Salford

I'm not really a city person -give me countryside or seashore any day - but Manchester always intrigues me with its mix of old and new. I've posted before about exploring the Castlefields area and Salford Quays and Ordsall Hall but this time we were in the university area of Salford.

Despite the heavy traffic on Chapel Street there's a surprising amount of quiet to be found - just looking over the railing to see the Irwell flowing past, or walking alongside the river and through Peel Park

Late afternoon in November probably isn't the best time to visit and/or take photographs, but lights were twinkling along the bridge and roses continuing to bloom in the flower beds.

Peel Park (named after Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel) was opened in 1846, and renovated in 1917. Paths lead beside the river and through flower beds, there's a playpark for children, open spaces for dogs to runs, and at the centre a monument to Salford's first MP, Joseph Brotherton (apparently there used to be more statues but these have been dispersed to other locations or lost).  

Turning back to face Chapel Street I was again met by one of Manchester's juxtapositions of old and new - the Museum and Art Gallery to the right, the University building to the left.

Elsewhere, 'new' is definitely winning with high rise tower blocks soaring into the night sky, but someone at least is resisting gentrification and Salford's claimto be the 'Brooklyn of Manchester'.