Manchester to Southport - best route

[hulmey]

Has anyone any advice on a cycle friendly route that avoids the A580 (East Lancs Road) and the A570 when heading out from Manchester?

 

[Cumisky]

You could head out via Bolton and Wigan, a bit further but the roads are OK.
Avoid the cycle routes that way though, as, whilst they take you along towpaths, they get progressively worse as you leave Wigan and just become a claggy mess, suitable for MTB only.

 

[hulmey]

You could head out via Bolton and Wigan, a bit further but the roads are OK.
Avoid the cycle routes that way though, as, whilst they take you along towpaths, they get progressively worse as you leave Wigan and just become a claggy mess, suitable for MTB only.

Thanks, that is really helpful.

I will give that a go.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

@potsy @skudupnorth

 

[ColinJ]

@potsy @skudupnorth

Wouldn't they be more Stockport than Southport ...?

 

[Katherine]

You could head out via Bolton and Wigan, a bit further but the roads are OK.
Avoid the cycle routes that way though, as, whilst they take you along towpaths, they get progressively worse as you leave Wigan and just become a claggy mess, suitable for MTB only.

Yes, the A6 is good as it's quite wide. Then B5237, Haigh, Standish, Apply Bridge, Burscough.

 

[skudupnorth]

Trying to remember the ride me @potsy and @400bhp did using the Trans Pennine path which would get you over that way. The A580 does have a cycle path along it away from the main carriage way but i could not confirm what it is like after the Haydock roundabout under the M.6

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Wouldn't they be more Stockport than Southport ...?

Nope and they know why.

 

[ColinJ]

Nope and they know why.

Ah!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Ah!

Only kidding, I know they've completed the cycle route from Mank to Southport.