Leeds Liverpool Canal Bike Ride- Help!!

[Globalti]

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

 

[crisscross]

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

 

[Fiona N]

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

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

 

[Globalti]

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.

 

[vernon]

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.

 

[HeavyJay]

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.

 

[HeavyJay]

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.

 

[daveb123]

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.

 

[Brian B]

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!

 

[ufkacbln]

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!

 

[Jonathan Wood]

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]

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!!!

 

[Venod]

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

 

[vernon]

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.

 

[Alun]

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!