This is the 3 days of the trip made into one full video , which some people prefer.
    Finally we head to Liverpool to start the Leeds to Liverpool Canal , 127 miles over 3 days in testing conditions to say the least.
    Day one we set off from Liverpool in sunshine but will it last , how will the towpaths be after a never ending winter of rain.
    Join us for a memorable trip along this iconic canal.

    Music used from the YouTube audio library

    ====== Help me fuel my next rides by following the ko-fi link below or in my channel description.
    https://ko-fi.com/solobikerdave ======

    Please consider subscribing to my channel
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAZ_p8vPFRDBsb0BLfd1Mgw?sub_confirmation=1

    #bicycletouring #bikepacking #bikecamping

    [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] right we’re here hello the start the leads Liverpool Canal oh at the Liverpool end the end for us we’re starting Liverpool we’re heading to leads sun’s been out showery expected today but got a bit of a headwind for a few miles but all is good it is after the weather we’ve been having the last few weeks like so you know we might have looked out again but uh we’ll bring you back further along the cut see you later [Music] [Music] the gates [Music] open yeah just stop for five just the rest our backsides on these bumpy toe paths it’s a bit of a breeze blowing but it’s yeah there’s a good North Wind there can’t complain no complains oh not at all it’s dry stopped for a photo trans penine Trail Le the the poking out think it goes that way but we continue this way oh it’s one of them fancy uh can’t get your bikes locks Gates [Music] hello all right thank you [Music] coming through entry [Music] [Music] right we’re just stopping under this tree going to have some lunch not far off a busy Main Road there but uh back there there was a swing Bridge luckily it was open for us to get right across the road was closed so yeah we have a bike te all right time it again it’s shut is it no is it looks open oh it’s open stopped at the running horses I think it’s mull is it yeah we got a very nice point of way rights pter way right rest of the day Sun’s still well it’s dry it’s dry it’s windy but dry so we can’t uh can’t complaint oh no complaint oh was good really good oh all right oh badly placed rocks yeah we just stopped for five just take the views beautiful afternoon couldn’t have asked for betterday H not after what we’ve had for the last few weeks this is brilliant isn’t it absolutely but hopefully I think not far from here we start to turn in land a bit and the wind will be pushing should have sign hopefully you want to stop photo okay we’ve just stopped off at another Watering Hole this is the uh the slipway bar and restaurant so we just having a pint quick pint um it’s about half past 4 um 25 mil Plus in or something we’re not going breaking any records the wind’s been quite strong we’ve had a Rick Wall of a head we we’re just going to try and head towards the sort of Wigan area maybe get y side of Wigan for tonight but uh first we need to find some maybe another five 6 miles maybe down the canal looking for some to eat we’ll bring you back so we’ve just reached the rufford branch to our left we’ll get up the hill here and we should have a better view oh yeah that’s all right the blcks there I can’t see it with the sun against us Liverpool 24 Wigan 10 leads 102 A2 rufford Branch bit soft there all right we just stopped for five problem is stopping in every Pub along the cut you need a pee every 5 10 minutes all good power right what happened to back track the curse from last year strikes again somehow my waterproofs which were strapped to the back have come off and I’ve lost them so we’re just chasing our steps and hopefully can find them somewhere along here they were definitely on at rufford just check some photographs and they were there then so hopefully along this section we’ll find them oh dear dear it’s like a yearly custom this losing stuff okay found me jacket but we haven’t found the leggings somewhere on the trail there’s a pair of uh Burgh house pack lights H for one of your subscribers so if you find a pair of Burg house parck lights I’ll pay the postage okay we’ve just come down off the toe path which is over that way in that direction followed the river along and we found this little spot here which should be ideal for pitching up tonight um out the way of everybody so we’ll get our gear bring it across and get set up for the night that’s me set up in the Vango in this little section of wood Ian’s uh viving it tonight he’s got his T up I don’t think we’re expecting much in the way of rain tonight but uh maybe tomorrow just playing safe so yeah we’re well tucked away now the foot paths or the toe paths well over there so we’re in this little Woodland B under nobody right that’s our shelters all set up you should be sort of see them there in the disc yeah behind there but we’re um we’re just going to close out for tonight so we’re just probably about four or five M from Wigan yeah about 40 m in it mood today yeah um we had to I obviously lost some stuff off the back of the bike so like last year yeah replay think so it’s easy done it’s easy yeah so manag to Tre me jacket which is the good thing I’ve lost me leggings but uh Hey are but we’re set up for the night so I’m in the tent he in his tar so we’re just going to have a bite to eat and uh we’ll call call it a day for today for day one and we’ll see you tomorrow yeah see you tomorrow good morning day two as Ian he’s packed away mine’s all packed away and basically we’re ready to hit the trail eventually yes get on the tow