Manchester to Leeds - 80miles, 4 canals and no beer )-:

[dan_bo]

That yellow building is Newton Heath library. Different doesn't have to be bloody ugly does it? You went straight past my house there DC- between the library and the collapsed Weir. Expect GlobalTi to come on aghast that you didn't get mugged by a pregnant teenager or HIV from standing on an infected needle etc etc etc etc.......

 

[dan_bo]

It's a nice run out isn't it- i've taken it as far as the calder but, as it's a part of the oldham way, is an excellent route for getting out into saddleworth on the MTB.

 

[wiggydiggy]

You missed the Leggers Inn at Dewsbury - well recommended pub and is on the start of the canal route from Dewsbury-Wakefield. Instead of turning left onto the canal from the greenway you turn right and it's about 100 yards on.

That might be a better bet, the navigation was quite far into my journey as it turned out both in mileage and time, plus I don't think I'd be going near it when I do the 2nd trip with your diversion?

That yellow building is Newton Heath library. Different doesn't have to be bloody ugly does it? You went straight past my house there DC- between the library and the collapsed Weir. Expect GlobalTi to come on aghast that you didn't get mugged by a pregnant teenager or HIV from standing on an infected needle etc etc etc etc.......

I think the early start helped lol I didnt see a sole bar some dog walkers/cyclists but the copious amounts of rubbish in the canal made me quite angry TBH Its a real shame as people don't appreciate what they have.

It's a nice run out isn't it- i've taken it as far as the calder but, as it's a part of the oldham way, is an excellent route for getting out into saddleworth on the MTB.

Oh yes, it would have been more comfy on a MTB but my bike seemed to cope well. Only the wet/greasy cobbles made me walk, and a few sections of the calder bank were definately on the 'thin and bumpy' side!

 

[ColinJ]

That yellow building is Newton Heath library. Different doesn't have to be bloody ugly does it? You went straight past my house there DC- between the library and the collapsed Weir. Expect GlobalTi to come on aghast that you didn't get mugged by a pregnant teenager or HIV from standing on an infected needle etc etc etc etc.......

TBH though - not all fears about being attacked on urban towpaths are unjustified - example #1, example #2!

 

[wiggydiggy]

TBH though - not all fears about being attacked on urban towpaths are unjustified - example #1, example #2!

The first incident is shameful, thats on the Huddersfield Narrow canal but still in the area (manc) I was. Its sadly why I'm wary of asking for riding partners - you don't know who may be reading so I tend to decide upon a ride and only report it afterwards.

The one that springs to mind for me is this : http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co....man_to_die_in_leeds_liverpool_canal_1_4116298 . The scrote came accross a man unconcious in the canal, dumped his own broken biike and stole the poor man's in the canal. The next passers by pulled him out but he died later in hospital.

 

[dan_bo]

TBH though - not all fears about being attacked on urban towpaths are unjustified - example #1, example #2!

That stuff can happen anywhere, not just on a towpath.

 

[ColinJ]

That stuff can happen anywhere, not just on a towpath.

True, but there is something a bit scary about being confined to a narrow bridlepath by a wall on one side and a canal on the other, with no real escape route if something kicked off, especially very early or late in the day when there might not be many other people around to ask for help ***.

I quite like tootling along rural towpaths in the sunshine.


*** Mind you, in the report on the Stalybridge attack I linked to, the worst attacker was the man who was asked for assistance!

 

[wiggydiggy]

.....
I quite like tootling along rural towpaths in the sunshine........

Same, some of the places I passed through were miles from anywhere. Couple of characters I saw could have been 'trouble' but perhaps I was being too judgemental? The poachers/rabbiters (with guns lol) I saw/met were friendly enough to exchange greetings in between tokes on their 'jazz cigerette'

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

That stuff can happen anywhere, not just on a towpath.

exactly, more chance of it happening not on a towpath than on a towpath.

i've done hundreds and hundreds (if not thousands) of miles on canal towpaths and not had one single moment where i have felt threatened or unsafe (except when i've been drunk, it's a bugger going thru the arches whilst inebriated)

 

[dan_bo]

exactly, more chance of it happening not on a towpath than on a towpath.

i've done hundreds and hundreds (if not thousands) of miles on canal towpaths and not had one single moment where i have felt threatened or unsafe (except when i've been drunk, it's a bugger going thru the arches)

Yep. Although you are a brick shithouse. Your opinion is invalid on matters of personal towpath safety.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Yep. Although you are a brick shithouse. Your opinion is invalid on matters of personal towpath safety.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

 

[steveoo]

Sorry to butt in guys but i did this ride last year with the wife longest ride we had done till then.
We did brighouse to manchester and back,cracking ride till we got near manchester,deadbeats drinking and doing drugs,kids throwing bricks at anyone who went under the bridge we even had a motorbike tanking it up the towpath.Ride back was better although we did come across two polish piss heads swimming in the canal at littleborough one tried to approach the wife as we went past (he,ll think twice before he tries that again) we had to stop and advise walkers further on to avoid them and walk round the road side.
Other than that we had a good days riding.would we do the ride again possibly!

 

[ColinJ]

Sorry to butt in guys but i did this ride last year with the wife longest ride we had done till then.
We did brighouse to manchester and back,cracking ride till we got near manchester,deadbeats drinking and doing drugs,kids throwing bricks at anyone who went under the bridge we even had a motorbike tanking it up the towpath.Ride back was better although we did come across two polish piss heads swimming in the canal at littleborough one tried to approach the wife as we went past (he,ll think twice before he tries that again) we had to stop and advise walkers further on to avoid them and walk round the road side.
Other than that we had a good days riding.would we do the ride again possibly!

Hmm - that post tends to reinforce my concerns, rather than make me think that I want to expand my towpath horizons!

 

[wiggydiggy]

Sorry to butt in guys but i did this ride last year with the wife longest ride we had done till then.
We did brighouse to manchester and back,cracking ride till we got near manchester,deadbeats drinking and doing drugs,kids throwing bricks at anyone who went under the bridge we even had a motorbike tanking it up the towpath.Ride back was better although we did come across two polish piss heads swimming in the canal at littleborough one tried to approach the wife as we went past (he,ll think twice before he tries that again) we had to stop and advise walkers further on to avoid them and walk round the road side.
Other than that we had a good days riding.would we do the ride again possibly!

Hmm - that post tends to reinforce my concerns, rather than make me think that I want to expand my towpath horizons!

Nono your not butting inHappy to hear your experiences even if they were slightly damp (for the polish at least!)

Its definately a one way ride IMO from Manc > Brig (and beyond) - the early (for scrotes) start from manc meant I met virtually no one leaving manchester and to be fair Littlebrough is many miles outside of manc in the more scenic area of the ride.

It is an issue with towpath rides in general I find, their sometimes isolated nature means you can meet some undesirables but touch wood I've been ok so far.