Leeds/Liverpool Canal - Anyone done it recently

[shajennat]

I am doing the LL canal next May with my son (super fit and aged 12), and a friend and doing it over 3 days.
We are hoping to be as self sufficient as possible and any advice will be greatly accepted.
Do i fit panniers of take a rucksack.
My son and I have cx bikes and a friend is on a mb, i have read a forum post on here that was started in 2008 which said there were some dodgy areas of towpath. We have bought the Collins Waterways guide that covers the canal and it shows that you can do the whole route and even shows wich side of canal to ride. I presume that we would be best to follow this guide????
Any particular musts in the way of kit, and anything that would be useless that we maybe tempted to take!!! (apart from the usual inner tubes etc etc etc)
Any help greatly apreciated

Thanks
Shaun

 

[ASC1951]

Do i fit panniers of take a rucksack.

Panniers - more stable and more comfortable.

....t the Collins Waterways guide .... even shows which side of canal to ride. I presume that we would be best to follow this guide????

In that respect, yes. Canals only have towpaths both sides in towns.

Any particular musts in the way of kit, and anything that would be useless that we maybe tempted to take!!!

There's some useful info here. http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/llc/canal_cycling_guide.html. I wouldn't bother elsewhere, but I go along with his suggestion of a bell. The LLC is a popular bimble for walkers, especially round places like Skipton, and some of them are at the deaf and doddery end of the scale. I find the single pinger or the old-fashioned child's bell less aggressive.

And you need a free permit, which apparently you can get here http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers although Lord knows who is going to ask you for it.

 

[trampyjoe]

And you need a free permit, which apparently you can get here http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers although Lord knows who is going to ask you for it.

You don't need that anymore ... evenso when it was available you only needed to know that you needed it (if you get my meaning).

Just take a look at http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/see-and-do/cycling and you've done all you need to do with regard to British Waterways CaRT

 

[shajennat]

Thanks for the responses so far please keep them coming

 

[vernon]

Panniers are a pain in the butt in the stretches with gate/stiles in the Wigan area which have gaps too narrow to permit a pannier laden bike to pass with the panniers on.

 

[BobJ]

I am doing the LL canal next May with my son (super fit and aged 12), and a friend and doing it over 3 days.
We are hoping to be as self sufficient as possible and any advice will be greatly accepted.
Do i fit panniers of take a rucksack.
My son and I have cx bikes and a friend is on a mb, i have read a forum post on here that was started in 2008 which said there were some dodgy areas of towpath. We have bought the Collins Waterways guide that covers the canal and it shows that you can do the whole route and even shows wich side of canal to ride. I presume that we would be best to follow this guide????
Any particular musts in the way of kit, and anything that would be useless that we maybe tempted to take!!! (apart from the usual inner tubes etc etc etc)
Any help greatly apreciated

Thanks
Shaun

 

[BobJ]

Hi, I did the full length of the LL a couple of years ago then went on to meet the family in Anglesey. Using the map, I made a rough note of what the towpath surface was like (green for good/red for not so good). plus one or two other bits of information. Message me with your address and I can send you a copy. Good luck , you will enjoy the trip. By the way don't do it at the weekend, full of dog walkers. hikers etc. Bob. J. Bradford.

 

[shajennat]

Message sent Bob, thanks

 

[shajennat]

Panniers are a pain in the butt in the stretches with gate/stiles in the Wigan area which have gaps too narrow to permit a pannier laden bike to pass with the panniers on.

Never thought about the width restrictions, thanks Vernon

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

The Wigan styles are a real pain, like that game show with shapes cut out in polystyrene and you have to fit thru. I got fed up and just swung the Brompton over canal around the stupid things

 

[shajennat]

Panniers are a pain in the butt in the stretches with gate/stiles in the Wigan area which have gaps too narrow to permit a pannier laden bike to pass with the panniers on.

The question is though would it still be worth the panniers taking on board the bad bits with stiles etc etc compared to the rest of the ride. We are planning to do the trip unsupported

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

There is GPS files available for the ll canal, I'll have a search and see if I can find them.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Use this link and then use google options for getting a file.


http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...=1.136907,2.334595&t=p&z=8&source=embed#bmb=1

 

[shajennat]

Use this link and then use google options for getting a file.


http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=e...=1.136907,2.334595&t=p&z=8&source=embed#bmb=1

Thanks for that

What i could really do with is a site that lists cheap b&b's that are at the side of the canal

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/LLC/canal_pub_guide.html