North Manchester Local Knowledge Required

[ColinJ]

As expected, the locals are helping you with rides from your doorstep.

I am about 20 miles of riding NE of you and between us most of that would be on very busy, non-green roads! If you don't mind driving out to Hebden Bridge though, I would be happy to show you some lovely hilly loops round here.

The Forest of Bowland / Ribble Valley is another great area not too far away. Start from Whalley or Clitheroe.

Where you are sounds a bit dodgy, but the good news is that 20 miles away in virtually every direction there is great cycling! The Peak District, Forest of Bowland, South Pennines (Hebden Bridge area), flat rides in rural Cheshire ... Drive a bit further and you have the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North Wales.

I organise lots of forum rides north of Manchester. Take a look at a few of THESE THREADS for inspiration?

Have fun!

PS I see Globalti got in just before me!

 

[themosquitoking]

Can everyone stop helping the OP please. He is a very naughty boy for moving to Manchester and is forbidden from having fun.

 

[clid61]

Go west young man ! an hours drive and you're in Wales , cycling heaven ! Not telling you where , you need to find the places yourself !!!!

 

[Katherine]

Everone wants you! as you see, you're spoilt for choice.

www.salfordcyclingclub
salfordcyclingclub.co.uk

 

[Siclo]

If you take the NCN6 to Tottington, then onto Edgeworth, the road past the Strawberry Duck is passable on 700C slicks (with a bit of care) you can then continue to Belmont and Rivington. I always enjoy Crow Trees Road: https://goo.gl/maps/QS3r7cSWeb32

If your heading out to Rivington the climb up Moor Road past Anglezarke reservoir is a cracker, just make sure you're in lowest gear BEFORE taking the hairpin at the bottom otherwise you'll have a nasty surprise.

 

[nickyboy]

What you really need to do is get on one of my CC sufferfest 60 mile Peak District rides.

That'll determine whether you're hard enough to cycle in the NW or better just to sell the bike

 

[Katherine]

To get into Cheshire :

A6044, A6, then go down Old Clough Lane to get to the East Lancs cycle path , then head through Glazebury, then B212 to take you to the Cadishead Way which has a cycle path nearly all the way to the Warburton Bridge over the ship canal. If you don't want to use the East Lancs cycle path then stay on the A6 and go down Mort Lane( can get flooded) then A572 Manchester Rd and left into Warrington Rd at Leigh, and cross the East Lancs using the roundabout and straight into Glazebury.

 

[Andrew Br]

If you can find your way to Chorlton Cum Hardy (yes, really) the Chorlton Wanderers go out on the 2nd Sunday of the month for social rides, usually in the Cheshire lanes.
We meet at Chorlton Water Park at 10.00. The December ride is, I think 30-35 miles with a pub stop.
We sometimes do rides that go into different areas and cover greater distances but they're on an ad hoc basis.
The Chocolate Cafe ride that Katherine has mentioned is one of them.

 

[Nomadski]

Thanks for all the replies, been super useful both in places to head out to, and some help getting out of the motorway locked part of the city I'm currently in. Funny you mention Chorlton @Andrew Br as that is one of the areas we are looking at moving to at some point (the flat in Crumpsall is a temporary pitstop).

I had a go late last night at plotting a route to some greenery on the map through Greenfield way. Must have taken about an hour and four cups of tea as I struggled to find safe passage through the myriad of motorways / dodgy looking roundabouts (on streetview) and Oldham...

Ended up coming up with a route, but after doing it, is at the very top end of my limited capabilities! Might do a few rides before attempting this one.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/11121846

Maybe I'll end up just taking the car out and doing that Holme Moss loop and heading back!

Interesting about the NCN 6 being ok for road bikes, and there's so much info in here I can see myself spending more hours on RWGPS plotting some routes out so thanks to everyone for the posts, very muchly appreciated.

@ColinJ I may well take you up on that offer, although as I work shifts my 'weekends' are not always Saturday and Sunday (big reason I never joined a cycling club) so will contact you prior to when they come about, I don't mind driving out.

@Katherine really appreciate the step by step, that's kind of what I need right now as everywhere is new and just navigating out of the M60 is a task in itself.

Thanks again everyone, will be working my way through the recommendations hopefully from next week when back from Durham.

 

[400bhp]

Where you are is perfect for Rivington, as has already been mentioned, but the way to get there for you is to go through Radcliffe and Ainsclough, then onto Watling Street, Chapeltown onto (IMO) the best road in the NW (Green Arms Rd) , left onto the A666 for a few hundred yards, turn right over the tops to the black dog, then up sheephouse Lane. The route after Radcliffe is pretty good all the way.

 

[fossyant]

Can everyone stop helping the OP please. He is a very naughty boy for moving to Manchester and is forbidden from having fun.

No hills in Kent....

 

[fossyant]

If you can find your way to Chorlton Cum Hardy (yes, really) the Chorlton Wanderers go out on the 2nd Sunday of the month for social rides, usually in the Cheshire lanes.
We meet at Chorlton Water Park at 10.00. The December ride is, I think 30-35 miles with a pub stop.
We sometimes do rides that go into different areas and cover greater distances but they're on an ad hoc basis.
The Chocolate Cafe ride that Katherine has mentioned is one of them.

Ohh Chorlton and Wheelies.. !!!

I'm East and South of Manchester. Basically the best place to be for a bike. Hills and flatter bits, and urban warfare !

 

[Nomadski]

Ohh Chorlton and Wheelies.. !!!

I'm East and South of Manchester. Basically the best place to be for a bike. Hills and flatter bits, and urban warfare !

They missed a trick calling themselves Wanderers, unless there is a rival gang of cyclists already named Wheelies

 

[Nomadski]

With a lot of help from this thread have plotted a route out to Rivington and back mostly via the NCN6 and @400bhp suggestions, then back via the A6 and A6044 which might well be busy, but seems uncomplicated for now.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/11133124

The advice, and tools suggested have been a great help.

@Siclo I might well look at going further north sometime to that road, looks a tasty little climb, and picturesque! Just a little worried about the state of those roads as no streetview available for many of the adjoining roads - must get a CX bike sometime.

 

[Katherine]

Ohh Chorlton and Wheelies.. !!!

I'm East and South of Manchester. Basically the best place to be for a bike. Hills and flatter bits, and urban warfare !

They missed a trick calling themselves Wanderers, unless there is a rival gang of cyclists already named Wheelies

The Wheelies are the serious club. The Wanderers are the monthly social riders. Not connected.