pete drans
Member
- Location
- Leeds
Liverpool to Leeds overnight/campsites near towpath any ideas. As cheap as poss
Liverpool to Leeds canal ride
- Thread starter pete drans
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Petrichorwheels
Senior Member
freecamp in an adjacent field?
you could check out various online maps for likely spots.
If this is just a two day ride with one overnight, you'd be fine.
you could check out various online maps for likely spots.
If this is just a two day ride with one overnight, you'd be fine.
wiggydiggy
Guru
I use https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/ to find sites near where I want them to be.
I'd recommend before the ride checking the Canal River Trust for any issues, the canal has breached in last 12 months as the towpath closed whilst they fix it. Up to date news here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices
Good luck!
I'd recommend before the ride checking the Canal River Trust for any issues, the canal has breached in last 12 months as the towpath closed whilst they fix it. Up to date news here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices
Good luck!
Can this be ridden the whole way from Liverpool to Leeds? I haven't found a definitive guide yet online for the route. The Canal trust page only mentions a 9 mile section to ride.
wiggydiggy
Guru
Yeah that's just a suggested ride from Reedley Marina to Pendle Heritage Centre, the whole route is definately open to cyclists but as a couple of tips:
- Have tyres that grip in mud
- Be prepared for slow progress at times, either due to surface or there are several key tourist spots which can get busy
- You could do it in a day but you'd miss so much. Personally I'd plan a 3 or 4 day trip and have some time off the bike to explore
I had a flick through the route earlier and it definitely looks like an option for me as a solo (on the fat bike or hybrid), or maybe as a family multi day trip (tandems). I took the kids on the tandem from Edinburgh to Glasgow along the tow path a few years ago.
Coming from NI, the liverpool start would be good and we could possibly fly home from Leeds, or the other way around. Something to look into alright!
wiggydiggy
Guru
Theres details here of that here. Its only a small stretch with lots of go around options, plus its in Saltaire which is well worth a stop and look around.
Jameshow
Veteran
Yes there are through Roberts park for instance.
I famous ice cream barge - it's always closed!!
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
Yep, I did it. It was hard.
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
I did it about 15 years ago so the surfaces may well have changed. It was really hard because a lot of the surfaces were very poor indeed. I think we had hybrids and, if I did it again, I'd use a hardtail MTB. There are some good stretches but we remember a lot of bumping along grass.
Jameshow
Veteran
Try running it non stop!!
It may be a fat bike ride then.
I do a 75 mile anti-clockwise loop of Lough Foyle (water always to the left) here in NI/Ireland every summer which includes A road, B road, abandoned road, forest, city, greenway, packed gravel, beach and a car ferry and the fat bike with touring bars is the go to. With the right tyres, it's a fantastic mix of comfort and speed for long distance riding. Great on roads and even better when you get some rough stuff to ride over.
I'm now seriously considering a wee trip to do the canal. Haven't seen my mate in Leeds for two years.
I wouldn't be planning it until summer time, maybe June or July.
I have been to Skipton once, a lovely little village. Keep the tips coming
Is it better going Leeds to Liverpool or Liverpool to Leeds or does it not matter? Of course the weather/wind is unpredictable but just incase there's any rational to doing it one way over the other.
Last edited:
wiggydiggy
Guru
I wouldn't be planning it until summer time, maybe June or July.
I have been to Skipton once, a lovely little village. Keep the tips coming
Is it better going Leeds to Liverpool or Liverpool to Leeds or does it not matter? Of course the weather/wind is unpredictable but just incase there's any rational to doing it one way over the other.
I'd avoid July/school holidays as it will be busy so the going will be slow, I'd also stick to weekdays for the same reason. I don't think direction matters, the canal winds so much that the normal West > East prevailing wind argument doesn't mean as much. There are two tunnels to go over - Gannow at Burnely and Foulridge at Foulridge - just double check the overland route as you can't go through these without getting wet.
