Leeds / Liverpool

[Blue Hills]

I live 5 mins from the canal and spend a lot of time cycling on it.

Liverpool to Leeds, it gets nicer that way and you will (probably) have a tail wind.

I don't have a full-sus MTB and don't have any problems around Skipton, as long as the towpath is dry (ish) and I can't see a full-sus MTB being a big improvement over my hybrid in the wet as the main hassle are very slippy tree roots. If it's wet, any bike will struggle in the mud and roots towards Silsden. Richard is right, there are some lovely and better cycling roads, but it's nice to say that you have done the trip, at least once.

I done the trip a few times now, always on a hybrid (no sus) with 35mm M+'s.

Tapping into your local knowledge mark, how would you say the ride is from Leeds to Barnoldswick? Was wondering if it might be a good way to get to the Ribble Valley.

 

[MarkF]

Tapping into your local knowledge mark, how would you say the ride is from Leeds to Barnoldswick? Was wondering if it might be a good way to get to the Ribble Valley.

Leeds to Silsden is now 90% well surfaced, flat and stable, short rough sections only prior to Apperley Bridge and around Thackley, I've notice road bikes on it since the recent upgrades. Skipton to Barlick is also fine and a lovely ride from Gargrave. Even in the wet it's fine, but if it is wet then your problem is from Silsden to Skipton IMO.

From Lodge HIll Bridge (194) the stable surface vanishes and is replaced by mud and grass, sloping towards the water..............in dry weather I ride it on a hybrid with 35mm's without any problem. But in wet weather it's horrible, you need a MTB and even then, one of those isn't going to help much the nearer you get to Skipton, it's very rough with umpteen slippery-as-ice tree roots across the path. I've done it in the wet but spent more time walking than riding and arrived in Skipton a muddy mess. Sometimes I hop onto the adjacent A629 road, but it's a busy road, not particularly enjoyable.

Tip:- Right at Lodge Hill Bridge is a farm and leading from that is another cycle route (stone steps drop from the towpath into the farm yard), this route goes along a well surfaced path into Silsden and is a lovely scenic ride, you cut out a couple of miles of the horrible towpath and get to eat fish and chips by the river in Silsden before rejoining the canal towpath.

 

[MarkF]

Recent upgrades......the worst part was always Calverley Bridge to Apperley Bridge, a teeth chattering, bone crunching stretch. Last Thursday I cycled Bingley to Leeds, eager to try out the new surface, it was great and really well used, the only part not upgraded was the one cycists would have wanted to upgraded...........Calverley Bridge to Apperley Bridge.
I spoke to a few workmen and the opinion was that they had encountered "problems"and that the stretch might not be upgraded. This would be bonkers, a huge amount of money spent on making a good surface better, but ignoring the only stretch that causes problems.

 

[Blue Hills]

Many thanks for the wonderful reply Mark.

Great info.

I could always pop off the canal at Silsden anyway as after that the canal takes a very circuitous route to the Ribble Valley, if no doubt flatter.

Don't like the sound of a surface sloping towards the water had quite enough of near canal dippings after I skidded in the Lea Valley (London) once and ended up still on the bike hanging over the edge - a real Italian Job scene - luckily the key mm of the seesaw must have been on the bank side and I somehow somehow managed to edge myself and the loaded bike back to land.

I could always explore the Barnoldswick to Skipton stretch separately on a day ride from the Ribble Valley.

Thanks again.

 

[Ged68]

Thinking of doing this in July , but hopeless with directions ( I'm one of them cyclists who randomly just cycles anywhere gets lost then uses google maps to get home ) found some great places, anyway is this just a straight forward cycle along the path, or can it go off in all directions, and is it safe to camp, I will be by myself.. Thanking you..

 

[Ged68]

Forgot to ask.. Where is the starting point from liverpool searched high and low on line found nothing apart from it starts somewhere in the Stanley dock and that's it.. Cheers again

 

[neil_merseyside]

The map below shows a dumbell outline of two bits of canal, one is the old basin where canal joined docks and is where towpath starts, the other end of where the cycle route starts (as shown on the map). I've cycled between the two on a guided ride but that is no guarantee of 'legality'. No idea of any campsites on canal but any official ones should be safe.

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI/Course/783496

 

[Ged68]

Brilliant thanks for info and Map

 

[JohnClimber]

Mile marker 1 is here at the start
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...archp=ids.srf&dn=739&ax=334297&ay=392178&lm=0

and it ends here
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...archp=ids.srf&dn=739&ax=429834&ay=433051&lm=0

Be careful not to carry straight on here
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?...archp=ids.srf&dn=739&ax=359101&ay=420660&lm=0
and cross the canal to the other bank at this point.

I rode it last June in 9hrs 29mins only to find today that someone last month knocked 13 minutes off my time and now I have to do it all over again but faster

 

[Pjays666]

Thinking of doing this in July , but hopeless with directions ( I'm one of them cyclists who randomly just cycles anywhere gets lost then uses google maps to get home ) found some great places, anyway is this just a straight forward cycle along the path, or can it go off in all directions, and is it safe to camp, I will be by myself.. Thanking you..

Hi I did this a couple of years ago. There is a campsite in Gargrave at side of canal. This site is friendly and facilities are good. I could not find any others and had to stay in a travelogue in Withnell on first night (again this was at side of canal). As mentioned earlier the two dodgy bits are gannow and Foulridge where you have to leave the towpath and navigate around the bridges - I would be happy to cycle that route with you if I am available.

 

[Ged68]

Thanks for getting back... John 9hrs that is good going to sy the least and pjays I might hold you to that.. Thanks again for advice etc

 

[Pjays666]

Thanks for getting back... John 9hrs that is good going to sy the least and pjays I might hold you to that.. Thanks again for advice etc

Your welcome. If you need any more info give us a shout as I found this site invaluable when I did it.

 

[Pjays666]

By the way have you looked at www.towpathtreks.co.uk/llc an excellent sire for planning.

 

[MarkF]

Re-surfacing is now taking place on the Saltaire/Shipley stretch with short diversions on the roads.

 

[Ged68]

Just want to say thanks for advice etc I finally completed it today over two days put a vid together if anyone wants to watch it..
Cheers

View: http://youtu.be/-c-iaRlWP2I