being so bowed and broken - that angered me. Welcome to Manchester, I thought, aware that we'd just passed sight of Sport City, the 2002 Commonwealth Games complex now housing Sven's Manchester City and various other prestiege venues. ......................

John Davies:Walking The M62 Project