Considering a commute down the canal (getting on at Dunham Massey) and popping out in Manchester City Centre. It looks ideal on Google Maps, but one guy at work mentioned last year it was a bit boggy in parts. Anyone do this commute regularly and can pass any comment?

Would be ideal for me, traffic free for c.14 miles! A bit unsure about doing it in the dark though, probably end up in the canal!

I do this whole route in the summer sometimes when it’s dry. Takes a bit of a loop around Old Trafford and when you get into town it might be a bit fiddly getting back onto roads depending on where you’re trying to get to, so coming up onto the road at Talbot Road and then dodging the cars on the A56 is quicker. I’d say the muddiest bit is at Dunham.

At the moment I’m going on the canal between the Altrincham Bridge (Halfords) and Edge Lane, which OK for mud at the first bit then hard surfaced from Sale onwards. At the moment that hard surface is being extended from Edge Lane to Talbot Road, so it’s officially shut. I’ve not tried going around the fence.

Managed not to fall in yet – a couple of places have some small mooring bollards which are your most likely source of problems. Batteries for lights on charge now ready for tomorrow morning…

perfectly doable but I’d think it can gets pretty muddy up the the start.
maybe use the lanes into alti and join the canal at b&q/halfords?
I seem to remember it’s good hard pack most of the way into town from there, just watch for massive puddles and puncture fodder.

Getting on at the retail park is a good shout. If they are resurfacing it thats even better, a speedy traffic free commute!

Lights will be on max power!

I did it in summer (from Timperley) and the early parts were ok but the closer I got in, the worse it got – muddy and wet and quite narrow. Rather enjoyed it, and a good way to see some of the city but I thought as a regular commute the muddy narrow stuff would quickly lose its appeal…

We live 2 mins from the canal and some of the bits near Dunham Massey are a bit sloshy at the moment. I don’t know where you’re coming from, but the Trans Pennine comes from Lymm to Alty (hardpack disused railway line) and you can then join the tow path at a point where it is more solid. The distance between the trail and towpath is about 100m. If you were thinking of joining the tow path by Dunham Massey, you could ride into Dunham Town (past the Axe & Cleaver Pub) and pick up the Trans Pennine – this would miss the boggy bits out!

Im coming from Bowdon, so figured Dunham Massey would be easiest, but thinking about it, going through Altrincham and picking it up at the retail park is better and more direct.

Im constantly surprised just how many STW’ers live within a few miles of me here in Sale!

I work in Birchwood and have just pieced together a 95% off road route to work from Timperley – Roll on the better weather!

No idea what it’s like now but there used to be places when I rode that route in the 90’s, where you would literally end up fighting people for space. Some of the more inner city points would see fairly large gangs of tramps all looking for trouble/money. I ended up getting off the canal at old trafford and riding road the rest of the way after a number of incidents. But as I say, no idea what it’s like now.

Went around the fence this morning. It’s currently smooth tarmac from Edge Lane to Talbot Road – they’ve not put down any pea gravel yet.

What tyres for Bridgewater Canal?! 😉

Thanks all for your input.

mind the birds near stretford….bloody gease and duck nearly had me in on a few occasions.
my tip is, if the are looking shifty, to try not to come between them and the water if you can help it
🙂
enjoy

Might drag this back from the depths. Just moved to Timperley, not far from the metrolink stop. Has there been much work done in the last 6 months, and is it simple to get onto the towpath somewhere near the A56 / Park Rd and ride all the way in to Deansgate?

Will he working in Birchwood but think I’ll leave exploring that way until spring once I’ve settled into the new job.

Headingsouth, you might want to reconsider driving when you see all the other traffic heading into Birchwood in a morning 🙁

There’s a lovely route over the Warburton Bridge and Glazebrook Moss, and through Birchwood Forest Park – and excellent facilities for cyclists at the Conference Centre

Good luck with your new job!

Cheers Emse, first day seemed to go okay. The traffic wasn’t too bad this morning but a bit more interesting this evening. Came back via the warburton bridge and wouldn’t fancy too much riding on the road around there so will have to sit down with an OS map.

Had a quick explore of the towpath from Timperley – if I was to find my way along would I eventually pop out in Castlefield at the end of the canal or does the towpath run out before that?