Liverpool to Leeds canal ride

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My rough RidewithGPS route has my total journey at 138 miles, so chose Blackburn as my overnight as found somewhere relatively cheap and close to the canal with free cancellation, incase my plans change.

I think that sounds about right, my one day rides were always Leeds<>Blackburn.
 

Nibor

Bewildered
Location
Accrington
That puts you just over half way where are you staying?
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
That's my lil weekend in June booked.

I'll fly from Belfast International to Leeds with my fat bike (or hybrid) on the Friday morning, ride to my mates house outside Leeds, stay with him and his family til Sunday am. Then I'll set off on the world renowned and respected Leeds to Liverpool canal, stopping somewhere half way ish for a sleep on Sunday night, then riding on to Liverpool on the Monday to catch a 5pm plane back to Belfast City Airport, then ride 15 miles home. Should be back for the news.

Just goes to show we don’t always value the great things close to us. As a local, I could ride the canal everyday for my commute to Leeds, but rarely do and prefer the roads.

Yet, the OP is coming from NI and I met an Aussie couple last year riding it on e-bikes.

Hope you enjoy your ride @Sixmile.
 
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Sixmile

Veteran
Location
N Ireland
That puts you just over half way where are you staying?
Just found a cheap hotels.com in Blackburn for £50.
Accrington is half way I know someone who used to do warm showers in oswaldtwistle
Just had a look, Oswaldtwistle also would've been handy.

I do however also need to factor in another 10 miles onto Liverpool airport and want to be there for around 3pm to dismantle my bike and check in. On our last bike trip (2 adults, 2 kids, 2 tandems) to Amsterdam airport, I had our bikes all compacted, packaged and protected as far as they'd go into long neat cardboard bike boxes, checked us in and went to outsized baggage where two dutch people had literally cycled to Belfast International airport, got off their bikes and handed them to the fella at the outsized conveyor belt. This time, I'll be somewhere between those two extremes! :laugh:
 
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Just found a cheap hotels.com in Blackburn for £50.

Just had a look, Oswaldtwistle also would've been handy.

I do however also need to factor in another 10 miles onto Liverpool airport and want to be there for around 3pm to dismantle my bike and check in. On our last bike trip (2 adults, 2 kids, 2 tandems) to Amsterdam airport, I had our bikes all compacted, packaged and protected as far as they'd go into long neat cardboard bike boxes, checked us in and went to outsized baggage where two dutch people had literally cycled to Belfast International airport, got off their bikes and handed them to the fella at the outsized conveyor belt. This time, I'll be somewhere between those two extremes! :laugh:

Can you not get the ferry over ?
 

Sixmile

Veteran
Location
N Ireland
Can you not get the ferry over ?

Yes and I initially was going to do that, as I have done so many times before. I'd two options:

The ferry option - departs 1030pm at night - check in half an hour beforehand, arrives Belfast 6:30am so I'd need a cabin £55 or the plus lounge (not Hygge as it was one of the worst places you could ever pay to sit) at £110 for a 8 hour overnight trip. Then they kick you out of the cabin/lounge an hour before docking. The plus side is that I wouldn't have to dismantle the bike although the bike rack on the stena luggage trolley only can take standard bikes - not fat bikes or tandems as I have found out so there's always a bit of handling/negotiation getting the bike on the boat. The other issue is that I would have to get the bike from Liverpool to Birkenhead - the commuter ferry stops at 630pm. I don't fancy 3 hours in Birkenhead so I'd have to get a bus or train across the Mersey and a service that can take a bike - as you can't ride the tunnel.

Or

The flight departs early evening at 6pm, takes 50 minutes, all in for £70 inc bike as luggage. I'm be home by 930pm. The slight disadvantage is having to package up the bike but that's easily done. I've spied a B&M bargains nearby to Liverpool airport where I plan to buy a few rolls of cheap bubble wrap, tape and kids swimming arm bands to provide a little protection to the bike before surrendering it to the airport baggage handlers.
 
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Sixmile

Veteran
Location
N Ireland
I notice that Leeds Urban Bike Park is on my journey from the airport to my friends house. I could potentially make it there for an hour before closing (does the park close along with the cafe?). For those who've been, is it worth stopping off or doing the odd trail on a loaded up fat bike? Or maybe there's a place to safely store my bags and just ride a track or two for an hour?
 
I've never visited the cafe but the park is worth a stop if you are passing, there are some marked trails (you'll probably want to stay off the stunt one!) and it's set in Middleton Park which has its own network of trails to explore. Not sure about storage sorry.
 

DCLane

Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
@Sixmile - only the BMX bit of the park closes, the rest is permanently open. It's on my commuting route. You may be able to leave your bags, and the beginner run would be fine. The others possibly not for a fat bike, or at least not all of the route.
 
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