The canalside walk with a quirky cafe perfect for soaking up the sun this week When it's this sunny there's no better place to be than by the water Looking out over the Bridgewater Canal from Marsland Road, Brooklands (Image: MEN Staff ) As we say goodbye to April this week and mark the start of May with the bank holiday weekend, the weather looks suitably spring-like. Well, with highs of 25C forecast for Greater Manchester, it’s going to feel more like the height of summer. According to the latest forecasts from the Met Office, we’re going to bask in several days of sunshine this week with hardly a cloud in the sky. ‌ The temperature is going to creep up too; highs of 23C are forecast for Tuesday by mid-afternoon and it’s going to be even hotter on Wednesday with the mercury likely to reach 25C. ‌ When it’s this hot and sunny, there’s only one place to be - and that’s by the water. Greater Manchester famously doesn’t have a beach, but it does have several canals and rivers flowing through it. The Kings Ransom pub in Sale (Image: Submitted ) The Bridgewater Canal is one of these waterways, passing through Salford, Manchester and Trafford as it continues its journey onto Cheshire. Article continues below The towpath besides it forms the 39-mile Bridgewater Way, a walking and cycling route with ever-changing scenery, from the office buildings of Media City to the lush Cheshire countryside. You can pick up the route in various locations across Greater Manchester, but following the Marathon on Sunday which took runners through Sale and Altrincham, it seems fitting to explore this stretch in the coming days. The beauty of this section of the canal is you can make the walk as long or as short as you like with regular tram stops dotted along its route. ‌ Content cannot be displayed without consent Metrolink stops Dane Road, Sale, Brooklands and Timperley are all located near the canal, so there’s the option of walking one way and hopping on the tram for the return. There’s no shortage of watering holes along the way either. In Sale you’ve got the King’s Ransom pub with a huge waterside beer garden then at Brooklands you’ll find The Brook with lots of outdoor seating options. ‌ But there’s one cafe along the canal which stands out - Walton Perk Cafe, housed inside a barge moored beside Walton Park. It serves up fresh coffee, breakfasts to go, hot dogs, ice creams and lollies, and an array of cakes and sweet treats. It’s fully licensed if you’re in the mood for something stronger and there’s a small seating area where you can rest your legs and soak up the sun. Walton Perk Cafe, Walton Park Leisure Centre, Raglan Rd, Sale M33 4AG Article continues below For more of the latest What's On news, click here.