Harry the Spider junior has become quite a whiz on his Isla Bike Rothan and is more than capable of rumbling along for a couple of hours.

Can anybody recommend any good locations? In the last couple of weeks we’ve done Burrs Country Park and Southport sea front (both of which were ideal) and Heaton Park (which was too busy).

We’re looking for something flat-ish with a couple of miles of trails, a swing park and a tea shop within an hour’s drive of Manchester.

Can the STW toddler owners club help me out?

Middlewood way – an old railway from marple to macclesfield. Higher Poynton is good, there's a tea shop, a pub, a marina and a kid's play park that we used when our nephew was learning to ride

Park here

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Shrigley+Rd+N&sll=53.344518,-2.087317&sspn=0.008724,0.01929&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Shrigley+Rd+N,+Poynton,+Stockport+SK12+1TE,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.345543,-2.085943&spn=0.008724,0.01929&t=h&z=16

Play park is in the southern end of the field east of the middlewood wayline

South Park in macclesfield is great too, they have a concrete track with jumps and bumps that's great for scooters and run bikes

Morecambe – decent length promenade with a couple of new playgrounds (at the south end) and greasy spoon (at the end of the stone pier) or Midland Hotel for different tea options.

Oh and there's a little train that runs back and forth if he gets too tired.

get him on the pump track at lee quarry.

Mersey Valley near Didsbury/Chorlton.

Flat, off road, traffic free, swings and slides somewhere (Chorlton Water Park, I think). Pub en route (Jacksons Boat), and plenty of cafes in Didsbury and Chorlton.

Of course, it does mean you'll have to head south of the Ship Canal….

area round the reservoirs at rivvy/bottom barn are fun and it has a castle but no park as such and walkers – does have a go ape!. New path from reservoir to Brinscall – Ice cream van ususally at cricket club[white coppice] and small park in Brinscall at far end iirc
one end here – not on maps very new build may have horses on it as well
Canal towpaths no cafes but pubs galore!
http://www.celebratingcycling.org/more_info.asp?current_id=125
Lancaster cyle routes – possibly a bit far from Manchester but Lune ride is flat ish
All above are all off road

Harry

Slight hijack. At what age did HTS(J) first swing his leg leg over the Rothan?

As the owner of a 16 month old STW toddler I am itching to get a Rothan and get cracking on teaching her how to use it.

Am I right in thinking that 2 years old is about the right age to start?

oh yeah, there's two small trains at garden centres in Poynton and marple for entertainment value 🙂

Thought about haigh hall in wigan? more hills, but loads of space, teashops on site and a bigger small train

pumptraacksss!!! we just built one and the kids are getting amazing already, 6 years old and pumping like mad! cant beat it. id say delamere would be ok wouldnt it? nice cake shop too

there is an old railway line near haigh hall that is flat

Delamere is good for pottering about and you can chips and mushy peas at the staion cafe.

New Brighton sea front is good. As is Morecombe. Sunny Hill park there has a paddling pool and allsorts for the kids

Blue route at Llandegla probably just within 1 hr of Manchester.

beamers – Member
Harry

Slight hijack. At what age did HTS(J) first swing his leg leg over the Rothan?

As the owner of a 16 month old STW toddler I am itching to get a Rothan and get cracking on teaching her how to use it.

Am I right in thinking that 2 years old is about the right age to start?

He got it for his 2nd birthday but didn't get the concept of riding it until he was 2 1/2. Can't get him off it now. He's been banned from riding it in the house after taking a chunk out of the sideboard with the brake lever! We take him out for half an hour after tea every night if the weather is fine and he likes to do a couple of hours at the weekend too. He gets more cycling time than I do!

The Rothan is a superb bit of kit (I would say that because I bought one) but I can't compare it to other similar bikes.

If you get one you may have to put in a bit of time until they work out how to use it, but once it clicks you are away. One thing that we hadn't realised is that it increases your range on a day out. With him on the bike we can easily do 3 or 4 miles which we couldn't do when he was on foot.

Thanks for that Harry, much appreciated.

Is there a kids play area in Delamere?

My daughter has ridden round Rydal Water and Tarn Hows on hers.. as Harry said, brilliant for doing walks of 3-4 miles at a proper speed… we struggled to keep up with her! She has since progressed to a CNOC14 for her 4th birthday and is the envy of all her friends as she is the only one who rides a bike without stabilisers!!

I'd second the Mersey valley option. Absolutely ideal, you can make it as short or long as you want. Good cafe in the visitors centre near sale water park too. You could set him the challenge of conquering Chorlton mountain. Its across the Mersey opposite Chorlton water park