# Leeds Liverpool Canal Bike Ride- Help!!



## rabbits (17 Aug 2008)

I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things. 

First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?

Second, we are planning to do it in four legs, meaning we'll need a B&B or Youth Hostel around Burnley or Blackburn, does anybody happen to know such a place? The cheaper the better!!

Finally, I'll be using a that has rear suspension, could this be a problem for pannier racks?


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## Losidan (17 Aug 2008)

rabbits said:


> I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things.
> 
> First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?
> 
> ...



i use a seven mile stretch of the route everyday.(apperley bridge to bingley) and if the rest is the same standard then you are fine. i ride a hardtail with no prob's at all.


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## vernon (18 Aug 2008)

Losidan said:


> i use a seven mile stretch of the route everyday.(apperley bridge to bingley) and if the rest is the same standard then you are fine. i ride a hardtail with no prob's at all.



Apperley Bridge is poor in comparison to Armley to Rodley. Strictly speaking not all of the tow path on the Leeds Liverpool canal is open to cyclists.

Have a look at http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling and find out where you are not meant to ride.

The restrictions do not appear to be observed by many cyclists and perhaps a blind eye is turned by British Waterways' employees.


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## Globalti (18 Aug 2008)

Unfortunately the halfway point, Clayton-le-Moors, is also the grottiest along with Burnley. Earby YHA is not far from the canal, I wouldn't recommend stopping the night in Burnley, your bikes will get stolen and you'll get rogered senseless by somebody with one eye. That said, the canal passes right behind On Yer Bike cycles in Burnley if you need spares. 

The towpath for the bits in the towns is pretty good, but it gets a bit rough on some of the remoter sections. No one gives a damn about cyclists on the towpath.

Why do it both ways? I would get to Liverpool and do it towards Leeds to take advantage of the prevailing wind.

Panniers are a good idea because a rucsac will kill your back and bum on the long boring stretches. Can't you borrow a hardtail? I would also recommend you buy some cheapo narrow commuter tyres and pump them up hard so you ride on the central ridge, wide knobblies will kill you.


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## vernon (18 Aug 2008)

rabbits said:


> I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things.
> 
> First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?
> 
> ...




Rear suspension is a problem for cheap pannier racks - I don't think that there are any. Carradice do pannier racks for rear suspension bikes

Have a look at www.carradice.co.uk


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## ColinJ (18 Aug 2008)

Rigid Raider said:


> Unfortunately the halfway point, Clayton-le-Moors, is also the grottiest along with Burnley. Earby YHA is not far from the canal, I wouldn't recommend stopping the night in Burnley, your bikes will get stolen and you'll get rogered senseless by somebody with one eye.


A few years back a couple I know borrowed a boat and sailed a big length of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. They stopped off in Burnley for the night... !

As they moored the boat, they heard a commotion coming from just up the canal. Two very large women with heavily-tattooed arms were shouting to a boy who had dived into a very polluted stretch of water. He resurfaced after about 30 seconds holding something furry and in an excited voice yelled "Hey mam, I got me a rat!"

After that, they went looking for something to eat. They got a frosty reception at a sandwich shop when they asked for wholemeal bread and salad to accompany their processed cheese slices.

Eventually they ended up at a backstreet pub somewhere in Burnley. They said that when they walked in, it was like a scene from a Western. Everybody stopped drinking and turned to stare at them. 

Apparently it was Quiz Night at the pub, and being the sort of people who solve the Guardian crossword in about 20 minutes, they thought they'd have a go.

"What is the capital city of France?"
"What is the name of the British Prime Minister?"
"What date was the battle of Hastings..."
"...and who won?"
"What is the name of this pub - NO CHEATING!"

and so on...

The answer sheets were handed in and after a delay for marking, the results were finally announced - "In third place, Mick & Dave with a score of 3/20. In 2nd place the Slasher family with 5/20. And in 1st place with a score of... 20/20 were some f**kin' smart-arse bastards from out of town, the 'boat-crew'. So you think yer clever do ya, well come 'ere and claim yer bloody prize then!" My friends quietly slipped out of the side door and ran back to the boat before they were lynched...


