2021 LEJOG

[Mick F]

Hi guys!
What about the Raleigh Chopper?

[Slowtwitch]

It's my favourite route, and possible to go off road for a fair old bit of it

[puffin]

It's my favourite route, and possible to go off road for a fair old bit of it

You were doing so well, then you went and mentioned "off road".

63 yo and 16 stone????? Looks like I'm doing the Grampians again

[puffin]

Cycling the leg to Slaidburn I usually cycle North of Blackburn, leaving the canal towpath at Wheeton by the Top Lock Pub. However, has anyone any advice on keeping on the canal to (say) Rishton and rejoining the route around there? It looks a lot flatter, but I wonder what the surface of the tow path after Wheeton is like.

[RickH]

Cycling the leg to Slaidburn I usually cycle North of Blackburn, leaving the canal towpath at Wheeton by the Top Lock Pub. However, has anyone any advice on keeping on the canal to (say) Rishton and rejoining the route around there? It looks a lot flatter, but I wonder what the surface of the tow path after Wheeton is like.

Presumably you mean Wheelton. The surface beyond top lock lulls you into a false sense of security with the good surface by the moorings above the lock but deteriorates rapidly after a short distance & is likely to be muddy with large puddles across the towpath if there has been recent rain. I'm not sure when it improves again, probably not until you start getting into the built up areas on the western edge of Blackburn.

[puffin]

Cycling the leg to Slaidburn I usually cycle North of Blackburn, leaving the canal towpath at Wheeton by the Top Lock Pub. However, has anyone any advice on keeping on the canal to (say) Rishton and rejoining the route around there? It looks a lot flatter, but I wonder what the surface of the tow path after Wheeton is like.

Presumably you mean Wheelton. The surface beyond top lock lulls you into a false sense of security with the good surface by the moorings above the lock but deteriorates rapidly after a short distance & is likely to be muddy with large puddles across the towpath if there has been recent rain. I'm not sure when it improves again, probably not until you start getting into the built up areas on the western edge of Blackburn.

That's very useful, many thanks. I suspected the surface wouldn't be so good otherwise the Blackburn route would be more popular. Thanks again.

[Jamesh]

Colin 54 is your man for the western LLC.

I didn't remember it being too bad apart from a section between Accrington and Burnley which was very rutted. However I was running it and not cycling!

That might be further west than Weaton though....

Cheers James