Cycling along the cut!

[Sam]

Do you have some fave routes for when your out cycling?

 

If so why not tell us here and help people plan there cycling along the cut (if they want to go for a cycle that is )

 

SAm

[John Orentas]

Here's my advised cycling route, from your nearest road access head along the towpath with the canal to your right hand side. After approximately 100 yards take a sharp 90 deg right hand turn.

[Sam]

oh yeah really great John

 

Nice to see your setting a lead example as a moderator!

[nichimyo]

Given that I currently have a choice of the Cam or the Ouse, I wouldn't advise cycling along either except for short stretches. Walking though, that's a different matter. Ely to Cambridge is one I have done a few times. Get the train to Ely and walk it back with a picnic and plenty to drink. To do the whole route you don't have to mind nettles too much, as there is one field where there is a fence at each end so the riverside can't be mowed, and head-height (I kid you not) nettles grow there. Mind you, by the time they get that big they don't sting too much as long as you're not too sensitive to them.

 

Cycling, well Grantchester through Cambridge and out to Bait's Bite Lock is doable and quite plaesant as long as you don't do it when the rowers are being coached. (The coaches cycle with megaphones, and they are looking at the boat, not where they are going LOL.)

 

But cycling for pleasure? Not really what I do, as I cycle to work.

[dor]

Here's my advised cycling route, from your nearest road access head along the towpath with the canal to your right hand side. After approximately 100 yards take a sharp 90 deg right hand turn.

 

Bearing in mind that cyclists on the towpath are going to upset fisherpeople far more than boaters, I think it is an activity to be encouraged.

[Farey]

Along the Kennet and Avon between Bath and Devizes is a nice route, and its been made up as a cycle path so is suitable for road bikes.

 

Chris Farey

[DHutch]

Bearing in mind that cyclists on the towpath are going to upset fisherpeople far more than boaters, I think it is an activity to be encouraged.

Yeah, i dont see a problem with cyclists (or fishermen for that matter) as long as there freindly and dont do anything stupid, and respect the fact that other people may be using the canal area fro other things, such as boating.

 

- I have cycled from home to chester via the canal before now.

 

 

Dnaiel

[gaggle]

i did not know a permit was required to cycle on bw towpaths and that the permits are free. shush dont let them with mooring know,they will demand cyclists pay a fair share unless they really do continuously pedal see new topic cp,s flout rules and get away with blue murder,line them up and shoot the lot and crush the bikes

[Sam]

A permit isnt needed!¬

[Amicus]

A permit isnt needed!¬

21581[/snapback]

http://www.waterscape.com/cycling/permit.html

[gaggle]

http://www.waterscape.com/cycling/permit.html

21583[/snapback]

on the ball amicus sam i thought you would be up for that one

Edited June 2, 2005 by gaggle

[Sam]

Up for what one old pal?

OHhh . . that must be new (i hope) - I've never seen it before in all my days of research etc..

 

Thanks for drawing my attention to it!

 

Sam

[maffi mushkila]

Up for what one old pal?

OHhh . . that must be new (i hope) - I've never seen it before in all my days of research etc..

 

Not really Sam. It used to be the case that cycle permits were paid for. It is relatively recently that they became free.

[Sam]

Oh ok!

Sorry!

 

Oversight by me!

 

Sam

[maffi mushkila]

Oh ok!

Sorry!

 

Oversight by me!

 

Sam

 

That's OK Sam it's only me that claims to be perfect!

[Sam]

That's OK Sam it's only me that claims to be perfect!

21690[/snapback]

 

Hehe!

Well you seem to be most of the time!

[CanalWalker]

I was cycling on the Leeds Liverpool, Parbold to Wigan today. The stretch up to Wigan is almost perfect for cyclists, its a shame all towpaths are that wide and paved. No need to push people into the cut with a towpath that wide, but it has its good points too!

 

the anti-motorbike gates are a pain in the arse on the rest of the cycle-friendly bit.

[alan_fincher]

Not really Sam. It used to be the case that cycle permits were paid for. It is relatively recently that they became free.

I don't think so....

 

Other than when they were charging on the K&A, they have been free for more years than I care to remember....

 

You did use to have to renew them annually, (real pain), but that died some time ago

 

 

Back to the original topic.....

