[Closed] MTB riding around Kersal Moor, Salford

No idea what is in Kersal Woods but [url= https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Kersal+Moor&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x487bafdc7125bb85:0x490f357f9db57286,Kersal+Moor&gl=uk&t=p&ei=iMDhT_62EoXZ8AO6upj1Aw&ved=0CBAQ8gEwAA ]Philips park[/url] has a fair amount of playing & is home of [url= http://www.hitthenorth.net/ ]Hit The North[/url].

NSFW 😉

[url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=379769&y=403835&z=120&sv=379769,403835&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=733&ax=379769&ay=403835&lm=0 ]Phillips Park[/url] 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.

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 ?

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

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

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 😆

We normally head out about half seven. I'm hoping that tonight we'll manage it without recourse to lights, but that's a midsummer rarity.

If you do fancy taking the plunge, looks like these are still available

[url= http://www.mtbbatteries.co.uk/2012-lights-v2/mountain-bike-light-v1/ ]bargain-tastic lights[/url]

Very popular with a lot of forum dwellers, including me.

Twiggy and weirdnumber - (and anyone else who's interested), nbt has just phoned to say his internet is down at work and to let anyone know that we are meeting tonight at:
Ring 'O Bells public house, Church Lane, Marple, (near the Macclesfield canal) for a sociable ride around the Roman lakes area. Added bonus of some cheeky trails.

7.30 p.m start.

Pub carpark is around the back.

Edit - rides usually last a couple of hours and there's fine ale in the pub beer garden after.

Ok, thanks. It's probably worth me getting some lights. I wont be coming out tonight as I am off to see a nice lady friend.

I'll see how much charge i can get in the old torch before 7:30 - the gf hasnt responded to my email yet so dont wait up :$

We didn't need lights on last weeks ride 🙂

Edit: You are a lovely bunch putting your wimmin folk before riding 🙂

NBT here, just got home, about to get some scoff then will see who's put what on here. I knew it'd be after 6 before I got home so 7pm at Roman Lakes was always going to be pushing it...

Got the OK from the gf!

Gonna shove some scan down me asap then get on my way - Black avensis estate and a red Scott genius.

You guys park in the pub car park?

>You guys park in the pub car park?

We live round the corner, so we'll arrive on bikes.

Twiggy, if you want to ride up and meet us we'll probably be passing close to Roman Lakes on the way back for a pint 🙂

right, time to meet folks and go for a ride 🙂

Cracking ride. Nice to bump into you twiggy, we're guessing you had problems with the car park? Hope you sorted it out! Hopefully see you on a ride soon, though

I've just left Chorlton. if you get on the old railway line at St Werburghs road tram stop, that takes you to Reddish Vale, takes half an hour. From there Woodbank Park, Goyt Valley, Werneth Low and Marple are all easily accessible. let me know if you want some GPS files sending over?

if i sit on the platform at st werburgh's rd tram stop, my phone still connects to my home wifi...

Argh, i feel like I've been hit by a bus this morning! I'd forgotten how much of a work out rocks and things are.

Thanks so much for showing me around, I'll definitely be back for more - Might even try the mild at the ring o bells 😀

Cracking ride. Nice to bump into you twiggy, we're guessing you had problems with the car park? Hope you sorted it out! Hopefully see you on a ride soon, though

No probs with the car park but for some reason my phone blocked the phone you rang me on so I couldn't ring you back. I made it to Church Lane and wandered into a few pubs but was generally just laughed at by the locals.

I owe you all a beer and for making me feel so welcome and an innertube as well 😉 Any plans for another ride?

I use the bike path (Fallowfield Loop) to get out to Reddish Vale too. I can see the path by looking over my garden fence! xherbivorex must be my neighbour! 😉

I ride from reddish vale often. It’s the only decent riding without driving the A6 or heading north. Watch where you park though – some people do their riding in the car park!

I use the bike path (Fallowfield Loop) to get out to Reddish Vale too. I can see the path by looking over my garden fence! xherbivorex must be my neighbour!

must be!
not seen any SC's round here recently though...

Any plans for another ride?

Great to meet you Twiggy and Scaled.

nbt has info on how to join the Marple riders group in his profile, or pm him.

J, with a bit of luck i'll be joining you cats for more rides pretty soon; my new job means i have more time for playing out and it should also provide the opportunity to get my fitness headed in the right direction too (i.e. cycle commuting).

xherbivorex - that's good. Would like some more 'how to jump' lessons, when you have time.

I was hoping you;d say that mate - be good to see more of you!

if all goes to plan, there's gonna be a few kg less of me though!

might have to check this kersal moor out as riding around the waterpark of an evening is pretty dull.

I'll reiterate what others have said with a warning to be careful with your bike, I lost a specialized to a crafty powertool carrying bike thief when I was foolish enough to lock it up outside the Morrisons for 10 minutes...

I take my pub bike to Morrisons, usually park it at the racks near the entrance, but might start putting it near the trolleys...

You'd leave a bike unattended, no matter how big the lock, anywhere near Kersal?!! Yikes! 😯

hell no! ha ha. twas in chorlton. 🙁