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I have to go to a meeting at an office in central Manchester.
Obviously, with petrol at £2/litre, it would be utter madness to drive, so I thought I would cycle.
However, being a southerner I know nothing about Manchester other than what my mother-in-law tells me from her time as a student there (which is pretty horrifying).
Can I just cycle all the way along Buxton Road (is that the A6) from Whaley Bridge, through Stockport and into Manchester? It goes pretty much to where I want to be if it does (Oxford Road, just near to a big railway station).
I wouldn’t cycle down the A6 it gets particularly nasty between Hazel Grove and Stockport. If you have time jump on to the peak forest canal it’s beautiful and quiet and has a good surface. Then the Alan Newton Way from Chadquirk chapel into Stockport.
You can get to Oxford Road from Stockport using various cycle paths. I’m sure a local could give you more accurate directions.
Hi. A6 is easily the most direct. As above hazel grove is bad but it is short and if it’s busy you’ll flow with the traffic. After Stockport there’s anot of bus lane and it feels better until levenshulme and longsight get funky. I used to ride that route and didn’t mind too much as at rush hour you tended to be travelling quicker than everyone else. Alternative is the Wilmslow rd corridor but it’s way out of your way
I do the A6 in most days from Stockport and it's ok-ish. Quickest route, Fine in the morning but short stretches through Longsight and Levy are worse in the evening ime, I know cyclists who avoid it.
Easy to cut across to Birchfield rd (quiet) or Oxford rd (quiet in the morning) once you reach Levenshulme.
Train gives you the option of just cycling one way.
A6 is my normal commute - has been for 10+ years actually! It's not the nicest road in the world but it's generally OK and the volume of traffic means that you just kind of flow with it.
Watch out through Longsight - partly because it's a total dump and partly because it seems to have the worst driving standards in Manchester and that's a fairly low bar to begin with!
Stockport through to about Longsight you've got a continuous bus lane which helps a lot.
Just after Longsight, fork left down Plymouth Grove (A5184) then turn left through the university to come out on Oxford Road. That's far and away the nicest route into town for cycling - protected cycle routes all the way and the road is only open to buses anyway.
You could just get the train, direct from Whaley Bridge, takes about 40 mins.
There are other cycling routes; the canal towpath runs from Whaley right into the centre of town but it's slow, it'll be 90+ minutes riding time on a CX bike.
Is the Peak Forest canal rideable on 25mm tyres? Or am I going to be in a world of pinch-flat hurt?
You could just get the train, direct from Whaley Bridge, takes about 40 mins.
If cost is the issue, taking the train will cost more than the petrol used to drive in, even at today's bonkers fuel prices. A return is £18.60, which is frankly mental, and I doubt it'll use 9.5l of fuel to drive it.
Another great example of our fantastic public transport system...
Is the Peak Forest canal rideable on 25mm tyres? Or am I going to be in a world of pinch-flat hurt?
You'd be alright all the way to Marple, with a bit of care in some places. Dunno about from there onwards, someone will know though.
TBH, if you're confident about busy road riding, I'd just A6 it.
If cost is the issue, taking the train will cost more than the petrol used to drive in, even at today’s bonkers fuel prices. A return is £18.60, which is frankly mental, and I doubt it’ll use 9.5l of fuel to drive it.
Some folk cycle to New Mills Newtown and get the train from there. Peak return ticket is £11.30. Better value if you do this as a regular commute as you can get a train card.
Cycling will be far cheaper than either driving or taking the train! And given how old I am, I don't have time to drive, too many things still to see to waste time trapped inside a metal prison.
Starting in Cambridge, then Oundle, Derby, Buxton. That canal looks interesting, but if I'm getting late I will use that A6 route - thanks for the advice, very useful!
Canal is going to be very rough on 25mm road tyres! Doable with care but it'll take even longer if you can't just batter it down the cobbled lock flights. It is very dry at the moment though.
28mm, since my quick road bike seems to be very unhappy, so taking the slow(er) commuter bike 🙁
OK here's my suggestion to avoid the A6. Firstly if you are coming from Buxton be aware that Long Hill A5004 is currently closed. You can cycle over it as far as Fernylee then turn off onto Elnor Lane and down the Whaley Bridge. Pick up the canal and follow it to Marple Junction. I've been along there a few times recently on 30mm tyres with no bother, I reckon you'll get away with it with a bit of care.
You then need to get across to the Middlewood Way (Route 55) and head North across the main road at Rose Hill station where to becomes the Alan Newton Way. Follow this to Pear Mill just outside Stockport town centre. Cross Stockport Road West onto Welkin Road. At the top go left and under the M60. Go uphill then turn left to go through Brinnington Tunnel and onto Route 62 heading North.
From Reddish Vale take Route 6 and 60 West past Fallowfield then North to the City Centre. About 30 mls from Buxton.
I've done @slowoldman 's route quite a bit as well - it got to the point where for sheer variety and to avoid the boredom of the towpath (as well as avoiding the undesirable elements of the local yoof in certain locations), we'd experiment with all sorts of options.
@oldnpastit - drop us a PM on here and I can ride some of the route with you if you want; we've got offices in Manchester which I occasionally visit so a ride in one morning is perfectly possible. Let me know which route you want to do though - if it's canal I'll use my CX, if we're just going to use A6 the whole way I'll take my SS!
From mine (New Mills), centre of town is about 50-55 mins via A6 or close to 90 mins via the full towpath route.
@crazy-legs - that's a very kind offer, but I will be arriving tomorrow evening (assuming it all works out)!
First (and last) time I ever got knocked off a bike was on the A6 heading north through Belle Vue. Fun times 🙂
I'd also be looking to weave around a bit to avoid it, even though there's a time penalty.
Managed to get out the front door. 20km in, currently in Huntingdon. Amazing weather.
I do the canal from Woodley into the city - it's pretty rough and I'd not do it on a road bike - old skool MTB here.
I avoid the roads for commuting in South Manchester - been injured too many times, Driving standards are shocking. The A6 is not great.
Just crossing pennines and out of Belper.
Pack your best legs if riding with @crazy-legs OP. Even on SS he's likely to be very fast!
A6 is an OK commute from Whaley. I do it regularly but I wouldn't describe it as pleasant. I've tried various alternatives over the years but all seem to take quite a bit longer. The bit from Hazel Grove has got better since they opened the A555 a couple of years ago and that draws off quite a bit of traffic.
In WB now, need to make a decision!
At this time of night, I would probably use the road, not the canal towpath! Or at least, towpath will be OK up to about Romiley, after that I'd definitely get onto the road.
Good luck. 🙂
Towpath very pretty but crazy slow. On road now.
Yeah, peak dog walker time out this way and further into town it'll be peak drink/drug-addled yoof time as well.
Stockport
St Peters Square, eating pizza. Just used A6 ask the way, at that time of day it was mostly fine.
Whoah, hang on, you rode there from Cambridge? Blimmin' nora, fair play.
Cambridgeshire:
Flat.
Northamptonshire:
Somewhere near Rutland, is that in Northamtponshire or Leicestershire, I'm not sure.
Derbyshire
Good going!
I recognise the Monsal Trail and your route over Derbyshire. 🙂
You got a link to the ride on Strava?