East Manchester to Southport route?
- Thread starter bondirob
- Start date
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clockworksimon
Über Member
- Location
- England
Are you doing this in a single day? Personally I would go north of Manchester. Something like via Hebdon Bridge, over Winter Hill just north of Bolton then on to Southport. Going across Manchester isn't my idea of fun. Obviously going north wouldn't fit in with doing Woodhead. Woodhead is pretty horrible as it is busier than Snake Pass and has lots of lorries so do you really want to do this? Going south of Manchester and across East Cheshire leaves the problem of getting across the Mersey which is not easy via pleasant routes.
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
I'd consider north too, Maybe start going up past Yorkshire Sculpture Park, over towards Huddersfield, and onto @ColinJ country, Myrtholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, wave at @Accy cyclist heading across Blackburn / Burnley way and over towards Chorley or Preston depending on quiet cross country or a bit busier route to the coast.
Bazzer
Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
- Location
- On the edge of reality
If you are adamant about going through Manchester, once you get to Salford you can get on the East Lancs (A580). The first part of which is variable in terms of safety. Some bus lanes and a potentially (depending upon the time of day), tricky crossing of a motorway junction. Once past the junction, there is a dedicated cycle lane (grass verge between you and the road), for pretty much all the A580 you will need. The early parts are broken up by frequent road junctions which can get irritating, but the greater the distance from Salford, the more infrequent they become.
From the East Lancs you would have a choice of routes. It would depend on how direct a route you wanted and how quiet you wanted the roads.
From the East Lancs you would have a choice of routes. It would depend on how direct a route you wanted and how quiet you wanted the roads.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
Yes I'll be doing it in a single day.
The reason I chose Woodhead is because it's near where I live in Birdwell and I can access it from the North near Dunford Bridge so I don't have to do the whole thing.
I hadn't considered going North of Manchester but if they are nice quiet ish roads I'll definitely look into it.
I can be over to the sculpture park in about 40 mins so not too far out of my way.
Yes I'll be doing it in a single day.
The reason I chose Woodhead is because it's near where I live in Birdwell and I can access it from the North near Dunford Bridge so I don't have to do the whole thing.
I hadn't considered going North of Manchester but if they are nice quiet ish roads I'll definitely look into it.
I can be over to the sculpture park in about 40 mins so not too far out of my way.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
How fit are you? I can think of some very nice routes from where you are but they would be long and strenuous. I think you would have to do a big detour to find mostly quiet roads.
Also - do you have a GPS device? Those routes would be complicated so they would be a pain to navigate without one unless you wrote yourself a very detailed route sheet.
I just did a rough route which turned out to be about 110 miles with the first 75-odd miles very lumpy but the last 30+ miles would be a good run down to the coast. Total climbing about 8,000 ft, some steep!
If that doesn't put you off, I could do you a detailed GPX file ...
Also - do you have a GPS device? Those routes would be complicated so they would be a pain to navigate without one unless you wrote yourself a very detailed route sheet.
I just did a rough route which turned out to be about 110 miles with the first 75-odd miles very lumpy but the last 30+ miles would be a good run down to the coast. Total climbing about 8,000 ft, some steep!
If that doesn't put you off, I could do you a detailed GPX file ...
Hi Colin,
Thanks for your help
I do have a garmin buts it's a 310 no good for maps not sure if I could run the gpx on my android but if you could please send a route to me I'd very grateful.
I'm not amazingly fit but I do ride hills a lot however my rides tend to be fairly short so I'd prefer to keep it under 100 miles if I could.
Thanks for your help
I do have a garmin buts it's a 310 no good for maps not sure if I could run the gpx on my android but if you could please send a route to me I'd very grateful.
I'm not amazingly fit but I do ride hills a lot however my rides tend to be fairly short so I'd prefer to keep it under 100 miles if I could.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I wasn't familiar with the 310 device but I've searched for info and apparently it IS possible to navigate with one using a 'breadcrumb trail'! Search for 'Garmin 310 navigation' on YouTube and you will find some videos showing you how it works. (You won't see a map, but you will see a line which can show you where the turns are. I use the same method on my ancient Etrex GPS.)
