Liverpool Route Advice

[Noru]

Hi I'm planning to cycle to Liverpool from Manchester on the A580 East Lancs Road.
I see the cycle lane disappears around the M57 junction and becomes 3 lanes of traffic for the next part of the A580.

Any locals able to advise on a better route from the A580 near Knowsley or Gillmoss to the Liver Building?

 

[Alan O]

I've been pondering this, but it's hard to think of a more cycle-friendly route. If you wanted to add some extra distance, you could turn North just after Gillmoss along Stonebridge Lane, Copplehouse Lane and Aintree Lane until you reach the Leeds-Liverpool canal, and then follow the tow path all the way to the dock road just a little North of the Liver Building - I ride the canal path myself and I love it, and I'd say it's OK on a road bike as long as it's not wet (it's mostly unpaved), but Stonebridge Lane, Copplehouse Lane and Aintree Lane aren't especially nice roads - B-roads with quite narrow lanes and often quite a bit of traffic.

I've ridden the A580 all the way in before now, and though it's a 3-lane A-road it doesn't worry me too much. I'd probably just follow the A580, then Walton Hall Avenue, Walton Lane and Everton Valley to the A59 - but I'd turn off the A59 at the A5054 (which has a cycle lane in parts) all the way to Regent Road and follow that to the Liver (turning off to the right along Princes Parade for the last bit).

It's mostly not that nice a route until the very last bit along the river, but if traffic is bad there are pavements along parts that don't get much use and I'd be happy to ride along slowly. And I really can't think of a nice route that isn't badly indirect.

 

[ColinJ]

How about a longer but much nicer route using the Trans-Pennine Trail - LINK?

 

[Alan O]

How about a longer but much nicer route using the Trans-Pennine Trail - LINK?

That would be a nice route. You don't actually have to take the northern loop from Speke (although it does take in the southern end of the Loop line, which is one of my regular runs). Instead, you can head through Speke Hall grounds and then through the Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve, and with a couple of diversions inland reach the river again just past Grassendale... and all the way from there.

 

[Noru]

Thanks very much for the help!

I'll have a look at the Leeds Liverpool canal and TPT routes tonight in more detail. I'll be on my touring bike with 700x35c tyres so unpaved should be ok as long mud doesn't clog my mudguards.

 

[irw]

That would be a nice route. You don't actually have to take the northern loop from Speke (although it does take in the southern end of the Loop line, which is one of my regular runs). Instead, you can head through Speke Hall grounds and then through the Speke and Garston Coastal Reserve, and with a couple of diversions inland reach the river again just past Grassendale... and all the way from there.

+1 to this

 

[si_c]

Thanks very much for the help!

I'll have a look at the Leeds Liverpool canal and TPT routes tonight in more detail. I'll be on my touring bike with 700x35c tyres so unpaved should be ok as long mud doesn't clog my mudguards.

I've done both many times on a road bike with 23mm tyres, limited clearance and mudguards no problem, even in poor weather.

 

[Noru]

Thanks for all your help. The Leeds Liverpool Canal looks like an interesting adventure for another day.

I was planning a simple out & back 80 mile ride from North Manchester to Liverpool and back along the A580.

But with your help and Open Cycle Map I've come up with a much more interesting looping route.
Considerably further at 110 miles (178km) but it will be a good test to see if I'm ready to step up to a 200K audax, which is a bonus and also passes a few train stations if I've bit off more than I can chew.

1. Set off down the Outwood Trail (NCN6) from Radcliffe down to Phillips Park.
2. Cut across to the A580 East Lancs Road briefly before joining the Leigh Guided Busway.
3. Back onto the A580 until Knowsley Industrial Estate.
4. Use NCN862 from the A580 (Knowsley) to Croxteth Hall & Country Park.
5. Navigate from Croxteth Hall on to the Liverpool Loop Line (NCN62 Trans Pennine Trail)
6. Cut across to the River Mersey and ride up to the Liver Building.
7. Double back to the Trans Pennine Trial.
8. Follow the Trans Pennine Trial to Chorlton Water Park.
9. Cut across to Palantine Road/Oxford Road.
10. Battle along Deansgate.
11. Take the Broughton Cycleway back to Phillips Park.
12. Back up the Outwood Trial to the start.