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## Globalti (18 Aug 2008)

My son's Godfather is a GP who practised in Burnley until recently. He tells us Burnley has the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK. This seems to be corroborated by Blackburn fans, sworn enemies of Burnley who taunt their enemies with a song about yer father is yer husband and yer mother is yer wife... or something like that.

A reviewer for Crap Towns went to Burnley Wood, a white estate on the south side of the town. He wrote that he waited 45 minutes for his bus and when it came, it was doing 60 mph and it was on fire. At that point a car exploded down the road. So he decided to leave Burnley as fast as possible. We moved out fast when drug dealing scum bought the executive house behind us and life became extremely unpleasant, almost bringing me and my wife to the point of nervous breakdowns. 

A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.


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## dodgy (18 Aug 2008)

Some great stories here 

Dave.


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## ColinJ (18 Aug 2008)

Rigid Raider said:


> A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.


The sad thing is that it _could have been_ a lovely town. The countryside around Burnley is really nice. There are some fine houses in the better-off parts of the town. I was really impressed with Burnley Mechanics (the Old Burnley Mechanics' Institute) when they refurbished it in the 1980s.


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## Globalti (18 Aug 2008)

There are sume superb old mills still standing alongside the canal in the town centre:






As well as the Burnley Embankment, considered one of the seven wonders of the canal world: http://www.weaverstriangle.co.uk/mile.htm

It's just the people who spoil the place.


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## Losidan (19 Aug 2008)

Colin and Ridge...Those stories had me in stitches.....

Sounds like Bradford on a quiet day.


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## yenrod (19 Aug 2008)

ColinJ said:


> A few years back a couple I know borrowed a boat and sailed a big length of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. They stopped off in Burnley for the night... !
> 
> As they moored the boat, they heard a commotion coming from just up the canal. Two very large women with heavily-tattooed arms were shouting to a boy who had dived into a very polluted stretch of water. He resurfaced after about 30 seconds holding something furry and in an excited voice yelled "Hey mam, I got me a rat!"
> 
> ...





Rigid Raider said:


> My son's Godfather is a GP who practised in Burnley until recently. He tells us Burnley has the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK. This seems to be corroborated by Blackburn fans, sworn enemies of Burnley who taunt their enemies with a song about yer father is yer husband and yer mother is yer wife... or something like that.
> 
> A reviewer for Crap Towns went to Burnley Wood, a white estate on the south side of the town. He wrote that he waited 45 minutes for his bus and when it came, it was doing 60 mph and it was on fire. At that point a car exploded down the road. So he decided to leave Burnley as fast as possible. We moved out fast when drug dealing scum bought the executive house behind us and life became extremely unpleasant, almost bringing me and my wife to the point of nervous breakdowns.
> 
> A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.




As well as the Burnley Embankment, considered one of the seven wonders of the canal world: http://www.weaverstriangle.co.uk/mile.htm

It's just the people who spoil the place.[/QUOTE]

Sounds great - Rigid, lifes always like that.

If I ever get to own my own island i'll have the law to eject anyone i dont like !


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## rabbits (19 Aug 2008)

> Why do it both ways?



we felt we needed a challenge


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## Cathryn (20 Aug 2008)

Hi.

We did it last year. Hard work and wouldn't do it again, but glad we did it.

The journal's here - feel free to PM me if you have any other questions. We spent a night in Maghull with friends and then a wonderful B&B on a farm just outside Burnley called Blakey Hall Farm.

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3Tzut&doc_id=2587&v=3A


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## PaulB (22 Aug 2008)

ColinJ said:


> "What is the capital city of France?"
> "What is the name of the British Prime Minister?"
> "What date was the battle of Hastings..."
> "...and who won?"



Well? Don't tease us with the questions and then not give the answers!

