Cycling the canal tow paths.

[presta]

I stopped to help a girl lift her bike over a motorcycle barrier on the Rochdale canal once. Whilst we were there, a guy rolled up on a quad bike, and rode straight underneath it without stopping.

 

[harlechjoe]

@a.twiddler Nice write up👍

I do tend to use my MTB on canals I haven't ridden before, to be honest in winter even ones I'm familiar with be too muddy for anything but.

The Llangollen I have a vague idea of parking at one end and cycling with tent to the other, then spending a night going back.

The other one on my bucket list for next year is the Caledonian, probably make that more of a tour though if I can.

Good decision - MTB are the best for tow paths.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Good decision - MTB are the best for tow paths.

Ooh! And gravel bikes ... you get to dice death clipped in under those low bridges

 

[a.twiddler]

Oh I don't know. Mountain bikes? Gravel bikes?
Near the Newtown end of the Montgomery canal as part of a mini tour last year

Taking a break at Plas Meredydd. The canal dives into a culvert here and passes under the A 483. The fenced off area encloses a SSSI.
I don't usually use a flag but since it was a longer trip I thought I'd give it ago. Going under the bridges it would flex alarmingly then boinnng back. Should have taken it off really. It survived the trip. The towpath at this end was really good, fortunately.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

Generally where a towpath has been improved as part of the NCN, or for local commuter use, it's rideable on most bikes. Otherwise all bets are off. The non-NCN stretches of the Llangollen are paths I wouldn't even dream of cycling (but then I don't have a MTB!).

The two South Pennine canals - the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale - are both amazing to ride, especially if you enjoy industrial heritage. You can't go through the tunnel on the Huddersfield with a bike though...

 

[harlechjoe]

Generally where a towpath has been improved as part of the NCN, or for local commuter use, it's rideable on most bikes. Otherwise all bets are off. The non-NCN stretches of the Llangollen are paths I wouldn't even dream of cycling (but then I don't have a MTB!).

The two South Pennine canals - the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale - are both amazing to ride, especially if you enjoy industrial heritage. You can't go through the tunnel on the Huddersfield with a bike though...

I agree. A few years ago I rode along the Trans-Pennine Trail and enjoyed several stages of lovely waters edge cycling.

 

[Grant Fondo]

The non-NCN stretches of the Llangollen are paths I wouldn't even dream of cycling (but then I don't have a MTB!).

Again, you don't need an mtb but some of it would be hard work on a road bike.
Some sections up to Ellesmere Port near me are really rough but a hybrid would be fine.

 

[chris667]

The non-NCN stretches of the Llangollen are paths I wouldn't even dream of cycling (but then I don't have a MTB!).

I spent nearly half of my adult life living on boats.

I miss that lifestyle, but the thing I don't miss is the animosity between different groups of towpath users. Cyclists hate boaters and fishermen, boaters hate cyclists and fishermen, and everyone hates joggers.

There are practical reasons why some towpaths aren't meant to be cycled on. They're towpaths, actually designed for horses rather than cyclists. People forget bikes are high speed vehicles in that environment.

I'm not throwing stones at anyone on this forum of course. Just wanted to say there might be a reason why a given bit of towpath isn't suitable for cycling.

 

[harlechjoe]

I spent nearly half of my adult life living on boats.

I miss that lifestyle, but the thing I don't miss is the animosity between different groups of towpath users. Cyclists hate boaters and fishermen, boaters hate cyclists and fishermen, and everyone hates joggers.

There are practical reasons why some towpaths aren't meant to be cycled on. They're towpaths, actually designed for horses rather than cyclists. People forget bikes are high speed vehicles in that environment.

I'm not throwing stones at anyone on this forum of course. Just wanted to say there might be a reason why a given bit of towpath isn't suitable for cycling.

A very good fact, well explained and thank you for making it

 

[wiggydiggy]

Generally where a towpath has been improved as part of the NCN, or for local commuter use, it's rideable on most bikes. Otherwise all bets are off. The non-NCN stretches of the Llangollen are paths I wouldn't even dream of cycling (but then I don't have a MTB!).

The two South Pennine canals - the Huddersfield Narrow and the Rochdale - are both amazing to ride, especially if you enjoy industrial heritage. You can't go through the tunnel on the Huddersfield with a bike though...

I've been doing some casual research into the Llangollen last couple days and I'm in 2 minds as to whether to attempt it on the hybrid (which has better luggage carrying) or go light and use the MTB. I do know I want to do the full stretch east to west probably starting in Nantwich as it has a train station.

South Pennine - they are, I preferredthe Hudds Narrow I think despite the big hill you need to climb in the middle

 

[Grant Fondo]

I've been doing some casual research into the Llangollen last couple days and I'm in 2 minds as to whether to attempt it on the hybrid (which has better luggage carrying) or go light and use the MTB. I do know I want to do the full stretch east to west probably starting in Nantwich as it has a train station.

South Pennine - they are, I preferredthe Hudds Narrow I think despite the big hill you need to climb in the middle

Whichever is the most manoeverable and the narrowest bars! I ride the shropshire union a fair bit and even this time of year its tricky on the narrow bits with those pesky joggers and walkers.

 

[harlechjoe]

I've been doing some casual research into the Llangollen last couple days and I'm in 2 minds as to whether to attempt it on the hybrid (which has better luggage carrying) or go light and use the MTB. I do know I want to do the full stretch east to west probably starting in Nantwich as it has a train station.

South Pennine - they are, I preferredthe Hudds Narrow I think despite the big hill you need to climb in the middle

In the Llangollen area the towpath is wide, smooth and popular with walkers. The Shropshire Union towpath is not as wide and hawthorn (the traditional boundary between canal and farmers fields) is present. When I cycled along there I came across areas of overgrown hawthorn and was pleased to have avoided scratches by wearing a cycling helmet, cycling glasses, a long sleeve top and gloves. And we all know that after hawthorn has been cut the thorns risk punctures. I also used flat pedals as to fall into the canal locked to the bike with clip-ins would be dangerous. Grant Fono sensibly suggested narrow handlebars, That aside, most of the route was completely safe and my hybrid bike was ideally suited to this traffic free, reasonably flat and very scenic bicycle ride.

 

[T4tomo]

I think if you cycle on a tow path, you have to accept that progress wont be swift, the surface can be variable and parts will be crowded with other legitimate users. They are generally quite flat, that's the best thing you can say about them.

 

[Grant Fondo]

In the Llangollen area the towpath is wide,

Quite right, one of the best for cycling, and what about the valley views now and again?
*between the aqueduct and Llangollen