Rochdale canal path

[Soltydog]

I've a few days away next month & one day I'll probably be riding from Oldham to Bradford. Looking at sustrans routes the Rochdale canal path will make up a large chunk of the route if its suitable. Anyone local know what its like for riding? I'll be on a lighly loaded tourer TIA

 

[dan_bo]

Bit scabby but it's ok. Give us a wave in Failsworth!

 

[Soltydog]

Bit scabby but it's ok. Give us a wave in Failsworth!

I'll be heading east from Oldham, so if you see me waving in Failsworth I'm lost

 

[I like Skol]

I'll be heading east from Oldham, so if you see me waving in Failsworth I'm lost

He has trouble knowing what day it is, never mind where he is going! All I can say is WHY? There are far more attractive locations to travel between in the area, although you are likely to see some attractive bits in between. I'm not sure the canal will show you the best bits (although I know very little about the route) but I suppose it will be relatively flat!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I've a few days away next month & one day I'll probably be riding from Oldham to Bradford. Looking at sustrans routes the Rochdale canal path will make up a large chunk of the route if its suitable. Anyone local know what its like for riding? I'll be on a lighly loaded tourer TIA

my OH is from Failsworth as well, but can't remember what the surface is like there... but his brother lives alongside the canal between Hebdon Bridge and Todmorden and it is fine along there imo. What size tyres are on your tourer? Its hardcore not tarmac there. Not sure about 23c but 28c should be OK though you may need to be careful on the cobbles around the locks. Anything wide would be better and fine...

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Oh and I often use the google drive by thingy on bridges over the canal to take a peek at the surface of the towpath - it is actually quite useful for that!

so here in Rochdale it actually looks quite decent! (I will qualify that statement - the canal towpath looks quite decent!)...
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=ol...=EfLQK6LjpjfTAGRONQt7qg&cbp=12,11.59,,0,14.32

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

It's one of the better towpaths. There's the odd cobbled weir where you might want to push, but these are only short. I've done it on a hybrid a couple of times.

The Manchester bit isn't classically pretty, I'll grant you, but from Littleborough over the summit to Hebden Bridge is absolutely gorgeous... perhaps (as a narrowboater) my favourite section of canal in the UK.

As an add-on to SNSSO's suggestion of Google Street View, if you plan a route on cycle.travel, you can click each section of the route to see photographs - these are sourced from Geograph and generally go places where the Street View car won't!

 

[dan_bo]

WHY? There are far more attractive locations to travel between in the area,

Yeah I was thinking between Beswick and Ashton......

 

[I like Skol]

yeah I was thinking between Beswick and Ashton.

You're even more lost in that case because that is the wrong canal! Head back into Manchester and turn right

 

[dan_bo]

You're even more lost in that case because that is the wrong canal! Head back into Manchester and turn right

Oh aye.

 

[wintergreen]

The Rochdale canal towpath is quite good really compared to most. I ride it quite often between Manchester and Littleborough summit (visiting family) and apart from a small section (a couple of hundred yards) between Middleton junction and Slattocks its quite well paved. There are a few cobbled sections around the locks but nothing to worry about.

Edited to add:
There is a pontoon type of thing to get you under the motorway bridge near Castleton which is sometimes removed for wider boats. If it isn't there you have to back track and follow the signs which take you along the main road, its not a huge detour.

 

[ColinJ]

Littleborough ->Todmorden -> Hebden Bridge -> Mytholmroyd -> Sowerby Bridge -> Brighouse is very good. I have never gone beyond those extremes.

There are a few places where you have to cross roads and some spillways which you might want to walk your bike across.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Its lovely! Take a camera as now Ive done all three of the pennine crossings (Leeds/Liverpool and Ashton/Huddersfield being the others) its definately the one I'd rate the most.

My one tip to anyone would be from the canal basin in Manchester (close to Piccadily) you can safely skip the first 2 miles ish as there are a lot of locks and odd little crossings that mean its a lot mucking about.

 

[bigjim]

I've ridden it from Todmorden to Castleton on a Giant SCR3 with 23mm tyres. Didn't enjoy it all. I can remember lots of cobbles and some gravel. I was of course on the wrong kind of bike. The guy I was riding with was on a Hybrid and he left me for dead. It was very busy as well but it was a sunny Sunday. I must admit though on the right bike it is a much more pleasant experience than the road that runs parallel to it.

 

[Soltydog]

Thanks for the input guys. Didn't realise that I could get all the way to Brighouse on it, cheers @ColinJ Should be a fairly steady ride till Brighouse then up through Hipperholme to Shelf & Queensbury
I'll be on my tourer with 28mm tyres, so should be ok & it will be a Wednesday, so hopefully not too busy