At the risk of this thread descending into Burnley bashing, there are some lovely parts to the town but unfortunately for the original poster, the canal goes through some grotty parts especially the bit from the Weaver's Triangle and out towards Barden. Additionally, the track west of there (coming from Blackburn if you're travelling that way) is poor especially if it's been raining. Beyond Barrowford though, pleasantness abounds and the towpath towards and beyond Barnoldswick has been upgraded to a fine standard. My problem with that section is that it's so nice, there's often loads of walkers on there who shout out really useful questions like, "'aven't yer gorra bloody bell on that bark?" should you get too close to them.


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## Globalti (23 Aug 2008)

Yes - use a bell but don't expect elderly walkers to hear it. And watch out for the flasher on the Burnley Embankment.


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## crisscross (22 Sep 2008)

Just found this thread and cyclechat through google.

Great information about a route I am hoping to do with my daughter, probably in spring, judging by the comments about poor conditions on muddy paths.

I thought Cathryn's piece was excellent info and a real eye opener.

I chose this route as we aren't keen cyclists but yesterday managed ( only just - in my case ) Hale in Cheshire to Preston via Leigh, about 50 miles.

I found the uphill sections a nightmare - sorry, I know it's not exactly Snowdonia, but it really was my own personal Everest.

A canal route seems logically flatter, and slower, which will suit me and probably annoy Georgia as I might be able to keep up with her.

My daughter is 8 and I am a 40+ overweight underexercised slob!

We aren't fanatical about sticking to the canal towpath and I wondered if anyone knows which are the particularly nasty areas - ie grass / no path and whether there are nearby roads we could hook up with at those sections.

Thanks


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## Fiona N (25 Sep 2008)

Rigid Raider said:


> ... Earby YHA is not far from the canal, ...



Is Earby still open? I understood that it was one of the closures last summer.


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## Globalti (28 Sep 2008)

Oh... it may have been.

The OS ought to publish linear maps of attractions like canals, Hadrian's Wall and so on. There is already a C2C map. Then they could mark places like Burnley "Here be Dragons" and show a bypass route for avoiding the town.


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## vernon (7 Oct 2008)

Rigid Raider said:


> Oh... it may have been.
> 
> The OS ought to publish linear maps of attractions like canals, Hadrian's Wall and so on. There is already a C2C map. Then they could mark places like Burnley "Here be Dragons" and show a bypass route for avoiding the town.



There is a linear map of the canla available. I have one lurking around somewhere from when i once nursed an ambition to ride to Liverpool along its towpath.


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## HeavyJay (14 Jan 2009)

vernon said:


> There is a linear map of the canla available. I have one lurking around somewhere from when i once nursed an ambition to ride to Liverpool along its towpath.



Is this the one to which you refer:
http://www.sustransshop.co.uk/products/5349-leeds-and-liverpool-canal

It's 1:60 000 scale so I wasn't convinced it would be brilliant for cycling.


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## HeavyJay (14 Jan 2009)

A group of friends and myself are planning to do this one way, Leeds to Liverpool.

From Leeds to just before Silsden is perfectly cyclable, there are a couple of rough patches between Rodley and Apperley Bridge that aren't suitable for road bikes though.

When the towpath gets to just before Silsden, the National Cycle network route (69 I think) heads off on some roads into Silsden. I think you can cycle the towpath instead but it is tough going. I suspect there is a way to rejoin the towpath later on but I haven't tried myself, I'll give it a bash this weekend and report back.


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## daveb123 (28 Jan 2009)

HeavyJay said:


> A group of friends and myself are planning to do this one way, Leeds to Liverpool.
> 
> From Leeds to just before Silsden is perfectly cyclable, there are a couple of rough patches between Rodley and Apperley Bridge that aren't suitable for road bikes though.
> 
> When the towpath gets to just before Silsden, the National Cycle network route (69 I think) heads off on some roads into Silsden. I think you can cycle the towpath instead but it is tough going. I suspect there is a way to rejoin the towpath later on but I haven't tried myself, I'll give it a bash this weekend and report back.




