Leeds/Liverpool Canal.

[Easy Rider]

Hi,

Planning to ride this up into West Yorkshire from Wigan at the Christmas holidays.

Is there anybody who can tell me if this is possible and is there any issues i need to be aware of.

Thanks.

[nirakaro]

I’ve not cycled much of the L&L, but I’ve done it by boat, and walked a fair bit of it. From what I can remember:
It’s all possible. Pleasant countryside from Wigan to about Chorley, then you pass through the succession of rather depressed East Lancs towns – Blackburn, Burnley, Nelson, Colne. At Barrowford there’s a tunnel with no towpath, but I think there’s a road over the hill. Emerging at Barnoldswick, there’s a lovely stretch over open moorland to Gargrave, but the towpath may be in poor condition, muddy, wet and slippery. From Gargrave down to Leeds it’s a pleasant easy ride alternating between nice countryside and rather less nice towns.

[vernon]

I found a continuous succession of barriers at Wigan to be tiresome and I suspect that you might find the towoath a tad muddy if the weather's damp.

[Easy Rider]

Thanks for the input folks.

I rode up to Botany Bay today.

Quite a few gates near the locks at Wigan and really sticky.

Its going to be a big day out i think.

I only managed to average 13 MPH.

But looking forward to it. :>)

[Mick F]

I was brought up in the Wigan area in the 50's and 60s and frequently rode my bikes on the L/L towpath, but never went past Wigan. My stamping ground was Wigan and west out to Parbold and Newburgh out to Burscough, and some of the Rufford Arm.

Thinking about it, I did ride up beyond Wigan once or twice up at Red Rock/Adlington/Chorley area.

I rode past Wigan Pier once, but back then it was a derelict warehouse on a raised bit of towpath. The canal was filthy.

[MarkF]

From Gargrave down to Leeds it’s a pleasant easy ride alternating between nice countryside and rather less nice towns.

In winter, the stretch East from Silsden to Lodge Hill Bridge (191A) where the towpath is packed until Leeds, is really horrible.