Leeds Liverpool Canal Bike Ride- Help!!

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rabbits

New Member
I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things.

First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?

Second, we are planning to do it in four legs, meaning we'll need a B&B or Youth Hostel around Burnley or Blackburn, does anybody happen to know such a place? The cheaper the better!!

Finally, I'll be using a that has rear suspension, could this be a problem for pannier racks?
 

Losidan

New Member
rabbits said:
I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things.

First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?

Second, we are planning to do it in four legs, meaning we'll need a B&B or Youth Hostel around Burnley or Blackburn, does anybody happen to know such a place? The cheaper the better!!

Finally, I'll be using a that has rear suspension, could this be a problem for pannier racks?

i use a seven mile stretch of the route everyday.(apperley bridge to bingley) and if the rest is the same standard then you are fine. i ride a hardtail with no prob's at all.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
Losidan said:
i use a seven mile stretch of the route everyday.(apperley bridge to bingley) and if the rest is the same standard then you are fine. i ride a hardtail with no prob's at all.

Apperley Bridge is poor in comparison to Armley to Rodley. Strictly speaking not all of the tow path on the Leeds Liverpool canal is open to cyclists.

Have a look at http://www.waterscape.com/things-to-do/cycling and find out where you are not meant to ride.

The restrictions do not appear to be observed by many cyclists and perhaps a blind eye is turned by British Waterways' employees.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Unfortunately the halfway point, Clayton-le-Moors, is also the grottiest along with Burnley. Earby YHA is not far from the canal, I wouldn't recommend stopping the night in Burnley, your bikes will get stolen and you'll get rogered senseless by somebody with one eye. That said, the canal passes right behind On Yer Bike cycles in Burnley if you need spares.

The towpath for the bits in the towns is pretty good, but it gets a bit rough on some of the remoter sections. No one gives a damn about cyclists on the towpath.

Why do it both ways? I would get to Liverpool and do it towards Leeds to take advantage of the prevailing wind.

Panniers are a good idea because a rucsac will kill your back and bum on the long boring stretches. Can't you borrow a hardtail? I would also recommend you buy some cheapo narrow commuter tyres and pump them up hard so you ride on the central ridge, wide knobblies will kill you.
 

vernon

Harder than Ronnie Pickering
Location
Meanwood, Leeds
rabbits said:
I'm riding the Leeds Liverpool Canal with a friend in October, there and back, and i need some advice on a few things.

First of all, has anybody done this ride before and what is it like?

Second, we are planning to do it in four legs, meaning we'll need a B&B or Youth Hostel around Burnley or Blackburn, does anybody happen to know such a place? The cheaper the better!!

Finally, I'll be using a that has rear suspension, could this be a problem for pannier racks?


Rear suspension is a problem for cheap pannier racks - I don't think that there are any. Carradice do pannier racks for rear suspension bikes

Have a look at www.carradice.co.uk
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Rigid Raider said:
Unfortunately the halfway point, Clayton-le-Moors, is also the grottiest along with Burnley. Earby YHA is not far from the canal, I wouldn't recommend stopping the night in Burnley, your bikes will get stolen and you'll get rogered senseless by somebody with one eye.
A few years back a couple I know borrowed a boat and sailed a big length of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. They stopped off in Burnley for the night... :idea:!

As they moored the boat, they heard a commotion coming from just up the canal. Two very large women with heavily-tattooed arms were shouting to a boy who had dived into a very polluted stretch of water. He resurfaced after about 30 seconds holding something furry and in an excited voice yelled "Hey mam, I got me a rat!"

After that, they went looking for something to eat. They got a frosty reception at a sandwich shop when they asked for wholemeal bread and salad to accompany their processed cheese slices.

Eventually they ended up at a backstreet pub somewhere in Burnley. They said that when they walked in, it was like a scene from a Western. Everybody stopped drinking and turned to stare at them.

Apparently it was Quiz Night at the pub, and being the sort of people who solve the Guardian crossword in about 20 minutes, they thought they'd have a go.

"What is the capital city of France?"
"What is the name of the British Prime Minister?"
"What date was the battle of Hastings..."
"...and who won?"
"What is the name of this pub - NO CHEATING!"

and so on...

The answer sheets were handed in and after a delay for marking, the results were finally announced - "In third place, Mick & Dave with a score of 3/20. In 2nd place the Slasher family with 5/20. And in 1st place with a score of... 20/20 were some f**kin' smart-arse bastards from out of town, the 'boat-crew'. So you think yer clever do ya, well come 'ere and claim yer bloody prize then!" My friends quietly slipped out of the side door and ran back to the boat before they were lynched...
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
My son's Godfather is a GP who practised in Burnley until recently. He tells us Burnley has the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK. This seems to be corroborated by Blackburn fans, sworn enemies of Burnley who taunt their enemies with a song about yer father is yer husband and yer mother is yer wife... or something like that.