I did it at Easter 2007 in 2 days with 3 others and it was a good ride. I did it again on 21st June 2008 in 15 hours. Both times from Liverpool.

I did notice that around Burnley they have done a lot of work on the towpath and it is better now. There are parts between Gargrave and Keighley golf club that are a bit muddy and grassy.

There are some other areas in North Yorks / Lancs /Gt Manchester that are good and bad.

Providing that there are no works ALL the towpath is ridable.

Regarding Silsden to Keighley - the path is terrible when wet and the official path does go off on a farm track to meet back up again at the Bridge Pub in Silsden - up some steep steps or continue under the canal to the road junction then back round to the canal.

Hope you have fun - it can be hard if the weather is bad.


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## Brian B (7 May 2012)

Globalti said:


> My son's Godfather is a GP who practised in Burnley until recently. He tells us Burnley has the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK. This seems to be corroborated by Blackburn fans, sworn enemies of Burnley who taunt their enemies with a song about yer father is yer husband and yer mother is yer wife... or something like that.
> 
> A reviewer for Crap Towns went to Burnley Wood, a white estate on the south side of the town. He wrote that he waited 45 minutes for his bus and when it came, it was doing 60 mph and it was on fire. At that point a car exploded down the road. So he decided to leave Burnley as fast as possible. We moved out fast when drug dealing scum bought the executive house behind us and life became extremely unpleasant, almost bringing me and my wife to the point of nervous breakdowns.
> 
> A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.


 
Hi

I cycle a lot on the L&L canal and have come across this forum as I am doing the length of it with my nephew next month. I know it is tongue in cheek (I think) but Burnley actually has a lot going for it. Yes it is a poor town and has its fair share of numpties, but the vast majority of its people are hard working, friendly and would help anyone. I agree on the area in Stoneyholme being rough but I have never had a problem there. As for the butty shops they are legendary for the great butties and the crack with the women who work in them. Great forum!


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## ufkacbln (7 May 2012)

Totally OT....

I was cycling in Devon and stayed in Lympstone. Went to a pub (?Globe) which has a collection of cuckoo clocks.

The quiz would stop for about ten minutes either side of the hour as the clocks went off and a cacophony of mechanical birdsong filled the pub!


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## Jonathan Wood (23 Apr 2013)

Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S


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## matthat (24 Apr 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S


Err!! Follow the water in one direction or the other i guess would be the route!!!


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## Venod (24 Apr 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S


 
Hi Jonathan

The prevailing wind iis from the west so I presume you are doing it that way.

I ride the route from Silsden down to Leeds about 6 times a year I f the wind is coming from the west its an easy ride the surface is varied a bit rough around Silsden, I ride it on a hardtail with carbon forks with no problems, I have no personal experience of the towpath from Silsden to Liverpool but Have heard it can be rough in places.

Yesterdays ride.

http://www.bikemap.net/route/207667...g=-1.6014205078125&zoom=11&maptype=ts_terrain


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## vernon (24 Apr 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S


 
Count on riding more slowly at night on the tow path there will be anglers about and reprobates and it will be necessary to spot both before you ride over some expensive carp poles and get battered by the thugs. The best time to do it is when the daylight hours are the longest. Training - that's down to you. Get the miles in making sure that a lot of them are similar surfaces to the tow path whic can be rough in parts. It's not a ride that I'd like to complete in the dark even though I regularly road ride at night.


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## Alun (25 Apr 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. *Will involve some night riding which i aint done before* :S


I would get good lights, or a lifejacket, but preferably the good lights!


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## Pjays666 (11 May 2013)

Good luck see my thread 127 mile canal ride for charity training suggestions in the beginners section. I will be doing this over 3 days starting on Tuesday. Doesn't look like the weather will be on my side. Enjoy


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## matthat (11 May 2013)

Gonna be sunny tues just wet till then!!!


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## Pjays666 (11 May 2013)

matthat said:


> Gonna be sunny tues just wet till then!!!


