Short family cycling holiday - around 100 mile quiet route

[400bhp]

I'm thinking of planning a short cycling trip with the other 1/2 and my 3 year old daughter. My daughter will be in the child seat.

Ideally I would like to do something over 3 days, with around 30-40 miles a day, fairly flat and fairly quiet (trails would be better). We'd be travelling light so would want to stop in hotels/b&b's. Ideal situation would be to start / end at a train station. We would be on rigid forked hybrids.

I was initially thinking of cycling the Trans Pennine Trail, heading east from Lymm (as I live just half a mile from it), but I've never been further that Chorlton Water Park. Is the TPT suitable? I would imagine it gets quite undulating towards the Pennines.

I'd be interested in ideas.

Thanks

 

[400bhp]

I wonder if this thread would be better in Touring & Expedition?

 

[Hicky]

Potsy is your man for this as he cycles it often.
I have to check this(within the next month,if you dont get any joy or an answer from me then pm me!) route for a run I'm leading but I'll only be able to check up to the Pyramid in Stockport and probably down to Chorlton, if Potsy doesnt turnup then I'll see what I can do.

At a guess it would be fairly rutted even in summer unless they've resurfaced alot of it since I was a kid,and you have to cross the main rd(B5095) and go though the Galleon hotel carpark....by all accounts there are numerous cyclegates....having said that I have plans on doing it with my kids so it cant be that bad(once I've checked it).

 

[400bhp]

Thanks Hicky I think Potsy rides west more often (towards Warrington) than not.

 

[Hacienda71]

You could get off the TPT near Marple and jump on the Middlewood Way which is nice and flat and takes you as far as Macc on trails only. (although that is only about 11 miles.)

 

[jonathanw]

Fort William to Inverness on the Great Glen Cycle Route?

Perhaps a little too far North?

 

[400bhp]

How quiet are the roads on that route?

 

[rollinstok]

Ravenglass to Carlisle ( part of Hadrians Cycleway ) follows NW coast on cyclepaths and minor roads, very flat ride with a couple of minor bumps

 

[400bhp]

Ravenglass to Carlisle ( part of Hadrians Cycleway ) follows NW coast on cyclepaths and minor roads, very flat ride with a couple of minor bumps

Oh yes - that looks perfect. Just plotted it on Bikeroutetoaster. 83 miles

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=363332

 

[rollinstok]

Oh yes - that looks perfect. Just plotted it on Bikeroutetoaster. 83 miles

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=363332

check out a vid on youtube called " hadrians wall cycle " to whet your appetite

 

[jonathanw]

How quiet are the roads on that route?

mostly off road on dedicated track or canal towpath. A few sections on small single track roads

Needs hybrid or MTB tyres

http://www.greatglenway.com/route_users.htm#Mountain and Road Bike

 

[jdtate101]

Oh yes - that looks perfect. Just plotted it on Bikeroutetoaster. 83 miles

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=363332

You start right next door to hardknott pass! I wouldn't recommend that with your family, but if you get a day pass and are feeling utterly masochistic, it only possibly the hardest climb in the country!!!!

 

[400bhp]

I would never get my other half on a bike again.

 

[rollinstok]

You start right next door to hardknott pass! I wouldn't recommend that with your family, but if you get a day pass and are feeling utterly masochistic, it only possibly the hardest climb in the country!!!!

Check Hadrians Cycleway, it stays along the coast well away from the lake district passes. There are no climbs worth mentioning until after Carlisle which makes the ride up to Carlisle great for families.

 

[PaulSB]

Longer than you asked for but the northern section of the Penine Cycleway should meet much of four criteria. Starts at Appleby in Westmoorland station and finishes in Berwick on Tweed. The only major hill I can recall is Hartside. Lovely quiet rural ride of about 140 miles

Part of the southern section Derby to Glossop area is OK but only OK. The section from the Glossop area to Appleby is best described as tough. Good riding but some bastard climbs thrown in.