A reviewer for Crap Towns went to Burnley Wood, a white estate on the south side of the town. He wrote that he waited 45 minutes for his bus and when it came, it was doing 60 mph and it was on fire. At that point a car exploded down the road. So he decided to leave Burnley as fast as possible. We moved out fast when drug dealing scum bought the executive house behind us and life became extremely unpleasant, almost bringing me and my wife to the point of nervous breakdowns.

A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.
 

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Rigid Raider said:
A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.
The sad thing is that it could have been a lovely town. The countryside around Burnley is really nice. There are some fine houses in the better-off parts of the town. I was really impressed with Burnley Mechanics (the Old Burnley Mechanics' Institute) when they refurbished it in the 1980s.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
There are sume superb old mills still standing alongside the canal in the town centre:
ll196.jpg


As well as the Burnley Embankment, considered one of the seven wonders of the canal world: http://www.weaverstriangle.co.uk/mile.htm

It's just the people who spoil the place.
 

yenrod

Guest
ColinJ said:
A few years back a couple I know borrowed a boat and sailed a big length of the Leeds-Liverpool canal. They stopped off in Burnley for the night... xx(!

As they moored the boat, they heard a commotion coming from just up the canal. Two very large women with heavily-tattooed arms were shouting to a boy who had dived into a very polluted stretch of water. He resurfaced after about 30 seconds holding something furry and in an excited voice yelled "Hey mam, I got me a rat!"

After that, they went looking for something to eat. They got a frosty reception at a sandwich shop when they asked for wholemeal bread and salad to accompany their processed cheese slices.

Eventually they ended up at a backstreet pub somewhere in Burnley. They said that when they walked in, it was like a scene from a Western. Everybody stopped drinking and turned to stare at them.

Apparently it was Quiz Night at the pub, and being the sort of people who solve the Guardian crossword in about 20 minutes, they thought they'd have a go.

"What is the capital city of France?"
"What is the name of the British Prime Minister?"
"What date was the battle of Hastings..."
"...and who won?"
"What is the name of this pub - NO CHEATING!"

and so on...

The answer sheets were handed in and after a delay for marking, the results were finally announced - "In third place, Mick & Dave with a score of 3/20. In 2nd place the Slasher family with 5/20. And in 1st place with a score of... 20/20 were some f**kin' smart-arse bastards from out of town, the 'boat-crew'. So you think yer clever do ya, well come 'ere and claim yer bloody prize then!" My friends quietly slipped out of the side door and ran back to the boat before they were lynched...

Rigid Raider said:
My son's Godfather is a GP who practised in Burnley until recently. He tells us Burnley has the highest rate of incestuous childbirth in the UK. This seems to be corroborated by Blackburn fans, sworn enemies of Burnley who taunt their enemies with a song about yer father is yer husband and yer mother is yer wife... or something like that.

A reviewer for Crap Towns went to Burnley Wood, a white estate on the south side of the town. He wrote that he waited 45 minutes for his bus and when it came, it was doing 60 mph and it was on fire. At that point a car exploded down the road. So he decided to leave Burnley as fast as possible. We moved out fast when drug dealing scum bought the executive house behind us and life became extremely unpleasant, almost bringing me and my wife to the point of nervous breakdowns.

A lovely Pennine mill town, is Burnley.


As well as the Burnley Embankment, considered one of the seven wonders of the canal world: http://www.weaverstriangle.co.uk/mile.htm

It's just the people who spoil the place.[/QUOTE]

Sounds great - Rigid, lifes always like that.

If I ever get to own my own island i'll have the law to eject anyone i dont like ! :angry:
 

PaulB

Legendary Member
Location
Colne
ColinJ said:
"What is the capital city of France?"
"What is the name of the British Prime Minister?"
"What date was the battle of Hastings..."
"...and who won?"

Well? Don't tease us with the questions and then not give the answers!

At the risk of this thread descending into Burnley bashing, there are some lovely parts to the town but unfortunately for the original poster, the canal goes through some grotty parts especially the bit from the Weaver's Triangle and out towards Barden. Additionally, the track west of there (coming from Blackburn if you're travelling that way) is poor especially if it's been raining. Beyond Barrowford though, pleasantness abounds and the towpath towards and beyond Barnoldswick has been upgraded to a fine standard. My problem with that section is that it's so nice, there's often loads of walkers on there who shout out really useful questions like, "'aven't yer gorra bloody bell on that bark?" should you get too close to them.
 
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