Your route isn't quite right as you follow the road which is one of the airport service roads..........
Actually you can also turn right just before Runger Lane (Sunbank Lane) and go.........
Oh, and while we are at it - when in timperley, go along Park Rd (not Brooklands Rd), turn right on ..........
Next year you can organise the route, Bl**dy smart ars3
I actually had a successful pre-event reality check today and completed the full loop without any problems. Only had to refer to my route notes a couple of times.
Starting point is outside The Triangle/Corn Exchange building so if you can't see something like this by 9.30am you're in the wrong place (the sheds should be gone by 1st Jan).
The route around the north and east of Manchester is straight forward with just a short cheeky climb out of the valley at Daisy Nook to challenge us and, as @
potsy has already pointed out, some nursery slopes to climb in the Bredbury/Stockport area (just little baby ones, honest
).
The café stop at Bruntwood park is at the 28 mile mark and there is plenty of bike parking although I prefer to lock bikes up on the patio on the other side of the building where they can be watched from the eating area.
During my visit today I also spotted that the café is licensed, I feel a glass of something white may be needed to see in the new year and help wash down the full English
From Bruntwood Park we now leave via the main drive and turn towards the airport for the big change from the original route. The tracks down the side of the runway are indeed some sort of emergency access track although they do not appear to be gated and run outside the airfield fences.
The airport orbital cycle route goes this way and there are two places where the official route leaves the emergency track. The first place is here and the path is well made with a firm crushed stone surface. This track shouldn't pose any problems for a road bike on skinny slick tyres.
I ignored the advice and decided to ride through the road tunnel under the runway as it gently curves to the right giving cars a good view of road ahead. One thing I did notice was how incredibly noisy it was with the trapped road noise from passing cars, as soon as they left the tunnel it was almost silent again.
I stuck to my planned route all the way to the Trafford Centre and was soon at our second café stop at Costa Coffee next door to
Evans Cycles.
Even though this is only 19 miles after Bruntwood Park I strongly suggest we stop here for a rest because after this we have a fair bit of undulation as we return to the northern foot hills.
The final drag from Heaton Park back into Manchester is a steady drop (not that I could tell today as I was pretty wrecked and fighting a stern headwind). There are a couple of one way streets to contend with as we get close to the Co-op zone but it's an interesting way into the city that I haven't seen before.
A few points to make if you are joining us for the day.
- Bring wet weather gear, it's a full day and the weather at this time of year can vary enormously during the day and from one side of the county to the other.
- Bring lights, by 2.30 in the afternoon it was gloomy enough for me to put my lights on (and in the airport tunnel). With two café stops it could be properly dark by the time we are saying our goodbyes and heading home (and we might fancy a pint before we go our separate ways?).
- Don't be late. I really don't like waiting around for people who should know better!
but I've had a look at your route around the airport.