Okay Matt is that wishful thinking cos you don't want your bike getting wet lol


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## ColinJ (11 May 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S





matthat said:


> Err!! Follow the water in one direction or the other i guess would be the route!!!


It might sound obvious but when bromptonfb tried to do the L-L canal in one day, he followed the _wrong_ stretch of water somewhere between Burnley and Liverpool and ended up somewhere else (Manchester?)!


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## JohnClimber (12 May 2013)

The route map is here
http://www.moore2life.co.uk/canals/ledsliverp/leeds.gif

Just to give you an idea of the time it will take riding into the wind.
Here's a 19.8mile segment from Strava between the M6 and the M58
http://app.strava.com/segments/3196171


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## seand (25 Jul 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S


 
I have recently completed the Accrington to Leeds stretch, and will be doing the full Liverpool run this Saturday. Hopefully you have got a fair few canal miles under your belt already Jonathan. I have been doing plenty of mileage between Leeds and Skipton for the past few months and would recommend getting as many miles in as possible..............that said, it's not long until you go is it.
Best of luck to you Jonathan...........you should have the weather on your side at least, as will I hopefully.


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## aces_up1504 (25 Jul 2013)

JohnClimber said:


> The route map is here
> http://www.moore2life.co.uk/canals/ledsliverp/leeds.gif
> 
> Just to give you an idea of the time it will take riding into the wind.
> ...


 


How did a couple of people manage 15mph + down along the canal? The stretch through and maghull and lydiate is full of fisherman and the path can be muddy at the best of times


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## JohnClimber (27 Jul 2013)

aces_up1504 said:


> How did a couple of people manage 15mph + down along the canal? The stretch through and maghull and lydiate is full of fisherman and the path can be muddy at the best of times


 
There is no mud after a few weeks of sun, when I did it there was only 1 fishing competition on and when Chris beat me there was nothing to slow him down, the lucky sod.


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## BADGER.BRAD (28 Jul 2013)

If you want to be a real cheap skate buy a cheap steal pannier rack and get someone ( or yourself) to weld a steel hinge to the front mounting point of the pannier rack then bolt to the bike , It of course depends on the exact design of the bike but I did this with an old recycled bike I used for winter commuting, the bike is still in use (not by me) and is still fitted with the pannier rack so it worked for that one !


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## clid61 (24 Aug 2013)

Jonathan Wood said:


> Im planning on doing this in one sitting (A few breaks along the way tho, 15mins - 50mins etc) on 02/09/13 Any advice would be great Route, training ETC. Im doing it for charity so thats my reason and am doing it on a hard tail. Will involve some night riding which i aint done before :S


 
Hi Jonathon
Ive ridden the full route a few times im 51 years old and ride a hardtail too so You should have no problem doing it in 1 sitting.
I left bridge 60 in Wigan at 0630 on thursday morning and arrived in Leeds 89 miles and 9 hours later , couple of quick breaks with bananas water and energy bars.If you need to top up on water and food there's an Asda at Blackburn visible from the canal.
The towpath is quite rugged for about 18 miles from fowlridge onwards to skipton, other parts have been significantly improved , also some parts between burscough and Wigan are a bit rough but not bad.
Not sure what you mean by night riding , but if you leave Liverpool around 6am the sun will be just coming up and not too bad visibilty, so by rights you could land in leeds around 6 or 7 in the evening with a bit of light to spare.
Make sure you take plenty of water , fuel and a tube , also the canal folk are very helpful and friendly and will gladly give you water and help if you need it - dont be a afraid to ask.

Good luck and hope you raise loads for your chosen charity!

PS any questions just ask


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## Pjays666 (24 Aug 2013)

Hi Jonathan have you done the sections over the two tunnels were you have to leave the canal (gannow and foulridge) if not I would be happy to cycle that section with you. I live in Burnley and do this route regularly.


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## JohnClimber (25 Aug 2013)

Saw a load riding it near Aintree this morning in yellow Marie Curie cycling tops, was anyone here in the gang?

