Timperley to Bolton Commute

[united4ever]

Wondering if this is too much for me. Until WFH the last couple of years I enjoyed a Timperley to Salford Quays commute (8 miles each way). This is more like 18. First part is the same route as SQ route. Any locals have any insights?

• The Bridgewater Canal looks ok, but I know it gets horribly bumpy from Watersmeet to Trafford Centre and I don't know beyond that.
• The A575/Walkden Road looks fairly horrible with big roundabouts and busy narrow roads.
• The Roe Green Loop looks great
• Going from into Bolton looks the usual mix of cutting through parks and short sections of cycle paths mixed with sections of B roads and residential streets, but no obvious continuous gateway cycle arterial route.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bol...899d9377d0f!2m2!1d-2.3417264!2d53.3990805!3e1

Anyone got any insights into this route? Going to have to do a test run. Could get an ebike I suppose if it's going to make it viable long term. The journey by car is traffic all the way. Could hopefully WFH twice a week or so.

 

[ColinJ]

The Roe Green Loop looks great

It IS. I have organised a couple of forum rides into Cheshire from Walkden station and we used the Roe Green Loopline and Bridgewater canal towpath to get us there.

Be warned if you ever have to work Saturdays though - the local Park Run takes place on part of the Roe Green Loopline so it can be busy from about 08:30 to 09:45.

 

[fossyant]

@skudupnorth Knows the Bolton side well

 

[biking_fox]

I've ridden the canal out as far as the RHS bridgewater (lovely place to visit), and I don't recall any particular issues. Wasn't trying to go fast though, but reasonably surfaced the whole way, and didn't seem busy dogwalker/fisher when I did it.

Certainly do a weekend test tide!

40mile a day will start stretching an ebike battery. It's within capactiy of most, but you'll need to charge before every ride if you want assistance all the way, and as the battery ages it will drop in range after a few (<10) years.

 

[fossyant]

It's a fair old commute every day off road - you'll be aching ! If you've got options of some days WFH then this is helpful.

 

[skudupnorth]

Canal path is fantastic from Timperley all the way. It gets a bit lumpy from tree roots past Kellogg’s towards the Trafford Centre but it’s still better than the old days of mud.
You have to cross the swing bridge at Barton on the road or just push the bike across on the pavement before rejoining the canal path. They were planning to rebuild the walkway over the canal bridge to avoid joining the road but that’s gone quiet.
The path past Eccles towards Monton is good but you will have to watch out for glass from the local darlings.
You can join the Roe Green Loop line at Monton after leaving the canal path and going over the bridge next to the lighthouse towards the cricket ground. The slope up is steep but easy with gears.
The Roe Green up to Parsonage road is fantastic and clear of rubbish and glass. After Parsonage road it’s a bit hit and miss how busy the vermin have been with glass and stolen motorbikes !
To be fair, I still use it every day and don’t have any problems other than the odd puncture when my tyres are getting thin and due a change. The council do clear it regularly and I always let on to them 😁
You end up at Anchor Lane at the end of the Roe Green which links to Highfield Road and on to Plodder lane. Plodder lane is always gridlocked from way back past the hospital so I ride down the centre line away from any gutter problems. Roads are good but you still have be aware of the usual idiots in cars. I join St Helen’s road into Bolton which has a painted cycle lane used by cars for parking ! It’s normally gridlocked so you pass everything anyway 😁 Thats as far as I venture into Bolton normally, where about are you heading ?

This is the bridge you go over to join the Roe Green from the Bridgewater

Roe Green Loop Line

Hope that helps

 

[united4ever]

Cheers @skudupnorth, this will be my test route. Heading to the town hall.

 

[skudupnorth]

Cheers @skudupnorth, this will be my test route. Heading to the town hall.

My pleasure. You can just stay on St Helen’s road into the town centre but just be aware the driving standards are pretty grim down there ….. there is definitely a case of they got their driving licence from a Kellogg’s packet !