 

[si_c]

Looks good, if it were me though, from Knowsley I'd pick up the Leeds-Liverpool canal and go along that to bootle, then into L1 and the Liver Building, then running down the waterfront. going the way you are planning you'll find there is a strong prevailing wind that would be in your face all the way along the waterfront to the Liver Building.

 

[rrarider]

Looks good, if it were me though, from Knowsley I'd pick up the Leeds-Liverpool canal and go along that to bootle, then into L1 and the Liver Building, then running down the waterfront. going the way you are planning you'll find there is a strong prevailing wind that would be in your face all the way along the waterfront to the Liver Building.

If you do opt for going via Bootle, then go down the A5058 (Millers Bridge) to Regent Road (aka The Dock Road) and on the Pier Head. The road surface on Regent Road is awful, so watch out for potholes. I Ride that road regularly early on a Sunday morning, when there is no traffic and I can weave all over the road to avoid my skinny wheels hitting the worst holes.

In their wisdom, Liverpool City Council have granted a licence for a fun fair in front of the Liver Building and the other two listed buildings alongside. It is really, really tacky and ruins the whole scene. Apparently Liverpool could lose its Word Heritage classification if a mutli-storey development is built on the waterfront; I can't imagine it could look any worse than the fun fair. Fortunately its licence ends in September.

 

[Alan O]

Use NCN862 from the A580 (Knowsley) to Croxteth Hall & Country Park.

Ah, I wasn't aware of NCN862, though I do unknowingly use part of it when I tootle round Croxteth Hall Park (I live fairly close), and that's quite pleasant. I use the Gellings Bridleway and Littlewood Greenway parts. If you go that way, I'd suggest modifying the approach into Croxteth Hall Park a little myself, as the more direct route was very very muddy the last time I tried it. Here's a Strava track of my last ride there...



I was on my MTB at the time, so I've marked a suggested road bike route with blue arrows.

Also, if you wanted to get straight into the city centre after coming out of Croxteth Hall Park instead of heading south on the Loop Line (though it's worth popping in to the Loop Line at that point to see West Derby station if you like railway things), the direct route from there is pretty reasonable - I use it to get to town myself. It would save doing that reverse section along the river front.

Up Mill Lane (the only tight bit, narrow lanes and often heavy traffic, but it's very short), across Queens Drive and down Mill Bank, along West Derby Road (A5049) and then duck into Newsham Park just after the railway bridge. Diagonally across the park to emerge on Sheil Road (B5188) then follow Boaler Street and Farnworth Street, cut the corner across Phythian Park, on to Kensington (use the bus lane), Prescot Street, and you're pretty much in the city centre.

Give it a trial run on Google Streetview and see what you think.

 

[Alan O]

And then another possible variation is to take to the Loop Line at West Derby station and head south, but come off it earlier than you suggest and head for Sefton Park and down to the riverfront that way - it would reduce the route duplication a little. I don't go that way myself so I can't suggest an actual route, but you should be able to find a passable one with the help of Streetview.

 

[si_c]

And then another possible variation is to take to the Loop Line at West Derby station and head south, but come off it earlier than you suggest and head for Sefton Park and down to the riverfront that way - it would reduce the route duplication a little. I don't go that way myself so I can't suggest an actual route, but you should be able to find a passable one with the help of Streetview.

Or if you're around sefton park, head out into princes park and up Kingsley road to the Women's hospital, through Falkner square and down through the Georgian quarter into town.

 

[Pete Owens]

A better way back into Manchester is to follow the Bridgewater Canal through Altrincham. If you turn right at the end of the railway section of the TPT it is not far to the canal and the tow path is tarmac from there.

The TPT is diverted through Widnes because of the works for the new Mersey Gateway Bridge. Also there is a flight of steps where the trail crosses Ditton Brook: https://www.cyclestreets.net/location/52712/ so it might be worth using the roads for that section.