Scaling the City with the Haglöfs Urban Hike

The HAGLÖFS URBAN HIKE took the winding trail to the city streets for an explorative ramble around Mancunia’s heartland…

The Urban Hike started as you’d expect any hike to do so: a quick meet up and briefing at Proper Mag towers to get kitted out (and collect a trusty Mars bar) before heading off into the great outdoors. The weather was suspiciously nice, which left our ferociously weatherproofed Haglöfs gear a little unsure what do do, but it definitely looked the part. Led by The Modernist’s very own Eddy Rhead, a self-confessed “know-it-all” with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the city, the day-long hike was in more than good hands. From retail hubs to Roman ruins, we managed to whip around some of Manchester’s most prolific sites and settlements; circling from the now-bustling Ancoats through to Deansgate and Castlefield before making it as far as the university campuses beyond Oxford Road, before looping back around through Piccadilly. Like all good hikes, it was rounded with a pitstop at Manchester Union Brewery for a tour and of course, tasting session.

The winding path worked its way from Manchester’s roots as an industrial powerhouse, right through to its various technological booms, stretching from Alan Turing’s first computer to the more recent first isolation of graphene, both occurring at The University of Manchester. Whilst Haglöfs’ native Sweden may be miles apart from this northwestern bolthole, Manchester’s spirit is present and what this outdoors brand do best: stay true to their roots and strive to be at the forefront of their field. For one day’s trek, the findings were pretty unfathomable, but really, it was only just scratching the surface of Manchester’s pioneering, if often murky, past. And with winter firmly settling in, there’s no time like the present for a pair of sturdy boots (complete with ASICS’ Gel soles may I add) and a pair of reliable waterproof pants. Don’t let those blue skies fool you, the reality is often much soggier…

Check out some of the imagery from the HAGLÖFS URBAN HIKE below and if the rhythm takes you, follow the banner below to shop the latest men’s and women’s outdoor gear and accessories from HAGLÖFS today.