Leeds - Chorley ride & towpath observations.

[MarkF]

Met up at 6:30 am with my cousin Chris yesterday (under duress), I'd agreed (been coerced) into joining him on trip to see his MIL in Chorley, I didn't want to go, I get depressed as soon as I hit Colne if I go West.

First I found my Disco 501 locked up from last Saturdays ride, when I got drunk.........couldn't find the keys so transferred my a pannier onto my steel Ridgeback hybrid, a bike I'd only ridden any distance once before and with a brand new seat.................

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipNxgB0Y7n0O_TxpT2LX3kUcC_q6I4KewjtS2Lb_

We got as far as Silsden where we found the towpath closed off for maintenance, bugger, I knew this meant a long slog on the road via Glusburn, up and up and up over Pendle and down to bloody Colne. It was sunny, first time I've ever been in Colne when it wasn't dank & wet, it looked nice....................had a breakfast in Spoons and headed for the canal.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMzo8yFBbm3DQ_bxsc12UvSokF8dzwyt_JcHrRO

The contrast between Gargrave to Leeds (Yorks) & Colne to Chorley (Lancs) is astonishing. In Yorkshire the canal is a huge leisure/cultural pull, in Lancashire it was as if they are turning their backs to it. A sunny Saturday and I saw maybe 5 bikes, the same distance the other way in Yorks would have seen me see 100's, and barges? Saw maybe 5 (moving not moored), that's 10x less than I'd normally see. I saw zero families out but quite a few lone drinkers, in Yorks I literally wear out bells on my bikes towpath riding.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPclWrujTyRcxlCd3_PvSS8kMHKYkXq0BHrD9dL

Towpath surface around Burnley towards Blackburn is horrible, packed & ribbed tarmac not much better than cobbles, I am sure that is where my rear light vanished and my bum started to hurt. The dereliction along the canal was staggering and a real eye opener to me, my side practically nothing hasn't been snapped up and developed. I recall spotting a great looking pub (Wharfe Inn?) in Burnley only to find it shuttered up on arrival. 'I'd see new build estates right on the canal but with brick garden walls hiding it whereas in Yorks I'd expect to see gardens stepped down towards the canal with perhaps decking areas and/or boats/kayaks moored up. ,

The towpath then vanished around 60 miles from Leeds to a track for a fair few miles before, nearing Chorley, changing into what I normally ride on, a packed surface that undulates smoothly, the Chorley approach was very nice (is this where the money starts?) almost like 40 miles East............

Arrived at Chorley station around 3pm, I'd booked a seat and a bike, only to find no trains running, great. Got a bus to Preston and a s.l.o.w train back to Saltaire via (from memory) Blackburn, Manchester Rd, Burnley, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, Bradford, New Pudsey, Bramley and Leeds, not a ride I'll be doing again.

 

[Venod]

We got as far as Silsden where we found the towpath closed off for maintenance

I have ridden that stretch through Silsden and am glad they have finally got round to surfacing it, pot holes and mud were the main features.
I take the bike on the train to Steeton then ride to Leeds on the canal ( joining where they new works start just east of Silsden) then on to Ferrybridge down the Aire through St Aidens and Fairburn reserves, 40 mile of near traffic riding and I agree the canal is a well used leisure resource this side of the Pennines, I had no idea of its state on t'other side of hill.

@MarkF the links in your post come up with not found.

404. That’s an error.

The requested URL was not found on this server. That’s all we know.

 

[Vantage]

Welcome to the North West where no one gives a s**t about cycling.
South of Chorley the towpath disintegrates again to the most bloody aweful tarmac surface that causes me neck pain from being bounced around. In lots of places it's just mud and near Haigh Hall it's an absolute quagmire when wet. Further south it gets better but frequently turns bad in places.
I hate living up here.

 

[PaulSB]

We got as far as Silsden where we found the towpath closed off for maintenance, bugger, I knew this meant a long slog on the road via Glusburn, up and up and up over Pendle and down to bloody Colne. It was sunny, first time I've ever been in Colne when it wasn't dank & wet, it looked nice....................had a breakfast in Spoons and headed for the canal.

Hate to tell you this. We walked Silsden to Saltaire on Friday. If you had followed the diversion off the towpath it would have taken you down a good farm track and then back on to the towpath. As far as I could see only about 1.5 miles was closed.

Arrived at Chorley station around 3pm, I'd booked a seat and a bike, only to find no trains running, great.

You’ll have passed my house about three miles outside of Chorley.

There’s been a bus replacement service on the Chorley Manchester line at weekends for months. There really needs to be a warning if you booked online. I thought, but could be wrong, the bus replacement showed up on the Trainline - it usually does on the app.

 

[MarkF]

Hate to tell you this. We walked Silsden to Saltaire on Friday. If you had followed the diversion off the towpath it would have taken you down a good farm track and then back on to the towpath. As far as I could see only about 1.5 miles was closed.
You’ll have passed my house about three miles outside of Chorley.

I suspected as much as it is, by far, the worst section Gargrave to Leeds. I am familiar with the farm track to Silsden and my cousin (not me) was eager to do the climb to Pendle.

There’s been a bus replacement service on the Chorley Manchester line at weekends for months. There really needs to be a warning if you booked online. I thought, but could be wrong, the bus replacement showed up on the Trainline - it usually does on the app.

Nothing, bought the tickets at Shipley, was told no problem with bike on a Saturday and then no trains available! Totally crap. Staff were nice.......... but useless, what can you do? I just begged bus drivers until I got lucky.

 

[Globalti]

We live near Blackburn and can't wait to get away. Riding through Burnley a couple of years ago I stopped to stare aghast at a corner of the canal just before the famous embankment that was choked with floating rubbish including several black bin bags. As i stared a lady emerged from a house carrying a black bin bag, swung it into the canal, saw me staring, gave me a withering look and went back indoors, slamming her front door. I wish I had thought to report her.

Let's just say there are people living in those mill towns who don't know about or don't care a damn for the rules of civilised social cooperation.