I cycle down a local section of the Leeds Liverpool Canal and realise that not everyone would be able to access this shared path.
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36 Comments
That sounds like a bag of spanners.
6:33 top tip if you're trying to get a little bit fitter, is to ditch the e-bike! You'll probably be travelling at a safer speed for a canal towpath too, 25kph is a bit quick IMO.
I was a disabled cyclist and loved canal paths before I had to get a more adapted bike as I worsened. An electric trike. And it really limited where I could go with it. That and theft of parts I couldn’t afford to keep replacing. So now I drive a car. Sad isn’t it?
I ride most places but like to include the Waddesdon Greenway if convenient.
When in Cornwall I love riding on Bodmin moor, so beautiful and peaceful in the sunshine.
That early section of the canal path is awful; it's really for a MTB, and not a road bike as I've done recently. Two similar motorcycle traps have recently been replaced on the Cheshire Lines path down by Sefton Lane.
When I lived in Derby, 7 miles each way to work, almost all alongside the river Derwent. Absolute pleasure, even when it was freezing (studded tyres). Now, it's for pleasure along the lanes to Martinstown and back, but I've had some unpleasant meetings with obstreperous car drivers. I can't cycle up the Ridgeway anymore and haven't got a lecky bike, so along the lanes it is.
Those width restrictions are there to discourage cycling. They do not stop motorbikes, but they do stop wheelchairs, cargo bikes, hand cycles and the like. They are there as a disincentive for cycling, forcing more people into cars. It's a shame that councils and the Canal-Riverside Trust insist on installing these expensive deterrents. I'm sure more people would cycle if they were not there. Riding canal paths for my commute is a joy – only these barriers spoil it.
I rode Lancaster to Leeds with full camping gear a good few years ago, and did a lot of the run into Leeds on the Leeds-Liverpool. But every 50 metres, acrosss the towpath, was a zig-zag gate obstacle that was impossible to get through with panniers. Had to remove panniers, snake through the gate, reattach. Some cyclists (with lighter bikes) were dismounting and swinging round the gates over the water, bike in one hand, gate in the other. The barriers were clearly there to stop motorbikes but they did a heck of a job discouraging cycle tourists as well…
Unfortunately, Ash, I'm right down South in Hampshire, but if you do do a charity ride make sure to advertise it and I'll gladly donate, as I'm sure hundreds of others will.
I started wearing gloves at about the same time I started wearing a helmet – an for the same reason.
Currently i live city with cannals. They are quite flat and smooth. You do need responsibility because you are no longer the vulnerable using the route. Best rides ive ever done are Glenorwyg. (yes opposite snowden). And i did 30 miles for charity around Ryton XI towns. The hill below Ryton XI towns is a monster – a true beast, i did that ride on a 30 year old racer my Grandad found in skip, happy my hawk was out of action.
I no longer use a bell, some times they're just not heard, I say Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, it seems politer and gets atttention.
I’d be interested in riding the towpath for charity. I raise money by doing bike fits for Kayleigh’s Wee Stars and this would be good for that, too.
Nothing like taking your tin can collection for an afternoon cycle.
Wheel chairs AND buggies? There used to be gates on tow paths around central Birmingham, fortunately now either locked open or removed. Canal & River Trust do not permit electric bikes & e-scooters on their property; no idea how or if they enforce it though. Nice to see you are warning other users you come from behind of your presence, too many don't. Only realise they are there when they whizz close by. BTW Ashley with the speed you ride tough gloves could save you major discomfort should you be unfortunate to come off. Palms of hands versus road surface or tow paths will not end well!!
Very interesting video Ashley's ive recently watched a few of your vids and i hold a hgv licence for over 26 years and some of you training and tactics have taught me some new tricks especially the roundabouts video . More people should have more respect for each other out on the roads but ive been taught to drive defensively which has got me out of sticky situations. Id be interested in a charity bike ride ive had it in me to also do the leeds liverpool canal route ive done liverpool to wigan twice this year about 35 miles great way to travel
The barriers are clearly behind the times and they are a throw back to a fairly recenr time when the path was intended for pedestrians and not really cyclists. I think the laws which permit cyclists and pedestrians to share the same path need to catch up a bit with the state of the actual paths in question. Specially if they still have barriers in place to stop cyclists using the path like the one which Ashley had to struggle through near the beginning of this video. Obviously the barrier is meant to stop bad cyclists and probably motor bikers using the path , bombing down it at unsafe speeds and knocking down walkers and unsuspecting people out for a nice leisurely stroll with Fido.
Have cycled the Solar Trail from Riccall up to York any number of times. Ride to Selby (13 or so miles from home); then through Barlby to follow the path alongside A19 to Riccall then old east coast mainline route up through Naburn (and see the 'Old Man' of Naburn atop the bridge) before nipping through Bishopthorpe and then round the Knavesmire to get in to town, following either side of the river. Lovely ride, about 30miles – coffee well deserved. Of all the miles done round Yorkshire (and sometimes in 'foreign' parts) still my favourite route.
Great video, Ashley. Just a small tip: when you're approaching a bridge or tunnel, it's a good idea to ring your bell or sound your horn to alert others coming from the opposite direction and avoid a head-on collision.
Beware of 🏇🏇🏇 on the Melling Road.
Where I live it's nice quiet country roads however I do like to pop up on to the Hornsea track (as it's known locally) a 13 mile long former railway track goes from Hull to a little seaside town of Hornsea on the east coast. Ridden it all when I was younger, but when I do cycle I do like it up there and it's only a mile away from my house.
4:20 A solution I imagine would be fairly easy would be to have a gate which can be opened with a RADAR key, the same keys that disabled people use to access disabled toilets. It also helps that emergency services carry these keys also so if an emergency vehicle needs to use the path they can easily open the gate too.
Ashley did you need new filings in your teeth after this ride?
I could show you what happened to a friend's hand when he got knocked off his bike… 🤮 get some gloves!
I'd ride the canal path. Give me something to do lol.
I kept thinking, you could enjoy the exercise of cycling, and the serenity of the canal, with a pedalo.
As an Active wheelchair user I'd love to spend hours like this..
But the amount of problems I would face I could only imagine…
I'm sure at some point I'd be stuck, because of said gates, steps, stupidly steep ramps cobbled paths to name a few..
Which is a shame as I'm absolutely surrounded by canals round here.
The stop banks alongside the rivers in the district are public roads that double up as walking routes. They are our equivalent to canal tow paths. The stop bank that runs along the south side of the Ashley River through Rangiora is 21km as the crow flies from Waikuku Beach
There are some great ex railway paths near me
Zoe's Place has to be a strong charity possibility.
the current govt. Know giving 5 thousand million pounds to zizilenski is far more important ,, support on you islanders ..good luck ha ha ha support the imperialist terrorist coalition…
Burton-on-Trent has cleaned up the towpath through the town on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Making a very good shared path, which seems to be well used.
What did they do? Plough that pavement?
Here in Northeast Derbyshire on the edge of the Peak District I’m lucky to have miles of Canals, Greenways and trails on my doorstep and my local council has removed a lot of these barriers and would you believe it the world hasn’t ended and the paths aren’t full of people on motorbikes in fact the best way to discourage the use of motorbikes on cycle paths is to encourage more use in general
3:59 I was a hillwalker and cyclist. Now, I use a wheel chair. This 'gate' says the following: Disabled people Not Allowed!