 

Most of the southern GU towpath, (well south of Gayton, anyway), makes pretty fine cycling.

 

However in places progress can be heavily impeded if the grass has grown long, (e.g. south of Stoke Bruerne, down to Cosgrove), or they have been cutting the hawthorn, (instant puncture material).

 

Also the barriers put in down towards London to discourage motor cyclists can be a REAL pain, as they will not easily pass a bike with a large frame, bar ends, and (particularly) panniers. Trying to swing round the end of them, like a manic pole-dancer, whilst holding your precious and well laden machine over the cut is a danger sport in it's own right!....

[John Orentas]

It has always been a requirement that you have a permit to cycle on the towpaths, until a few years ago there was a small charge but BW found it so so difficult to enforce that they abandoned the charge but you should still have a permit.

 

Quote: "Also the barriers put in down towards London to discourage motor cyclists can be a REAL pain". They are intended to be a real pain, they are there to keep you out, and horse riders, and motorcyclists.

[alan_fincher]

Quote: "Also the barriers put in down towards London to discourage motor cyclists can be a REAL pain".

 

They are intended to be a real pain, they are there to keep you out, and horse riders, and motorcyclists.

 

Strange that they all have a "hole" made from welded up metal that is designed (allegedly!) to be bike shaped rather than motor biked shape then, John!

 

If you look at the permitted towpaths list, these are definitely ones where cycling is allowed.

 

A medium sized steel framed bike, with flat handlebars, and no added luggage will go through as the maker intended. But if you have bar ends on your handlebars, and sandwiches and wet weather clothing on board, you are going to struggle.

 

It's just, like many things BW have come up with over the years, not too well executed, (but still not in the same league as the infamous desecration of our locks in the past by hydraulic paddle gear!).

 

I've restrained from getting involved in various rants about bikes on towpaths in the past, but do think people seem to forget that they have always been there. You didn't use to see many pairs of working boats that didn't have at least one as part of the standard equipment

[gaggle]

the gates put in do allow for pedal cycles,i showed some kids in wigan who were having to struggle getting through one.

i have ordered a bike to jump back and forth from boat to the car,in one place the bus is hourly and it is the only service.

no wonder people are so reluctant to go back to public transport.the bike will defo have a BELL to let others know i am there.

[CanalWalker]

They are intended to be a real pain, they are there to keep you out,

 

I suspect you are half right! They are obviously not intended to stop cyclists but they are badly designed. The newer ones are better, you can pass through them without getting off your bike. Unfortunately there are not many about.

 

 

Not very user friendly!

[David Schweizer]

It has always been a requirement that you have a permit to cycle on the towpaths, until a few years ago there was a small charge but BW found it so so difficult to enforce that they abandoned the charge but you should still have a permit.

 

Quote: "Also the barriers put in down towards London to discourage motor cyclists can be a REAL pain". They are intended to be a real pain, they are there to keep you out, and horse riders, and motorcyclists.

John is completely correct. It has always been a requirement to have cycling permit to cycle on the towpath, and whilst practice has changed over the years, the legislatation has never been repealed. Similarly there is a bit of law lurking somewhere in a dark cupboard that actually requires you to have a permit to walk on the towpath. Back in the 1960's BW employed a man (on a BSA bantam) called John Williams, he was the Towpath Warden, He worked the Grand Union section from Marsworth to Brentford, and one of his dutie was to check that walkers and cyclists had the relevant permit. Annual Cycling permits cost five shillings, and as far as I can remember walking permits were one shilling. He carried a swatch of both in his pannier, but rarely requisioned a new book when all of them had been sold.

Edited October 17, 2005 by David Schweizer

[CanalWalker]

Large parts of the towpath around Liverpool were closed to anyone. The bridges still have the gates on them to stop access to the towpath.

[roger]

the bike will defo have a BELL to let others know i am there.

 

'a BELL' what a gross oversight... why not carry a hammer and wallop those that dont hear you ringa-dinging as you cycle along the towpath, or a pair of barbed spears to lance into those who dont see you coming along, or just kick them into the cut if they dont respond? ALL Cyclists should slow down and take special care past walkers of all sorts and types, and if neccessary get off and walk too ok?