I'm thinking of doing it in one day once the schools have gone back and if it's dry, then getting the train back to Liverpool


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## Pearss (19 Jul 2017)

Me and 3 friends have just completed this. We set of from Liverpool at 7.15am and arrived at granary wharf for 8.15pm. So a total of 13 hours with about 5 breaks of 10 mins. It's hard graft. I was ok till about 80 miles then suffered but got through it. Some of the canal from foulridge to skipton and skipton to leeds is awful. Really rocky and difficult to ride on. We did it on 29er mountain bikes and none of us got any punctures. Watch out for some dodgy characters coming into Leeds about 5 miles out. It was an incredible achievement to do it in a day and was for charity so happy with result. Take plenty of water as on a hot day you will supp a plenty. Best riding bit for me would be eldonian village in Liverpool the start to top lock in wheelton 51 miles in total. Hope this helps


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## Flyboy (20 Jul 2017)

Where about in Liverpool does this actually start.


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## Ste T. (1 Oct 2017)

Literally the Albert Dock in the city centre, but for decent footpath access you maybe better starting at the Eldonian estate where the L & L arrives after going through the magnificent Stanley Dock and up a short flight of locks.
I did it about 20 years ago. Thank god we did it Liverpool to Leeds as it was blowing a westerly gale on the day.


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## John Dobbin (29 Aug 2019)

rabbits said:


> I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things.
> 
> First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?
> 
> ...


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## John Dobbin (29 Aug 2019)

Its great fun. Both ways. 2 days. 4 of us did it as a charity ride. Stopped at Novotel hotel in L'pool and they let us lock the bikes up safely. Personally I'd use a hardtail. Lock out your rear suspension if u can. We got a friend to carry spares and food and he met us at various points. Towpath is really bad near church (halfway point) but generally not too bad. Bit gnarly skipton - east marton. sorry, can't help with digs in burnley area. Have a good one


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## vickster (29 Aug 2019)

John Dobbin said:


> Its great fun. Both ways. 2 days. 4 of us did it as a charity ride. Stopped at Novotel hotel in L'pool and they let us lock the bikes up safely. Personally I'd use a hardtail. Lock out your rear suspension if u can. We got a friend to carry spares and food and he met us at various points. Towpath is really bad near church (halfway point) but generally not too bad. Bit gnarly skipton - east marton. sorry, can't help with digs in burnley area. Have a good one


This thread was started in August 2008, 11 years ago...I should think he's home by now as he was doing the ride that October (assuming he didn't fall into the canal)


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## Pat "5mph" (29 Aug 2019)

John Dobbin said:


> Its great fun. Both ways. 2 days. 4 of us did it as a charity ride. Stopped at Novotel hotel in L'pool and they let us lock the bikes up safely. Personally I'd use a hardtail. Lock out your rear suspension if u can. We got a friend to carry spares and food and he met us at various points. Towpath is really bad near church (halfway point) but generally not too bad. Bit gnarly skipton - east marton. sorry, can't help with digs in burnley area. Have a good one


 to CC!
Yes, the OP is from 2008, but there have been posts on the thread until 2017.
Thanks for contributing.


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## Ming the Merciless (29 Aug 2019)

Holy thread resurrection Batman


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## Cavalol (4 Oct 2019)

Still an interesting thread though. Would imagine a full suspension bike would be a nightmare along the canal side, it's very hard work on the bits where there is no paths with a hardtail, tbh. Certainly on the Shropshire Union, in parts it's like riding across a field and front suspension on or off, it's a right work out for the arms.


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## Blue Hills (5 Oct 2019)

Agree - still valid and useful.


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## mark_b (12 Jul 2020)

I read this thread with interest, and so thought I would post an update. I rode from Nelson to Skipton (and back!) today and noticed that the Gargrave to Skipton section has been resurfaced. Now it's all nice and flat, the surface is hard with some small light-coloured stones. You can now get a decent speed up (traffic permitting). The bit from Gargrave until about 3.5km outside Barnoldswick is still very bumpy and potentially muddy though.


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