Liverpool-Leeds Canal in December?

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fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Just to warn you the TPT will be as muddy as the canal in places. Some does need a MTB, although you'd be OK pushing a hybrid (The TPT passes where I live).

I ride towpaths all year, and I winterise an old Mountain bike for this purpose. Full guards. It's very muddy and you'll be tired after 40 miles, so plan the trip not to be that 'quick'.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
Get the train to Morecambe, follow the Way of the Roses cycle route to York, train to Leeds, or some variation of that - you could strike south on small road towards say Otley and train into Leeds from there.

that is an on road route but on quiet roads, and wont be covered in Mud or families strung out across a tow path on an Xmas family walk.
cycling on towpaths for any distance is not a good idea, especially in winter.
This is a very good suggestion and it doesn't take much effort to plot a reasonable route from York to Leeds.
 
OP
OP
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Dontgotomaine

Regular
Get the train to Morecambe, follow the Way of the Roses cycle route to York, train to Leeds, or some variation of that - you could strike south on small road towards say Otley and train into Leeds from there.

that is an on road route but on quiet roads, and wont be covered in Mud or families strung out across a tow path on an Xmas family walk.
cycling on towpaths for any distance is not a good idea, especially in winter.
After looking into it more, I am leaning towards this. Thank you for the suggestion!
 

jpj84

Veteran
A Liverpool to Morecambe train might be tricky, but... Morecambe and Lancaster are essentially one contiguous conurbation, and Lancaster is on the rail main line (Morecambe would mean changing trains), so I'd recommend starting the ride from Lancaster station. It's a great route though, wherever you start.
 
A Liverpool to Morecambe train might be tricky, but... Morecambe and Lancaster are essentially one contiguous conurbation, and Lancaster is on the rail main line (Morecambe would mean changing trains), so I'd recommend starting the ride from Lancaster station. It's a great route though, wherever you start.
It's probably as quick to cycle to Morecambe from Lancaster as it is to change trains there, if the OP wants to do the 'traditional' dipping of his wheels in the sea, and it's tarmac traffic free cycle path all the way (for that short way at any rate). I rode there and back a few days ago on a grey and blustery day; most of the track felt fairly sheltered but heck it was very grey! And that's only in the first half of October ...
Photo from Geograph. 613518
 
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