This month we are delving deep in to the industrial heritage of the district with a plethora of collieries and mills. These days finding any evidence of either is difficult, with only the occasional reminder in a pub or street name.

NOTE ON NAMES: Whatever you do, don't refer to the holes in the ground around here as mines, those are a pit or colliery. The term mine refers specifically to the seams of coal found underground, usually with exotic names such as Cannel, Five Quarters, Trenchbourne Plodder et cetera. Not that the pits themselves aren't imaginatively named with such as Chanters, Combermere, Shakerley, Peelwood et cetera.

For those wanting more information about pits in and around Tyldesley and Atherton read this page from Norther Mines Research Society and maybe return and indulge in the Tyldesley Heritage Trail.

NOTE On GBG: This was compiled using the 2026 version of the Good Beer Guide. As the new guide will have only just been published (24 September) there may be differences.

Meet at 11:00am in St Anns Square Manchester, I suggest the cenotaph is a good focal point (or under the arches near the Information Centre if raining). We will then be catching whichever of the Vergeltungswaffe buses turns up first as both will take us to our initial pub. The bus stop is just around the corner on Princes Street and are advertised at 11:03am (V1), 11:11am (V2) and 11:18am (V1) with, if timetables are kept to, the 11:11am being the ideal one. Which ever bus we catch we alight at the Hough Lane, Tyldesley stop and then an 8 minute walk to our first pub.

We kick off in the appropriately named Colliers Arms, located around the corner from the former Great Boys Colliery. This was a small undertaking and had closed before the start of the twentieth century, unlike others in the area which continued in production until the late 1960s. Enough about coal and on to the beer. This old establishment has two rooms served by a central bar, upon which one regular and up to two changing beers are on offer. Being in the Good Beer Guide (GBG) 2026 edition the offerings should be up to scratch, and if you intend visiting again they offer a loyalty card.

We now need to keep an eye on the progress of the 132 bus on its journey from the Trafford Centre towards Wigan and jump onboard for the 5 minute journey to the centre of Tyldesley (a twenty five minutes walk is an alternative!)

Our second establishment, the Union Arms, is likewise in the GBG and also offers a food menu until 7:45pm, so no need to rush (except in order to catch the next bus). A large rambling pub consisting of several areas, with the vault to the left and the lounge to the right (food usually served here), plus a large outside courtyard. One regular and two changing beers are usually on offer, with the guests often from Wigan Brewhouse. Once a month they host a lunch for dementia sufferers, so let's hope we don't get mistaken for this group! Not being of a sporty nature, can anyone enlighten me on who the portrait on the side wall is?

Outside again and a bus towards Atherton. We can either walk back to the Tyldesley Square bus stop and catch the limited stop V2, or catch the 132 from just around the corner - consulting the bus app will determine which is best.

Unlike Tyldesley, Atherton is more of a mill town, there having been several big cotton mills, now all closed (with many demolished).

Our first pub is, named rather unimaginatively by Holts, the Atherton Arms, another GBG pub. It is a modern Holts pub so you get what you expect; a large front bar, a smaller 'corridor' bar to the side, a back bar complete with full-sized snooker table and a function room to the rear. There is also a well appointed beer garden should the weather permit. Mild and bitter should be on the bar, often accompanied with one other from the Holts stable (in the sense of portfolio and not horse accommodation!)

We now have an optional 'swift half' in the Wheatsheaf. The reason for this swift visit is to view the historic interior, being a one star listing on CAMRA's national historic. Note the pub's name in mosaic at the front door, screens, colourful stained glass and fixed seats with bell pushes.

Oohs and ahhs over, we next venture along the street, whereupon we find the Mechanics Rest at the Taphouse, our fourth GBG pub. The name doesn't refer back to a Mechanics Institute, but to the form of decoration inside! Note the engine blocks, wheel hubs and many other automotive parts incorporated into the décor courtesy of the founders previous engineering background. This indulgence in things mechanical doesn't extend to the additional seating upstairs, nor the beer garden to the rear. Also of note are the five changing beers on offer from small and usually local breweries. All this adds up to an interesting visit to this local CAMRA Pub of the Year 2026, so leaving may be difficult. Hopefully the very hot weather over the summer is over, as their cellar cooling wasn't up to coping and handpulled real ale had to be suspended - real ale in a bottle was the back-up.

A short walk back along the street, and a diversion down a small, easily missed, side ally brings us to the Witch Tap House. The name is a nod to selling two or three of the Moorhouse's range [not exclusively a witch brew] but supplemented by two or three from independent breweries. Don't take the pubs name too seriously, pointy hats, broom sticks and a black cat are not requisite accompaniments, but do look out for the themed adornments. Recently refurbished, but avoiding the bare walls and pipework on show variety, it hits a pleasing halfway house between bare walls and interesting woodwork and boast some very comfortable couches. Being our last pub, we need to think of our way home when ordering that last drink.

There are two obvious ways back towards Manchester. For those with sturdy bladders there is the V2 from around the corner, but remember this is a 45 minute ride without toilet facilities. The other option is to take the 6:07pm train towards Victoria from Atherton station, which is a 15 minute walk, or the 582 bus can be used if scheduling works. Connections can be made at Salford Crescent for Piccadilly and the airport line.