 

[skudupnorth]

Did you try the route out ?

 

[Tom B]

Depends which bit of Botlon you are trying to get to but

There is a route into Bolton from Highfield that's pretty much traffic free and a hell of a lot shorter and more pleasant than St Helens Road. This brings you out towards the town centre. It's fully surfaced and mostly lit.

This is my go to route to get into the Roe Green or Walken side. The natural route following this path out of Bolton takes you to Buckley Lane and Cleggs Lane it does sort of continue over Buckley Lane onto another Cycleway but that takes you out towards Swinton. I have ridden to Trafford that Way but the Roe Green line is more sensible.

If you do go along Plodder Lane, turning up Slack Lane and onto Morris Green Lane or Smethhurst Lane then Sapling Road will be shorter and less traffic. If you want to you can carry on alone Ellesmere Road and cut through onto Adelaide Street and out on to Bridgeman Street.

 

[united4ever]

Thanks for the great advice. I finally managed the trial run today. It was exactly as described by @skudupnorth.

The Roe Green Loop was the highlight, great surface, nice and wide. I know it is nothing to some on here but am not used to such a long incline (used to the flatness of South Manchester/Cheshire Plains) so was pretty tired by the time I got to Anchor Lane. Going downhill on the way back was so sweet. Obviously today was great weather. Does it get gritted in the winter?

Into Bolton I followed @Tom B screenshot around the back of the hospital. Quite narrow down some of the alleys but it was good.

I am quite impressed that 90% of the route was off road. I think that makes the Bridgewater Canal/Roe Green my preference though haven't tried the other possibilities yet. You have to go a bit slower in places but less stopping for junctions/traffic lights means it probably evens itself out. Feels safer not to be at the mercy of drivers.

I was even thinking of getting an ebike to make it doable. It would obviously help get up the Roe Green loop but if I stick with the canal route I am not sure I could safely go much faster. That stretch by Kellogs is a bugger with the tree roots. Is it owned by Peel? I was thinking of contacting them but guess it would be a long shot for them to do anything to improve it.

Legs feeling a bit achey now, but I can see even if I did it just 2 or 3 days a week I would get pretty fit, hopefully lose a bit of weight which is another motivation.

Cheers

 

[fossyant]

Most of it won't be gritted in winter, so that's to bear in mind - I switch to studded tyres for the Fallowfield Loop. They are slower by upto 5 minutes over 10 miles. You are generally limited by 'top speed' on the canals due to vibrations - TBH you'll possibly not go much faster on an electric bike unless going uphill.

 

[skudupnorth]

Glad you liked the route, the Bolton bound leg is a long dragger but you do get used to it with time.
The path isn’t gritted at all but I found the cover of the trees does protect most of the path from and serious ice and snow.
Fully agree about the Kellogg’s section of the canal path, it’s getting worse.
Keep at it

 

[Tom B]

Glad you liked the route, the Bolton bound leg is a long dragger but you do get used to it with time.
The path isn’t gritted at all but I found the cover of the trees does protect most of the path from and serious ice and snow.
Fully agree about the Kellogg’s section of the canal path, it’s getting worse.
Keep at it

+1 I use these routes all year round..they get frosty but ice isn't really an issue...
Well not on this bit at least.

If you carry on over the Burden Viaducts on the Old Bolton To Bury Rail line route behind the Police station they pond with water which turns them into skating rink that gets exciting,. even with studded tyres.

That's not water!

Most of it won't be gritted in winter, so that's to bear in mind - I switch to studded tyres for the Fallowfield Loop. They are slower by upto 5 minutes over 10 miles. You are generally limited by 'top speed' on the canals due to vibrations - TBH you'll possibly not go much faster on an electric bike unless going uphill.

I love my ice spikes, but also love talking them off. I reckon they're 15% slower and 20% harder work (than my marathons)