a.twiddler
Veteran
From another angle.
From the other direction.
Last edited:
My bike and a canal
- Thread starter FrothNinja
- Start date
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From another angle.
From the other direction.
OP
OP
FrothNinja
Guru
Been closed off for months now - seems nowt moves quickly on the Leeds & Liverpool
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
Leeds Liverpool and Lancaster Canals
When the Lancaster Canal was first opened, a link to Leeds Liverpool was required, but it was never built. Instead a tramroad was constructed to link the two canals. Very little of the route survives today, the southernmost link into the LL is now a short branch from Johnsons Hillock. There are a few unavigable and filled in remains of the route until it crosses with the M61 for a second time. After that there are no remains until after Bamber Bridge where it is a very useful cycleway into Preston. The Lancaster Canal is to the north and after the destruction of the tramway it remained isolated until 2002 when the Ribble Link opened.
The final part of the old branch that is still easily identified as a canal, this is disconnected from the network though can be walked along for some of it. The route north of here has mostly been built over until Bamber Bridge.
And at the other end this bridge was a replica of the orginal one that carried the tramway over the River R i b b l e, this has now also been demolished with a new one due to open this year.*
And if you were travelling the whole route when you could, to the East eventually you'd go past Maurice Dixon Mill in Leeds
And then the terminus at Leeds Basin, the old warehouse on the left is now mixed use offices and a restaurant
Not pictured - The Lancaster Canal - I checked my photos and none have my bike in! I have cycled it Preston > Holme though its definately a MTB route as due to the isolated natured few parts of it have been surfaced.
*I know that picture doesn't feature a canal, but figured its worth including as part of the story
When the Lancaster Canal was first opened, a link to Leeds Liverpool was required, but it was never built. Instead a tramroad was constructed to link the two canals. Very little of the route survives today, the southernmost link into the LL is now a short branch from Johnsons Hillock. There are a few unavigable and filled in remains of the route until it crosses with the M61 for a second time. After that there are no remains until after Bamber Bridge where it is a very useful cycleway into Preston. The Lancaster Canal is to the north and after the destruction of the tramway it remained isolated until 2002 when the Ribble Link opened.
The final part of the old branch that is still easily identified as a canal, this is disconnected from the network though can be walked along for some of it. The route north of here has mostly been built over until Bamber Bridge.
And at the other end this bridge was a replica of the orginal one that carried the tramway over the River R i b b l e, this has now also been demolished with a new one due to open this year.*
And if you were travelling the whole route when you could, to the East eventually you'd go past Maurice Dixon Mill in Leeds
And then the terminus at Leeds Basin, the old warehouse on the left is now mixed use offices and a restaurant
Not pictured - The Lancaster Canal - I checked my photos and none have my bike in! I have cycled it Preston > Holme though its definately a MTB route as due to the isolated natured few parts of it have been surfaced.
*I know that picture doesn't feature a canal, but figured its worth including as part of the story
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OP
OP
FrothNinja
Guru
I think if there is another pic in the post that has a bike, then an additional pic sans bike would be permissable, especially if it shows more detail and adds to the story
briantrumpet
Legendary Member
- Location
- Devon & Die
Exeter Ship Canal - one of the oldest in the country
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exeter_Ship_Canal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exeter_Ship_Canal
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
A few pulled from Farceboke.
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
Those are some heavy duty lock gates, or are they flood gates for protection? What canal is that on?
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
The gates are on a navigatable part of the River Nene so may not technically be a canal (although there's plenty of canal boats) 🤔
PS its Orton Mere
PS its Orton Mere
Rusty Nails
We remember
- Location
- Living in the slow lane
On the Brecon canal near Talybont-on-Usk
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
Its a Navigation so I'd hope it qualifies.
Looking it up they are Guillotine Locks apparently and common in that area, and I found that Mitre Lock Gates are what the more common gated lock is known as.
OP
OP
FrothNinja
Guru
Nearly six months since a prang on the bridge took out chunks of parapet on both sides. Reopened to traffic including HGVs and PSVs but not repaired so you still can't go under legally. Local drug runners move it when they need an escape route...allegedly
Leeds and Liverpool - one of the older bridges and still single lane, but widened slightly in the 60s or 70s to accomadate a safe walkway.
Leeds and Liverpool - one of the older bridges and still single lane, but widened slightly in the 60s or 70s to accomadate a safe walkway.
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
Either your very good at recreating photos or you posted the same one twice
I've cycled the LL a lot, and several cross border rides. It's another towpath that at times has excellent surfaces as it's designated a commuting route, but other sections (particularly in the northern reaches of it) are a rutted mud path.
OP
OP
FrothNinja
Guru
Either your very good at recreating photos or you posted the same one twice
I've cycled the LL a lot, and several cross border rides. It's another towpath that at times has excellent surfaces as it's designated a commuting route, but other sections (particularly in the northern reaches of it) are a rutted mud path.
Quite a few of us will use the same pic (usually in different threads). It is quite fun to see how categories you can get a piccy to fit.
The roughest section (in terms of surface) I have found on the L&L is around East Marton and through to Bank Newton, especially if you ride it when a dry spell has hardened the ruts. The scenery is some of the best on the whole route so there are compensations.
wiggydiggy
Legendary Member
This is in the same thread. Doesn't matter just something I noticed....
Around there is where I've found it tough as well, one year in January on a E-W crossing I had to abandon the towpath just south of Skipton as it was so wet and muddy my wheels were getting clogged under the mudguards. Slogged over a field to the road I to Skipton.
A trip I remember well as just before that I saw a rented barge coming the other way with a (presumed stag do) group on who all started chanting "Theres a beardy on a bike, there's a beardy on a bike, there's a beady on a biiiiikeeeeee!"
