The soaring modern buildings of Manchester tower above Castlefield's canal basinsI’ve been spending a bit of time in Greater Manchester, and took the opportunity for a walk around the centre of Manchester, armed with my camera. 

The River Irwell divides Manchester from SalfordI love the mix of the older industrial parts of the city with the modern commercial and residential constructions soaring skywards. Here, the River Irwell flows lazily under the 200-year-old Blackfriars Bridge, which links Manchester with Salford.

The twin office blocks overlook Cathedral ApproachA short distance upstream, the cobbled Cathedral Approach is overlooked by two new office blocks, home to several financial sector companies.

Numerous bridges cross the canalsSouth-west of here, the river meets other waterways at one of the oldest corners of Manchester, in Castlefield, where almost two millennia ago the Romans established a fort on the route between Chester and York.

Industrial buildings have been renovatedJust a few yards from the bustle of Deansgate, this urban heritage park offers a fascinating mix of the industrial history of the city, against a backdrop of modern high-rise offices and residential developments.

The remains of the Roman fort that gives the area its name

The remains of the Roman castle that helped give the area its name.

Castlefield is the terminus of the Bridgewater Canal, constructed in the 18th century to transport coal to Manchester from the Duke of Bridgewater’s mines in Worsley.

Victorian engineering vies with 21st century towersIn the 19th century the railways arrived and a tangle of lines resulted in the numerous bridges and viaducts in the area.

Castlefield is an oasis of peace in the city centre, punctuated only by the rumble of trains and trams as lunchtime runners and office workers enjoy the greenery around the basins of the Bridgewater and Rochdale Canals.