Have just moved to Chorlton in Manc and looking for good trails within a 5-10 mile radius I can ride to after work.

Talked to a bloke in Evans Deansgate yesterday and he said basically keep going down Deansgate and eventually you’ll see a wood on your left – there’s some decent trails in there. Looking on google maps the prime suspect seems to be Kersal Moor.

Anyone been there? Any good? Any other recommendations for stuff close by? Happy to drive places at wkends but prefer as much bike time as poss in the evenings. I prefer singletrack and swoopy DH runs but anything really for a quick fix – even climbing will do for training. Looking to head out tonight if anyone’s going to be out or has anything else planned.

Ta.

No idea what is in Kersal Woods but Philips park has a fair amount of playing & is home of Hit The North.

NSFW 😉
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uja3W-ibifc[/video]

Phillips Park would be more likely and it does involve hills. It’s not that great though, if you’re riding from Chorlton.

You might have noticed that you’ll not find much in the way of hills in south Manchester, although there are a few ‘singletrack’ trails alongside the Mersey.

You’re a bit stuck for decent trails within 5-10 miles of Chorlton, and I’d be wary of Kersal. Phillips Park is good(ish), but you’re really looking at north or east of the M60 for decent trails. Manchester Mountain Bikers run loads of rides in these areas.

Rivi
Lee Quarry
Calderdale

Or an evening ride in the Peaks/Edale/Ladybower (within 45mins if you time your drive right)

rode round kersal last night, arms and legs got shredded by brambles. Some singletrack and little downhills, I need to explore more, sure there’s better stuff around, but if you want proper hills you’ll have to head for rivington area or peak district.

edit oh yeah theres that calderdale too 😳 need a guide really the legit stuff I’ve done from route guides isn’t that great.

Thanks for the tips,

I think he was probably talking about Phillips Park by the look of it. Reckon I’ll take a spin up there this evening and have an explore. Any unofficial stuff people know of? I’d probably end up walking back from Kensal Moor by the look of it.

Haven’t been in the area long so only ridden out of Roman Lakes and Gisburn Forest so far. Definitely up for Lee Quarry from what I’ve read. Could use some pointers for getting started in the Peaks as well.

*Kersal

Be careful about riding anything fancy looking around your area or into your house etc. I’m ok as I look like a scruffy bike thief so they’ll think I’m one of them…but you probably look like a 32yr old smart IT-bod or Construction Manager 😆

In Chorlton? Seems OK to me, barring the predilection for tight fitting chinos and stupid hair. Still thanks for the advice.

Herbivore lives round that way, and Binners formerly did. There are a few little bits of twisty singletrack, but not much tbh. If you can get out to Marple there’s usually a ride each week sorted on the mailing list (see my profile)

Chorlton, depending on where you live you may be within a street of Whalley Range.

Two weeks ago I chased a bike thief in Whalley Range.

Twiggy – send me a PM and I’ll send you a GPS of a big route from Roman Lakes that will take you out as far Hayfield and pick up some great routes around there. You can then pick and choose bits to make a shorter route.

Have you done the ST down past the golf courses back to the lakes yet ?

From Chorlton your’re off in the car to anywhere good really but it’s all within half a half hour drive… Macclesfield, Hayfield, Marple, Rivington, Edale etc.

Hang on, you live in Chorlton, but don’t wear tight chinos and have stupid hair?

hora – Member
Two weeks ago I chased a bike thief in Whalley Range.

…but he still wouldn’t take your bike or talk to you?

Some dodgy people live in the badlands surrounding Chorlton, like Hora.

Chorlton doesn’t exist, its ‘Stretford Borders’.

Stretford is where its at’ 8)

twiggy, as nbt said i live in chorlton.
and yes, be careful and mindful of who might be watching you ride your nice bike around here; i’ve had a couple of scallies try to knock me off my bike over by sale water park/the mersey valley area in the last year or so and i recall when binners lived in chorlton he got chased for a few streets by a group of undesirables on his commute home (granted they were from hulme, but they are aware that there’s the likelihood of richer pickings here than some of the surrounding areas).

regarding decent riding out of the door, there’s a bit of twisty singletrack in the woods over by the mersey (chorlton ees/waterpark/kenworthy woods/sale water park areas) but it’s VERY flat and rapidly becomes very dull. and you have to be wary of the gentlemen in very short shorts you may encounter in binners’ old haunt, the dogging woods next to the water treatment plant thing in chorlton meadows…
best bets are what others have already said- marple/roman lakes, rivi, lee/cragg quarries, the peak, even delamere forest isn’t bad tbh…

harrythespider of this very forum sometimes leads night rides from prestwich that take in philips park, clifton marina and a lot of the old derelict canal towpaths and twisty singletrack up around bury/radcliffe/bolton- they’re a fun night with a good bunch of blokes. he posts on here when he’s doing them.

I wouldn’t ride a bike around Kersal, I’d go upto Phillips park or just move to Bolton 😉

Have you done the ST down past the golf courses back to the lakes yet ?

Do you mean ‘The Banks’? If so some numpty has (by the looks of things) run into a stone wall and the contents are strewn across the trail, so take care with speed. BTW this was yesterday however trails are always changing around the Roman lakes, depending on how much rain or how many mxers have been around.

