Transpennine Trail

[Chrismacfb]

Can anyone please tell me which is the easiest route on the
Transpennine Trail


Southport to Hornsea or Hornsea to Southport?

cheers

 

[Soltydog]

Normally its easier southport to hornsea, due to the prevailing wind, usually west to east
I've done it both ways though & it wasnt too bad going east to west, as we fell lucky & there was very little wind

 

[ufkacbln]

Normally its easier southport to hornsea, due to the prevailing wind, usually west to east
I've done it both ways though & it wasnt too bad going east to west, as we fell lucky & there was very little wind

Have attempted this twice and have given u both times due to flooding!

 

[Soltydog]

Have attempted this twice and have given u both times due to flooding!

1st time i did it was 4 or 5? years ago just after big floods. It wasnt too bad on the whole, although the horrible stench of sewage was still strong around Toll Bar area & then just over the border into Lancashire there was a stretch that was flooded about 12" deep, but we managed to cycle through that.
2nd time, I did it over 2 days & the first day was just constant heavy showers which made some of the trails very muddy & put us behind schedule, arriving at our b&b on day 1 at around 8.30pm & bikes in a rather filthy state. 2nd day I fell near Connisborough & cracked a rib
Maybe thats why its my least favorite sustrans route done so far, much prefer the Way Of The Roses

 

[Chrismacfb]

Thanks everyone for your reply s. Are the hill climbs the same in either direction?
Hope the cracked rib healed well Sottydog, The Way of the roses route sounds like a tougher ride.

 

[aces_up1504]

Is the route do able on a Tricross? or does it need to be a MTB?

 

[wiggydiggy]

I've cycled most of it bar the very beginning Southport>Aintree, its a massively mixed bag of surfaces, environments and effort. I do it on a tourer style no suspension, I've used 28c tyres but prefer 32c or bigger. The main climb, the pennines themselves, is easier West>East as it rises slowly out of manchester before a last effort to the top, East>West its flat almost to the foot of the hill then a big long steep climb but at least that is on road. It has the some of the best and worst scenery of the cross country trails, and some parts (Goole>Hull) are outright dull.

Its worth doing it at least once I'd say, but given a choice I'd chose a different route for a cross country trip.

Top tip would be if you use mudguards adjust them to get extra clearance, and be prepared to stop every so often and get a tyre leaver out to get all the crap out thats starting to jam under them!

 

[darth vadar]

Every time I have cycled along parts of the TPT it has ALWAYS been flooded - even in the (so called) better weather.

It continues to underwhelm me.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Every time I have cycled along parts of the TPT it has ALWAYS been flooded - even in the (so called) better weather.

It continues to underwhelm me.

As a whole CC trail I'd agree, but depending on where you are there are sections which are very very good. The 'central' section offers some very interesting loops and sights especially if you are a fan of old industry/railways/canals - if you drew a circle with Hadfield on the West, Barnsley on the North, Doncaster in the East and Chesterfield in the South then that whole section offers some nice steady routes.

Unfortunately this is offset by the grottiness of the Leeds>Barnsley link (with the exception of the Barnsley canal section), Sale>Hadfield is also grim in despite the local heritage in parts and then there is the mind numbing tediousness of the Selby>Hull section.

I'd say its worth doing once as an achievement and then revisit parts you want to - I want to do the Hull>Hornsea section again but slower (rushing against nightfall first time) so I can look at the old railway buildings (and inspect a couple of boozers I saw!) in more detail.