Leeds Liverpool Canal - Shipley to Gargrave

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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gloomyandy
Posts: 1140
Joined: 16 Mar 2012, 10:46pm

Leeds Liverpool Canal - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by gloomyandy »

Has anyone ridden the Leeds Liverpool canal between Shipley and Gargrave recently? Thinking of going that way to get up to the Dales. Will be on a touring bike with panniers, tyres are pretty wide so happy with gravel surfaces. Are there lots of gates etc. to fight your way through? What about narrow bits under bridges etc?

Thanks

Andy
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Leeds Liverpool Canel - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by colin54 »

Good metalled towpath from Shipley past the locks at Bingley ( nice cafe at top of second set of locks ),smooth going for a good bit after that. It gets bit rutted bumpy and grassy ( and muddy when wet ) from near to Silsden it smooths out near Skipton, loaded up I would probably come off at Riddlesden (left down hill ), then turn right and go up the road. You could come

off near Silsden just past (Golf Club on your left ) a bit further on up the tow path signposted Route 69:( the path becomes rutted immediately after the next bridge ) through a farmyard this

takes you into Silsden through a small housing estate,bear to the left and under a bridge, turn left brings you to a T junction which is Silsden main drag.Unfortunately if you chose this diversion there is an awkward drop

down a wall from the towpath on stone steps to get into the farmyard .If you were going to come off the tow path, Riddlesden is the better option. I should think the rutted section is 6 or seven

miles at a guess.I went that way in the dry the other day, perfectly do-able but bumpy, it takes a bit too much concentration if it's wet tree roots etc, especially if loaded.

The only gate I can think of is just before Shipley and I think that's either been taken down or is open due to tow path repairs towards Leeds there are a couple more back towards Leeds but if you're getting on at Shipley they won't concern you.

Don't know what it's like beyond Skipton.
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gloomyandy
Posts: 1140
Joined: 16 Mar 2012, 10:46pm

Re: Leeds Liverpool Canal - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by gloomyandy »

Hi,
thanks for that. So would you stay off the towpath after Silsden until nearer Skipton? Which road route would you recommend from Riddlesden to Silsden? I know the B6265 pretty well, but is there a better way? Going north to pick up Silsden Rd and Howden Rd looks possible, but hilly!
colin54
Posts: 2529
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 4:34pm

Re: Leeds Liverpool Canal - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by colin54 »

I've always gone up the main road B6265/A629, or on the pavement next to it as you near Skipton, there's never pedestrians on it until you get into Skipton itself.I think the first

bit is dual carriageway but there's room inside the white line to keep out of the way and it's not that far anyway.It follows the valley where the railway line goes

so there's nothing too steep.Alternately you could put your bike on the train at Shipley, Saltaire or Bingley and train it to Skipton they're pretty frequent.

There's no need to go into Silsden if you're coming off at Riddlesden you just skirt Keighley,you don't touch Silsden at all. I've never been up the B 6265 on the opposite side

of the valley , but at least it avoids the main road traffic I suppose.
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axel_knutt
Posts: 2881
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 12:20pm

Re: Leeds Liverpool Canel - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by axel_knutt »

colin54 wrote:Don't know what it's like beyond Skipton.


Very muddy in 2011 when I slipped and came off. Fortunately I ended up in the bushes instead of the canal.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Bicycler
Posts: 3400
Joined: 4 Dec 2013, 3:33pm

Re: Leeds Liverpool Canel - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by Bicycler »

axel_knutt wrote:
colin54 wrote:Don't know what it's like beyond Skipton.


Very muddy in 2011 when I slipped and came off. Fortunately I ended up in the bushes instead of the canal.

+1 My hybrid (35mm tyres) and I nearly took several swims between Foulridge (on the Lancs/Yorks border) and Skipton on a rainy day in 2012. It's mostly just grass and mud surface. The most poorly surfaced (but splendidly remote) part of the whole canal. I can't recall the specific Gargrave-Skipton other than that the nicely surfaced towpath through Skipton doesn't extend much beyond the town limits. Once into Yorkshire there are more swing bridges crossing the canal on the level and fewer traditional canal bridges over the canal narrowing the towpath.
axel_knutt
Posts: 2881
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 12:20pm

Re: Leeds Liverpool Canel - Shipley to Gargrave

Post by axel_knutt »

Bicycler wrote:+1 My hybrid (35mm tyres) and I nearly took several swims between Foulridge (on the Lancs/Yorks border) and Skipton in 2012.

I was on 700x35 Marathons, nowhere near knobbly enough for liquid mud. I'd been slithering around all the way from Gargrave to Skipton so I decided to continue on the road after I'd called at Tesco, but by the time I came out of the shop I'd forgotten my decision and got back on the canal. I'd just decided to get off again at the first opportunity when I slipped.
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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