Canal Route - London to Liverpool

[MarkF]

OP will be scared to death soon!

I ride at night in "bad" urban areas 9 months of the year, I can think of only one incident in many years and none on the canal at night, which I often use as I am too tipsy to ride on the road.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Yes, don't scare the poor girl!
I too ride in Glasgow mean city after dark, have done for years, nothing bad had befallen me yet.
Of course it help if, when you see a gang of youth on the riverfront, you just wave and give some banter back instead of being hostile.
One thing about the canal after dark @AlEddy is that there are no lights: you must have a really good front light on the bike.

 

[ozboz]

There is the Grand Union Canal , it begins in Brentford , West London, it goes as far as Birmingham ,
but I would heed to the advice about personal safety,
My Girlfriend rides along a section of this waterway, the section where a young girl was murdered by a nasty piece of work ,
I worry about her,

 

[subaqua]

Canals are no more the haunt of ne'erdowells as any other part of the country these days. Safety wise, it's about taking the same precautions you would anywhere else.

In some areas, where there's been an increase in the use of canals - either for residential mooring or by other users such as dog walkers, joggers, cyclists, etc - crime rates have actually fallen. Even in London, crime rates on canals are lower than in the surrounding areas.

Except in hackney at broadway market moorings where crimes against fashion are at an all time high!

 

[Blue Hills]

I do the same, shouldn't have to but it's just being realistic.

It doesn't matter how hard you are, if you are one and they are several you will come off worst.

A mate of mine - who is a bit of a hard case - was attacked by a group of youths.

From what I can gather, he kicked off and gave a good account of himself.

But his expensive glasses were smashed in the fracas, and one of the yobs stamped on his bike breaking the derailleur.

Another risk is you accidentally cause a serious injury to one of your attackers.

Self defence, of course, but there's no guarantee it will come out that way once officialdom gets involved.

Yes I know someone who was mugged twice on a suburban greenway - not inner London, but more outer. And someone else who was mugged on a traffic free cycle lane going over a bridge.

One very rainy day (daylight but dark and deserted) I also had what may well have been a staged crash with someone else on a bike (it was all very odd and the person demanded my bike) - luckily someone else walked up and let me get away from what was turning very ugly.

 

[Blue Hills]

There is the Grand Union Canal , it begins in Brentford , West London, it goes as far as Birmingham ,
but I would heed to the advice about personal safety,
My Girlfriend rides along a section of this waterway, the section where a young girl was murdered by a nasty piece of work ,
I worry about her,

Yes I know that stretch - I recommended a friend use it as a commuting route - have ridden it a fair few times in daylight - it is very isolated - no way would I ride it in the dark. If confronted you lose all the advantage of being on two wheels.

 

[Sixmile]

Any time I've done touring along canals I have thought if I came off, get hurt, fall or whatever, I may not be found for a good while as parts can be really remote and unused. Your personal safety should be a consideration and when travelling solo it's helpful to let someone know where you'll be or check in with them every few hours. I have invested in See Sense lights which will notify my wife via text with my position if I come off or whatever.

I would agree with the comments on surfacing too. Try and gather information beforehand on the surfaces you'll encounter along the way. I have been known to contact relevant authorities with a quick email to ascertain the surfaces or some of their paths and I've had fast detailed replies which is a great help towards planning.

Yes, it can be monotonous but also can be exhilarating, just being in the quiet, alone and far from home.

 

[cisamcgu]

Canals are no more the haunt of ne'erdowells as any other part of the country these days. Safety wise, it's about taking the same precautions you would anywhere else..

You are, of course, correct; but the problem with a canal towpath is the very fact that it is a single lane track, with water on one side and a hedge on the other. There is often no way to avoid the "ne'erdowells" like there often is when riding on more "normal" roads"

 

[pawl]

Hello!
I'm thinking of cycling from London to Liverpool (or vice versa) along the canals in May this year.

Have any of you done this route? If so, Id love to hear more about it... is the route as straight forward as it is in my head?
Do all of the canals link easy enough?

I ride my bicycle, Buddy, for pleasure and love the freedom you get on a bicycle. I reckon I can cycle this distance at approx 30 - 40 miles a day at my current level of fitness. Does that seem ok for this route? Perhaps a week is needed?

Would love to find out more!

thanks,
Alicia

Some tow paths are hardly walkable and tunnels you may encounter along the route need to be considered. Most tunnels had a path which allowed the horses that towed the narrow boats to by pass the tunnels

There are lots of various guide books specific to various canals which you may find useful.

Good luck

 

[Blue Hills]

At the risk of sounding uber negative (not like me with regard to "risk" - folk very often have an exaggerated idea of risk) - I cannot but help recall that I have twice almost fallen in a canal.

It is very easy to skid, particularly if you take action to avoid something and then skid. Once on a group ride up the Lee Valley I skidded and, bizzarely, ended up doing an imitation of the final scene from the Italian job - most of legs and bike over the canal - rest of body, just enough, on land. As my companions debated what to do/which bits of me to ditch/saw off to shift the balance back to the landside I managed to swivel/drag myself and the bike, firmly gribbed between my legs, back onto dry land.

And on the Brentford canal mentioned above I once skidded and tore a gash in my tights - luckily fell away from the water.

On the positive size it's my understanding that most canals are pretty shallow. Is this true?

Oh - take care on any cobbled bits, particularly near narrow passes under bridges.

 

[pawl]

I live a few mins from a canal and have done a ton of such riding, I think you'd go stir crazy after a few days. I agree with Bodhbh, but think "monotonous" is a kind description, if it's grey and miserable, or worse, cold+wet. then there is just about nowhere else I'd rather not be, than on a towpath!

Haven't cycled along canal tow paths but have cruised along many.Never found them bouring depending on area visited Great pubs some climbs along side staircase locks

 

[fossyant]

Canal paths are great fun in the dark. I regularly use a few routes at night as part of training runs and you never see a soul. So long as you have good lights they are fine.

 

[KneesUp]

On the positive size it's my understanding that most canals are pretty shallow. Is this true?

.

They were largely dug by hand, so for the most part they are only just about deep enough for a canal boat - about 4 foot I think. The locks are obviously much deeper.

 

[Blue Hills]

Canal paths are great fun in the dark. I regularly use a few routes at night as part of training runs and you never see a soul. So long as you have good lights they are fine.

Canal paths are great fun in the dark. I regularly use a few routes at night as part of training runs and you never see a soul. So long as you have good lights they are fine.

Bizarre for a training run I must say.

Forgot to say - my near mugging on a traffic free greenway was a filled-in ex canal

 

[Bodhbh]

At the risk of sounding uber negative (not like me with regard to "risk" - folk very often have an exaggerated idea of risk) - I cannot but help recall that I have twice almost fallen in a canal...

On the positive size it's my understanding that most canals are pretty shallow. Is this true?

Having ended up in the Grand Union following a bad passing - which was probably my fault - I can confirm it is about 3ft deep and no great ill befalls you if you wind up in the drink. Other than feeling like a d**k.