I’d be up for a bit of a South Manc evening ride/explore – still relatively new to the area and tbh it’s drove me to buying a road bike.

MTB would need dragging out from the back of the shed.

I live in Chorlton too and know a few of the more interesting routes around the Mersey. Nothing to write home about but it’s always nice to get out!

PM me, address in profile, and maybe we can arrange a midweek ride (my mate usually does a Tuesday night ride from Jackson’s Boat).

Like the others have said above, anything properly MTB needs a drive.

there’s no PM function on the forums, unfortunately.

lad in my street appears to have a scott DH bike; it’s not one of you lot, is it?!

Just Santa Cruz’s here 🙂 Saw a nice Chameleon chained up outside Elektric yesterday, that anyone off here?

yeah another +1 for rivi, marple edale etc.
Every commute round south manchester is flat and try as i might i still cant put together a good singletrack blast together from sale – town. even with the aid of my sanderson its proving futile!
Have done the Philips Park area etc as one of my mates locals but tbh i think your better jumping in the car and heading out stockport or rivi way as a starter.
As the rest say ‘watch your bike’. Chorltons not got one of the highest burglary rates for nothing!

Sorry, was in a meeting. This work lark eh?

excitable1 – just sent you an email. Whereabouts does that ST start by the golf course? I did a kind of fire-roady thing that spits you out under a bridge. That starts by a pub just after the golf course I think.

herbivore – Thanks for that. Will keep an eye out for harrythespider rides

scaled – I’d be up for that. Reckon I’m gonna go Roman Lakes tonight.Give me a shout when you’ve extracted your MTB from rakes/hosepipes/sit on lawn mowers and maybe we can find someone who knows the area and can act as guide.

We’ll be out tonight round Marple / roman lakes if you want some company, mail in profile

I know my way about round Roman Lakes well enough now, might see if i can get my gate of a bike on the train down from town.

Portlyone, dropped you an email about those rides from Jacksons boat

gentlemen in very short shorts you may encounter in binners’ old haunt, the dogging woods next to the water treatment plant thing in chorlton meadows…

Who, lest we not forget, CLAIMS he once saw a gentleman wearing a corset in such parts as binners was on a midweek afternoon ride*

*it was good of him to protect hora’s identity, I thought.

If you’re looking for somewhere for a quick hours blast after work then there are a few trails around Reddish Vale, near Stockport which is easily rideable to and back from Chorlton.

I usually do a loop from Didsbury>Reddish Vale>Werneth lowe>Etherow Park and then back through Reddish and to Didsbury again.

You can use the Mersey to get to Reddish Vale and back if you want.

Have a look at Manchester Mountain Bikers..

Cool. I reckon I can get to Roman Lakes for about 7 tonight if anyone fancies it. I’ve got a silver Toyota Avensis and an equally silver Spicy so come give me a shout if you’re about. Happy to wait around a bit if that’s too early for some.

As I’ve said in various PMs I’ve rather let my fitness go in the last few years (read forever) so I aint the quickest up the hills but I’m happy to hang out and ride if people are about and i’m determined t get in a semblance of shape for a trip to the Alps mid-July.

Twiggy,If you fancy a run out around Rivington, let me know. I’m out round Rivi most weekends. Always up for company!

There are some cracking descents- Great Hill into White Coppice and the masts down to Belmont Road are standout. Some nice stuff around Darwen Tower as well.

+1 for the move to Bolton.

Do you normally just go to the car park at Roman Lakes or is there a secret parking spot that doesnt close at sunset?

Always worried that i’d get my car locked in there 😀

I reckon I can get to Roman Lakes for about 7 tonight if anyone fancies it. I’ve got a silver Toyota Avensis

You’d be better off with an MOD-spec Land Rover Defender for the Roman Lakes road.

Park on the road at the top of the hill.

+1 for the move to Bolton.

Better pubs in Chorlton though. As much as its rampant grey Suburbia it does have some good (and friendly) pubs. Plus you can get a tram in manchester whereas who’d want to get a bus into Bolton 😉

I’d argue that Chorlton was close enough to Manc to stumble home drunk!

Plus you can get a tram in manchester whereas who’d want to get a bus into Bolton

Other places to live, North of Manchester, with access to loads of good riding, are available

There are things going on in the woods near Jacksons Boat that no man should ever have to witness. The counseling has helped, but sometimes I’ll just burst into tears without warning 😯

I’d argue that Chorlton was close enough to Manc to stumble home drunk!

You can actually ride home when really, really, really drunk. But if you do, try not to ride into the back of a stationary police car, then fall off 😳

binners – Member
There are things going on in the woods near Jacksons Boat that no man should ever have to witness. The counseling has helped, but sometimes I’ll just burst into tears without warning

If it’s that bad for you, just imagine what it must be like for your victims!

Edit: joking, if the authorities are reading this.

Always people in this area willing to take others out 🙂 I like it. I’m yet to join any of you guys, but I will at some point.

BTW I’m on that mailing list the nbt mentioned. How long do you guys stay out since I don’t have a working set of lights at the moment except some LED flashers for my commute.

I’d take my chances around Kersal over going out with some of these lot 😆