The East Lancs Road A580 cycle path

[Katherine]

Who else uses the East Lancs cycle path?
For the last three years it has become my regular route of choice. I use it all year round, and have come off on black ice and freshly mown grass clippings; ridden through puddles and enjoyed the changing views through the seasons. I've watched kestrels hover, seen rabbits in the verges and new foals with their mothers. I've also talked to lots of cyclists and walkers; had a go on an older guy's recumbent - that was fun; got my best top speed - 30mph down-hill with the wind behind me - I was heavier then too; learnt how to put my chain on, change an inner tube and fix a puncture. I find the Wigan part from Boothstown onwards is far better maintained than the Salford end. My favourite part is the last couple of miles before my turn round point at the M6.
I have problems in the dark when riding toward Manchester because the street lights face away from the path towards the traffic and find the car headlights are dazzling - when the evenings draw in again I'm going to try yellow glasses and another light pointing to the floor. Cyclists coming towards me wearing helmet lights also blind me - they think I'm waving but I'm actually trying to put my hand between them and me.

I'd love to hear about other peoples' thought and experiences.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Sorry Katherine,although i live in east Lancs i've never been on it.

 

[Katherine]

I think I should have named the thread : The East Lancs Road cycle path.
Is it possible to do that?

 

[MossCommuter]

I use it, usually between The Greyhound and Astley Green, occasionally on other sections. It's awful; badly maintained, abused by businesses along it who dump inches of mud all over it, it has lampposts in the middle of it and parts are only one bicycle wide.

Still, it's better than the alternative.

 

[User33236]

I used to use a section of it on my commute and have used it infrequently from Lancaster Road to Chaddock Lane.

This section is awful, often overgrown and very uneven. I haven't used any of it recently and plan any routes to avoid it (and the A580!)

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I've seen it there driving past to site visits, I didn't realise it was continuous.

 

[Katherine]

I think I should have named the thread : The East Lancs Road cycle path.
Is it possible to do that?

Or even the A580!

I used to use a section of it on my commute and have used it infrequently from Lancaster Road to Chaddock Lane.

This section is awful, often overgrown and very uneven. I haven't used any of it recently and plan any routes to avoid it (and the A580!)

I used to use a section of it on my commute and have used it infrequently from Lancaster Road to Chaddock Lane.

This section is awful, often overgrown and very uneven. I haven't used any of it recently and plan any routes to avoid it (and the A580!)

I agree, that is the worst section, mostly because of the tree roots and best avoided.
I'm hoping that will be upgraded when the guided busway is finished.

 

[Leaway2]

I use the road from Lancaster road to Worsley road. The path is useless. Tree roots are growing under and though the tarmac, which make it, for me, unusable. I only do it at weekends, but find with 3 lanes there is plenty of space for cars to overtake.
Not sure I would like it in rush hour though.

 

[Buzzinonbikes]

Some sections of it are quite good. Most of it poor. It makes me cringe when I see cyclists using the A580 road though. Such a dangerous road where 40 means 60 with loads of HGVs too. I use A572 Manchester road all the time. Much preferable.

 

[Sammy2sugars]

I use it, usually between The Greyhound and Astley Green, occasionally on other sections. It's awful; badly maintained, abused by businesses along it who dump inches of mud all over it, it has lampposts in the middle of it and parts are only one bicycle wide.

Still, it's better than the alternative.

I'm after using the path which bike would you suggest road or mountain pls and how long does the path run for?

 

[Katherine]

I'm after using the path which bike would you suggest road or mountain pls and how long does the path run for?

Hi, the path runs the whole length of the East Lancs Road. You need a road bike because it's paved even if some parts are bit lumpy. There are some good sections. Which bit are you interested in?

 

[Sammy2sugars]

Hi, the path runs the whole length of the East Lancs Road. You need a road bike because it's paved even if some parts are bit lumpy. There are some good sections. Which bit are you interested in?

From walkden to how ever far i can get seen it loads of times from but never used it so I'm going to give it a go at weekend some of the comments say it's lumpy here and there you still suggest road bike I was gong to use my mountain bike?

 

[bonsaibilly]

I've used it quite a bit from windle to Liverpool. Nice bit of tarmac!

 

[tomplodder]

I cycle along the A580 path quite regularly on my road bike from salford to St Helens then I head north via A570 through Ormskirk and onto Southport, the A580 path is a bit rough in places particularly near Salford, but it really is mostly excellent and has been resurfaced in lots of areas, it is a joy to use

 

[Katherine]

From walkden to how ever far i can get seen it loads of times from but never used it so I'm going to give it a go at weekend some of the comments say it's lumpy here and there you still suggest road bike I was gong to use my mountain bike?

Definitely road bike unless you have really skinny tyres. You will find a mountain bike much slower going. It's basically riding on a pavement.
I join it from Walkden Road too, coming up past The Cock. So, from Walkden, stay on the lovely new bit laid next to the guided busway until Ellenbrook Rd. Then cross over and keep going..... . A regular turn round point for me is 11.2 miles to the Haydock M6 junction. The surface improves significantly after Boothstown. It's 5 miles to the bridge over the canal. It's 7 miles until the tuning to Pennington Flash. Both of those were turning points for me when I was just starting to build up the miles. A nice loop to add is turning left at the roundabout at Leigh and go down past Bents and through Culcheth where you turn right and head back to the East Lancs Road on the B5207 Kenyon Lane, coming back to the East Lancs Road at Lowton. Sometimes I do that in reverse on the way home. Rather than continue past Haydock, when I've wanted to make the ride longer, I've added extra loops along the way. Sometimes I go down through Astley Green all the way to the level crossing and turn round and come back. Actually if you wanted to cross the railway line and go over Chat Moss to Irlam, you would appreciate your mountain bike as it's quite pot holey. This evening I cycled 32 miles along the East Lancs Road path to Lowton, then loops around Croft, Winwick and Culcheth, before riding back on the path. The further you go, the quieter the path gets. The only time I avoid it is when it's icy,(because I came off on black ice once) then I go on other routes using roads that have been gritted.
Enjoy.