Riding the Rochdale Canal around Hebden Bridge area.

[Tom B]

Team;

I am planning on taking the little lad out for a ride on Sunday.




One of the routes I have been considering is the Rochdale Canal around Hebden Bridge.

I am open to either starting out at Hebden and heading either way along the canal, or starting off closer to Rochdale and heading out towards Hebden. The little lad is usually good for at least an hour in the seat before wanting a break and food.

Can anyone advise what the tow path is like on that part of the canal, the bike* has 25C tyres and no suspension and I don't want to shake him to death on a rocky path.


*My n+1 bike will likely be a hardtail all rounder MTB for this sort of thing!

 

[I like Skol]

Calling @ColinJ

IMO I wouldn't attempt towpath riding on 25c tyres with a child seat on the back, I don't think it will be fun for either of you. I have done plenty of child seat rides in the past and even with 2" MTB tyres anything more than packed gravel can get a bit iffy.

 

[nickAKA]

I'ts been a while since I did it but the canal paths are decent enough if narrow in places, there'll be lots of pedestrians & dog walkers on the path so bear that in mind. It gets a bit hilly around Littleborough, it's flatter on the Rochdale side, Hebden Bridge to Littleborough is an uphill profile but the scenery is better so Hobson's choice.

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

Haven't ridden it for a while but my recollection is that Hebden Bridge 'downstream' to Sowerby Bridge would be ok. Uphill, though, the towpath can be a bit uneven at times. I think our little guy would be happy going downhill but would say that uphill was "very bumpy", and that's on our Morpheus with 1.75in tyres. Either way, there are a few cobbled bywashes where you might want to push for a short way.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, the cobbled bywashes (never heard them called that before - I call them 'spillways') can be really dodgy for cyclists! Between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden there must be 4 or 5 of them and only one of them has a little bridge over it which you could ride or push a bike over. The others have narrow walkways that are just like scaffolding planks. I wouldn't want to push a bike over one of them and especially not with a child on board.

The best bet would be to walk the bike through each bywash/spillway. The water often isn't that deep but can be deeper than you'd like after heavy rain. I wouldn't recommend trying to cycle through them on any bike with narrow tyres. The cobbles can be slippery and they are uneven with tyre-trapping gaps between them. Fine on a mountain bike with wide tyres, but even on my CX bike (which has 35C tyres) I have had some near misses when my front tyre slipped into such gaps.

The towpath surface is generally not too bad but not really ideal for narrow road tyres.

As mentioned above, the towpaths can be busy at weekends with dog-owners and families out walking. In fact, I randomly met @I like Skol and his family on the towpath near Hebden Bridge earlier in the year!

The towpath from Hebden Bridge to Todmorden is due for a major facelift soon, which should greatly improve it for cyclists (but will probably make it even busier!) - details.

I haven't ridden the towpath from Hebden Bridge towards Sowerby Bridge for a couple of years but that is being/has been given a facelift too.

 

[Tom B]

Thanks for your thoughts, I might have to have a re-think.

I was considering doing the Monsall Trail or the other similar trail in the peak district - the name of which I always forget, but its always busy at the weekend and SWMBO will likely fancy it on Monday.

 

[Oldfentiger]

Thanks for your thoughts, I might have to have a re-think.

I was considering doing the Monsall Trail or the other similar trail in the peak district - the name of which I always forget, but its always busy at the weekend and SWMBO will likely fancy it on Monday.

The Manifold Trail maybe?

 

[I like Skol]

Tissington Trail most likely?

 

[ColinJ]

Funnily enough, a friend just rang me and told me that the towpath between Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd is currently shut for work to be done on it. She asked about the towpath to Todmorden because she fancies riding along it today. I told her that AFAIK the upgrade work on that section hasn't started yet.

I will come back to this thread and post when the work has started and again once it is finished. I am sure that other members will find the thread in the future so it will be useful if it is kept updated.

 

[EasyPeez]

Monsall Trail or the other similar trail in the peak district

Monsal, Tissington and High Peak trails in the Peaks are lovely rides, with or without children. The tunnels add a bit of excitment for the young 'uns though, and there's the odd place along the way that does good refreshments. I'll be doing the Monsal Trail as a there-and-back with some friends and all our children in a fortnight if the weather holds. Happy to post a brief report and pics, but I'd highly recommend them all.

 

[nickAKA]

Monsal, Tissington and High Peak trails in the Peaks are lovely rides, with our without children. The tunnels add a bit of excitment for the young 'uns though, and there's the odd place along the way that does good refreshments. I'll be doing the Monsal Trail as a there-and-back with some friends and all our children in a fortnight if the weather holds. Happy to post a brief report and pics, but I'd highly recommend them all.

We've done the Monsal trail a couple of times as a family ride - it's perfect for younger kids, plenty to keep them interested and it's simple steady pedalling. It's slightly uphill to flat on the out-of-Bakewell direction so an easy roll back. Plenty of parking and a good cafe stop with bike hire about a mile out of Bakewell but it's mad busy on decent days. The only thing I would say is the hire bikes can be a bit of a menace as a lot of inexperienced riders seem to treat it as a time-trial... not great on a busy, shared path tbh.

 

[ColinJ]

There is an excellent tarmac cycle path from Greenmount towards Bury (the Kirklees Trail), with a very nice cafe across the road at the Greenmount end.

 

[nickAKA]

There is an excellent tarmac cycle path from Greenmount towards Bury (the Kirklees Trail), with a very nice cafe across the road at the Greenmount end.

Quick mention for the Middlewood Way too. Park at Marple Bridge, cycle up to Bollington viaduct (7 miles of flat largely gravel & hard pack path), play park for the kids, brilliant pub lunch at the Vale Inn...

 

[Tom B]

There is an excellent tarmac cycle path from Greenmount towards Bury (the Kirklees Trail), with a very nice cafe across the road at the Greenmount end.

That's about 5mins from my front door and a regular route. It is actually where we ended up riding along with a jaunt along the daisyfield greenway.

Monsal, Tissington and High Peak trails in the Peaks are lovely rides, with or without children. The tunnels add a bit of excitment for the young 'uns though, and there's the odd place along the way that does good refreshments. I'll be doing the Monsal Trail as a there-and-back with some friends and all our children in a fortnight if the weather holds. Happy to post a brief report and pics, but I'd highly recommend them all.

Are the High Peak and Tissington Trails both paved? I have a week in the Peak planned for spring with these in mind.

Tissington Trail most likely?

That's the one I have a mental block on.

 

[Tom B]

What an interesting thread. I am not too far from Derbyshire and am inspired to try all of these routes on my ex mtb tourer.

The list is

The Manifold Trail
The Tissington Trail
The Monsal Trail
High Peak Trail
Middlewood Trail.


Are they all tarmaced and are there any good maps that covers them all