I think I can get the route down to just below 100 miles and make it a bit easier by missing out some of the more scenic hills and including more main roads. You should be okay on them in terms of traffic as long as you time your ride so you are on those after 10:00 and before 14:00 on weekdays. At weekends, I suppose the earlier you did them, the quieter they would be.
I'll put up a route tonight or tomorrow. I'll start it from Penistone because I don't know exactly where you would start from and I only know the roads from there. At the other end, I'll stop it just before Southport for similar reasons. You should be able to work out the first and last bits of the route.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Ok, I've cut out some of the climbs and lanes but left some in. The route is a mix of quiet, scenic roads, busier, slightly less scenic roads, and a few unavoidable short stretches of busy-looking roads. There is some tough climbing in the first half. The route gets easier the closer you get to Southport. The last 25 miles is downhill or flat! It is 91 miles from Penistone to the fringes of Southport so you would probably end up doing nearer 100 miles in total.
I've attached a GPX file of the route which you should be able to view in detail on various online route planning sites. You can also convert it to a TCX or CRS file HERE if you need to for your Garmin 310.
This is the elevation profile between Penistone and Southport:
This is the first part of the route.
Second part:
PS I just had a thought ... You DID mean SOUTHport, NOT STOCKport, didn't you!
I've attached a GPX file of the route which you should be able to view in detail on various online route planning sites. You can also convert it to a TCX or CRS file HERE if you need to for your Garmin 310.
This is the elevation profile between Penistone and Southport:
This is the first part of the route.
Second part:
PS I just had a thought ... You DID mean SOUTHport, NOT STOCKport, didn't you!
- Location
- In the hills
Try this for a more direct flat route (not on the A628 or it will bite you)
The Trans-Pennine trail runs by the side, it's sandstone but a good surface.
Then on to Ashton-Under-Lyne from there Route 6 off-road to
Chorlton Cum Hardy all tarmac.
On to the A580: or for safety, back on the
Trans-Pennine trail at Sale, mainly all tarmac.
The on to Liverpool and Southport
Don't go on the A56 to Sale or it may bite you.
The Trans-Pennine trail runs by the side, it's sandstone but a good surface.
Then on to Ashton-Under-Lyne from there Route 6 off-road to
Chorlton Cum Hardy all tarmac.
On to the A580: or for safety, back on the
Trans-Pennine trail at Sale, mainly all tarmac.
The on to Liverpool and Southport
Don't go on the A56 to Sale or it may bite you.
Many thanks for taking the time to help me Colin it's much appreciated.
We don't venture to the otherside of the pennines very often from these parts
Sorry for not replying sooner I'm working nights and as such I don't know whether I'm coming or going
We don't venture to the otherside of the pennines very often from these parts
Sorry for not replying sooner I'm working nights and as such I don't know whether I'm coming or going
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
No problem - I enjoy plotting routes and I have already ridden most of that one before at different times so I wasn't short of ideas.Many thanks for taking the time to help me Colin it's much appreciated.
We don't venture to the otherside of the pennines very often from these parts
Sorry for not replying sooner I'm working nights and as such I don't know whether I'm coming or going
The section from Penistone to Blackstone Edge above Littleborough is challenging. The long, fast downhill to Littleborough is a lot of fun. The A-roads between Littleborough and Whalley can be quite busy so choose the right time for them. We really enjoyed the lanes between Whalley and Leyland when we did them on my recent Rivington forum ride. The last bit to Southport should be a doddle unless you have a mighty headwind to contend with!
If you would like some company for part of the route and I am free when you plan to do it, let me know and we could meet up. (No problem if you'd rather do it solo!)
I did a night shift for a year when I was young. I couldn't cope with switching back and forth between days and nights so I just stayed up late at the weekends too and slept all day!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I forgot about this thread, but have just found it again ...
I am free except for the last weekend in July when I am supposed to be doing a forum ride of mine. So far, however, nobody has shown any interest in that ride so I could postpone it by a week if you are doing your ride that weekend? If so, let me know ASAP because I won't change the date of my ride once I have other riders committed to it!
