Manchester to Standedge

[Colin B]

Planning on heading down to the Huddersfield narrow canal at Ashton and cycling it to Standedge visitors centre after a pint in the tunnel end inn . Was wondering if anyone's done it before and got any advice about the ride as a whole and crossing the moors following the horse trail .

 

[wintergreen]

I was hoping somebody would have answered this. I have ridden as far as Ashton from Manchester and then followed the Peak Forrest canal to Buxworth a few times. The Peak Forrest canal is mostly ok on my touring bike, a few short sections are too muddy to ride with the standard Marathon tyres but on the whole its a great ride.
I was thinking of following the Hudds narrow canal next time I ride that way but have no idea what its like.

 

[chrtho]

I'll be doing some of it tomorrow on my way to Holmfirth to do the TdF route up Holme Moss. I'm planning to get on the Ashton in central Manc and follow it as far as it is rideable on skinny tyres until I get to the turning for Saddleworth Moor.

The best place to ask about canal towpaths though is here:
http://www.canalworld.net/forums/

 

[dan_bo]

Not sure if the path has collapsed for a few hundred yards after the tollemache in bottom Mossley- you might have to jib that bit. Otherwise it's eminently rideable. Give us a wave at work from the portland basin

 

[wintergreen]

Looks like a ride to Huddersfiled soon.
Cheers fellas

 

[I like Skol]

Something Danbo missed out is the section just after Portland basin where you get spat out onto the road facing Asda. Not sure how well sign posted the path is but you have to go through Asda car park and pass to the right of the building to get back to the towpath down a couple of steps. In fact I will be doing it in about 5 minutes on my way to work....

 

[wintergreen]

Something Danbo missed out is the section just after Portland basin where you get spat out onto the road facing Asda. Not sure how well sign posted the path is but you have to go through Asda car park and pass to the right of the building to get back to the towpath down a couple of steps. In fact I will be doing it in about 5 minutes on my way to work....

When I have been up that way in the past I wondered how you got back onto the canal. There was no obvious path.

 

[I like Skol]

When I have been up that way in the past I wondered how you got back onto the canal. There was no obvious path.

Yep, just came back home that way and there is no signage to point you on to Stalybridge

 

[chrtho]

Can't help much after my ride up there today - the towpath was fine until about a mile before Portland Basin when it deteriorated into muddy puddles. Still very rideable but not ideal for the bike I was on so I bailed out at Stalyvegas.

 

[wintergreen]

I rode as far as the Standege tunnel today. I had intended to ride further but a few birthday drinks last night put an end to an early start.
Finding the canal in the Asda carpark was easy enough thanks to I like skol's directions. At first I was having my doubts because that first stretch after Asda is very overgrown and didn't look like the sort of path I wanted to spend a couple of hours riding but it soon opened up. The towpath isn't the best in the world but its very rideable. Rough gravel and chippings, a bit bumpy but no big deal.
The real treat came after passing StalyVegas. What a beautiful ride. A lovely tree lined canal which opened up into some fantastic scenery. I will without doubt be riding out that way again soon, only next time I will make sure I set off early and make it to Hudds.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

It's one of the most beautiful canals there is, and sorely underappreciated. If you like it, do try the Rochdale Canal as well - ok, it's a bit grim from Manchester out to Failsworth, but once you get into the countryside it's delightful. The summit, just beyond Littleborough, might be my favourite bit of canal anywhere.

 

[wintergreen]

It's one of the most beautiful canals there is, and sorely underappreciated. If you like it, do try the Rochdale Canal as well - ok, it's a bit grim from Manchester out to Failsworth, but once you get into the countryside it's delightful. The summit, just beyond Littleborough, might be my favourite bit of canal anywhere.

I ride the Rochdale canal quite often and have done for many years. I have family who live in Summit so get to enjoy the views up past littleborough at least once a fortnight all year round.
The Rochdale canal out of Manchester has vastly improved over recent years. It wont win any prizes for being a beauty spot but its a hell of a lot better than it was 15 or 20 years ago.

 

[Colin B]

Cheers fellas and glad you enjoyed the ride to standedge , rode down the Rochdale the other day and carried on to the Bridgewater , but I was halted at old Trafford paths not wide at all and didn't fancy falling in . With regards huds I've just got to see that tunnel and I've now mapped a way over the moors to the visitors centre via the tunnel end pub .

 

[wintergreen]

I haven't been on the Bridgewater around Old Trafford since I was a kid, I usually cut through town and pick up the Bridgewater a little further on near Stretford. Its a nice ride from there out with a smooth wide path,
Try the Rochdale canal going away from Manchester its a much nicer ride the further away from the city you get and if you carry on it will take you through to Todmorden and Hebden Bridge.

 

[Colin B]

I plan to at some point , but headed that way because I want to do the Cheshire ring in the future . I'd heard Bridgewater was sketchy near old Trafford so went to investigate , I went down the floop though and through chorlton and sale water parks and found a way back onto Bridgewater there so might go that way instead .
Tbh I love these canal rides and each ride goes a little further kind of addictive and peaceful too