Local knowledge needed to avoid A56 at Bury/Prestwich

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

The NCN 6 from salford to Philips park is awesome, but the bit from Philips park to Radcliffe is too muddy for my little Brompton wheels.

Most of my near misses happens between bury and cooksons cycles.

Is there any little tricks local guys use to avoid the main rd?

 

[dan_bo]

Get a proper bike

 

[Globalti]

Hook up with the Wednesday evening crew from Leisure Lakes; they will show you a route. There are loads of little back trails around there but you've got to know how to join them up.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Get a proper bike

Hhhmmmmmm!!!!

 

[dan_bo]

Hhhmmmmmm!!!!

I do try to be helpful. GTi's suggestion may well be your best way forward.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Hook up with the Wednesday evening crew from Leisure Lakes; they will show you a route. There are loads of little back trails around there but you've got to know how to join them up.

Yeah I know the back trails that you are speaking of, but, the be I need to use is not much cop...it's really really muddy on the old line section of the ncn6.

It mainly road shortcuts I'm after, pennine Paul and I have ridden the ncn6 extensively on fixed gear from sout Manchester to blackburn via rammy and baxenden many many times, that's why I know it's not much cop for a brommy.

 

[Globalti]

Shaun, I work in Radcliffe so I know the bit between Phillip's Park and Bury reasonably well. Where are you trying to get from and to?

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I commute down walmersley rd from rossendale, angouleme way, a56 to cooksons then onto the ncn6 which takes me to where I want to commute to.

It's the bit from the rock in bury to cooksons which I hate. Ideally I'd like to come out of or into Radcliffe rd and get to the ncn6 at Philips park.

In effect missing the ncn6 link from Philips park to the old Manchester canal bit that's been turned into a nature reserve.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

This bit Ben...and I'll do the bit of the ncn6 that is too muddy for my Brompton.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2214990

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

This the muddy bit of the ncn6 I'm trying to avoid, I come out a park rd and usually onto the a56 at cooksons.


http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2215007

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I've done a suggested route, which takes me back onto the ncn6 at the canal which is ok. This bit spits me out at the police station in bury. This means I have to tackle the dual carriageway to get back to walmersley rd, better than the the full a56 route I'm currently using. Hopefully there is a better route known to locals or others.


http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2215039

 

[Globalti]

No, you've got what I was about to suggest. Stand Lane is a bit of a pain as it's a long haul up from crossing the Irwell. A 1:25,000 OS map might reveal some other little shortcuts but I think you've worked out the best route.

Why do you dislike the A56 so much? I used to ride from Summerseat down to help out at Mike Cookson's on Saturdays and it wasn't too bad..... early on Saturday mornings admittedly.

 

[ColinJ]

Why do you dislike the A56 so much? I used to ride from Summerseat down to help out at Mike Cookson's on Saturdays and it wasn't too bad..... early on Saturday mornings admittedly.

I suspect the fact that he won't be riding in light early Saturday morning traffic, and that he recently got knocked off his bike and shattered an elbow might be factors ...

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I suspect the fact that he won't be riding in light early Saturday morning traffic, and that he recently got knocked off his bike and shattered an elbow might be factors ...

This has made me feel a bit more conscious and paranoid about traffic being too close during rush hour yes.

There are 2 particular pinch points, the main junction near the catholic school in bury. Coming home is terrible....2 lanes to 1 and cars fighting over tarmac space usually leaves the cyclist a bit exposed. And the obvious prestwich motorway roundabout or more precisely the lead up to it in both directions.

I tend to use bury old rd but than can be just as iffy coming home, the junction where it rejoins the A56.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Discovering the ncn6 has made my commute so much better, I used to use the whole a56 to Manchester, across the prestwich roundabout and thru the Jewish quarter....wow that part is crazy scary in the morning and evening.

The muddy part of the ncn6 was ok when I first started using it, but the wet summer weather and mtb's using it a lot (not complaining, I think it's great to see so many people on bikes) has turned it into a quagmire. It is nice in the trees, I think it used to be a railway line, judging by the platform halfway down.