path get on the Toth we we are forecast rain the uh late this afternoon uh midafternoon so yeah we we just going have to play it by ball you know play by ball we’ll see what happens we get get the top up for two I reckon that’s what the forecast is saying from 2:00 onwards it’s going to be rain but you know we’ll see what we get w’t we it is what it is cracking spot though for camping yeah good night in the woods very quiet very quiet cold got really cold last night but uh Z de degrees but uh no rain which is always a bonus yep anyhow we’ll bring you back along the trail see you later [Music] [Music] [Music] all right so you’re supposed to be able to get your bike through there but if you’ve got like you know the hangers on the bottom or bottles on your on your Peds on it yeah it’s really I mean there’s the gate here that is the worst I’ve ever seen that is yeah not very good at all anyhow we’re through onwards we’re in Wigan by the way not [Music] hi all right we’ve just cleared Wigan and we just stopped for five take a few photographs but uh Sun’s still shining looking very peaceful on the leads and Liverpool Canal yeah so one thing to know here some of these gates are pretty impossible to get through with a bike this bit here does not fit your bike to get in absolutely ridiculously yeah so we’re going to have to lift them off of the gate look at his tools ni there yeah not easy look apple tree up there yeah [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] know all right all right yeah oh yeah got a job on your hands yeah cheers bu thank you [Music] [Music] all [Music] right nice [Music] right just stopped for the A spot of lunch we’re just slightly off the canal it goes up there a little this is a little is this the end the southern end Lancaster Southern the bit that never made it to Preston across the side the uh estery yeah yeah we go up and over up and over for us over this spring and then round but it’s only lunchtime and we’re thinking about camping up already because uh rain is forecast and it’s set for the whole day so we’re about to get wet in looks that way so we’re going to have a bite eat and then we’re going to find somewhere to hide for the rest of the day I think till this rain goes yeah we’re just taking a shelter a little bit of rain come on just light Rim but it’s pretty miserable so God knows what’s going to happen later on we’ll bring you back when we find out okay so not exactly what we had planned uh at all we’re in the hotel the weather sort of afternoon late mid afternoon half 2ish turned absolutely awful and uh it would mean pitching up somewhere already wet trying to find somewhere you know relatively dry but uh and then spending the night trying to keep dry so we decided yeah we’ll have a bit of comfort we can get showered hot showers and we’ll get a decent meal tonight down the restaurants so yeah we managed to get to Blackburn but um we got the bikes in the in the hotel with us we managed to get as far as black bur but not as far as we’d hoped we did want to go further like but uh you know weather dictates yeah and the actual cut you know the canal paths are pretty well chewed up in bits we’ve had quite a bit of heavy going so it’s been we’ve had 12 months R so they’re very soft in places so we stop start stop start quite a few people people you know dodging and avoiding so we haven’t done a lot of M today but it is what it is and we didn’t want we could have continued but we didn’t want to continue so wet and we don’t want to spend 16 hours under the top do we no but we don’t we want to enjoy it so yeah tomorrow is supposed to be a good day so we’ll better to see better and it’ll be more enjoyable so yeah and we’ll have a good we’ll stick a good day in tomorrow good day so day two not what we planned but these things happen we’ll see you tomorrow yeah we’ll see what happens okay start of day three so an unexpected stop in a hotel last night in Blackburn but wo it was the right decision it was beautiful you know showers food you know just dry um we weren’t expecting to do this we wanted to Wild camp but you know sometimes of day for fun yeah we’re not we’re not here to endure we wanted to enjoy you know we could have continued another 20 miles to get in had an absolute soen and then slipped in the freeze in cold wood so you know no sensible you got to be sensible sometimes you got to make a call and you know yesterday we did it was a good call yeah you you made you made the decision in well I wasn’t feeling it I was feeling absolutely crap um yesterday afternoon just wasn’t it was you were right it was the right decision yeah you know maybe not while camping yeah it’s not but we we’ll give it a go today but it’s certainly the trip we’re going to head to uh the local go Outdoors because um the trail will be wet because it puts so much rain down from well cuz I look at stand water over there so I’m going to get myself a fresh PIR of leggings and go Outdoors um and then we’ll pick up the trail and uh we’ll bring you back further along see you later got yeah early days early days once you get your momentum we’ll get cracking on oh l Le Liverpool Blackburn wle Daisy field Mill jet sky for the canal here we go flooding on the toil paath we’re not doing too bad it’s uh staying dry for us this section so far is not too wet not too bad probably about 5 and 1/ half mil from Blackburn now but uh we keep encountering a few wet spots like here but all in all not too bad cuz the forecast this morning was for heavy showers so we’re still expecting it but for now all is good on the Hills nice yeah yeah going over the main road can you see out let see wet section here Offroad section is a bit [Music] slippy okay 63 and 5/8 to Liverpool 63 and 58 to lead the halfway point and it hasn’t been as plain ceiling as it should be some of these TP pffs are heavy heavy going very wet another really bad section of the canal it is very chewed up here oh my word don’t end up in the canal L do we keep going lad oh my word that was pretty bad that is more mountain bike territory another section coming up here as well this would yeah the banks collaps yeah God this is an absolute nightmare oh my word this is like 4 before ter sry keep going L keep going this is terrible isn’t it oh my it’s flooded here look oh that is pretty brutal conditions what a Messi EAS is off now yeah that that section there was a Fest that was the worst we’ oh my word that is really really bad I mean that was over date of the bikes yeah that was that was I can hear my chain mine’s grinding grinding the way so I’ve got a I’ve got a cloth I mightbe give it a a little wipe down but it’s probably just going to encounter just the same favor up yes as we get more railroads I can smell pies I think there’s a pie shop near here yeah let’s follow our nose just taking shelter for a few minutes it’s a little rain shower coming through yeah we’ll just keep out of that let it blow through yeah hopefully sunshin and showers today shining showers with the bikes yeah definitely taking a pound yeah this section’s energy sapping is my oh finally a decent surface for us to ride on another nightmare section oh God this is what slows you down and this is an absolute nightmare oh [Music] [Applause] yeah we’re just homing in on Burnley um there a Greg’s not far off the top paath so we’re going to head there and get a a well earned coffee and a pasty or something refuel keep our energy levels up yeah fuel of the Gods here we go coffee chicken bake and a cake keep us going look at the state look at the state yeah not for the Fain hearted this Trail not in these conditions anyway what do you say Ian is absolutely sand blast BL right we’re just leaving burnly now and thankfully this uh topa is lovely flat surface all the hills all around us looking very nice [Music] redley Marina must have had a breach you right we just stopped for five just get off the bikes and give ourselves a stretch we’re in Nelson so a little bit out of Burnley now but yet weather’s quite Sunny now it’s quite nice turned into a nice afternoon it is it yeah so it’s not looking look like that we’ll get to leads tonight but you know we’re not in a race um so what we’ll plan we’ll just cycle as far as we can and maybe leave 20 mile in the morning 15 Mile and hopefully I can get a train back Ian’s continuing back home cuz he’s insane but uh yeah but uh yeah sun is out all is good lovely perfect timing water barford water point and locks all right okay here’s the County border marker Lancashire to my left Yorkshire to my right and onwards and it looks like where we’re heading the sun is out Burnley 11 9 M for G gra showers just quick photo stop oh back end Just Wind yeah found another bad bit oh my have sidewards again oh this isn’t fun oh my God that is heavy he be going back end just we want to step out big knobbly mountain bike tires is what you need yeah just stop for five take the waterproofs back off this last section was gruesome probably about four or 5 miles from gar gra so this section’s really tough going just so heavy cluggy yeah plastered the bikes again 38 and a quarter to leads yeah it’s a beautiful afternoon now even though it’s an absolute Nightmare on the tour paffs so we’re not too far off G grave now someone’s back out under the railway and I think we Bear right and be looking for the cafe okay we’ve arrived in gargrave sun is out so we’re going to try and find a a watering hle C pass a lot better now is it it is yeah smooth so yeah that last bit was pretty gruesome P9 we malum Skipton 4 and 3/4 leads 33 and 3/4 beautiful quick stop at gar gra for a coffee and a cake donuts donuts and back on the cut so finally we have a great riding surface perfect really couldn’t ask for better for what we’ve had it’s been pretty Grim in sections today but uh you know you got to take the off with the smooth we still with is again yep no I don’t know how the STS I don’t know you need a push comes to like a dead end of a Warf sort of thing in a branch yeah come across this Memorial a flying Vic Wellington I’m sure it come out of uh silth airport and it was full of Polish air 23rd of September 1943 lest we forget yeah y we’re back on the tops From Hell from all them lovely Puffs out of gar grave and Skipton it’s just returned to the Mudfest oh civilization and the land of decent Puffs yeah it’s been there a while [Music] on the SU [Music] [Music] come on [Music] lad keep [Music] gone and the BL these Suns come out yeah we’ve arrived leads that was a massive push 74 miles on this final day it’s killed us with the head wind out and a head wind in yeah it was brutal yeah it was day after yesterday when it lots of tops that were just not top halfs and then the last bit was not too bad but uh the problem is now was getting TRS back I can’t get one back Ian can possibly but uh maybe we’ll see but yeah thanks for watching and we’ll see it out sometime soon see you oh

    7 Comments

    1. I am a cyclist, but I do not agree with bikes being allowed on the Towpath. It's a nightmare trying to walk at the side of the canal now. It's downright dangerous.. It's like riding a bike bike on the pavement. It shouldn't be allowed.

    2. great stuff but looks like it was tough going you too should head to spain cycle the camino from bilbao to santagio brilliant tour and great roads super weather.

    Leave A Reply