will be following the TPT to near Glossop, which is pretty quiet.
need to get west of Manchester. is it quiet all the way.
or is there a quiet way?

Where are you eventually heading to, Ton? There are lots of canals around Manchester.

There’s the TPT, Bridgewater Canal, River Mersey. Where West of Manc are you heading to?

TPT is prob a quiet a route as you could get across Manchester – starting Glossop way there are a couple of earthy estates to navigate early doors, but then it’s largely off-road and some nice mixed paths.
Prob quite easy to get lost, mind – loads of turnings and the TPT signing is a bit erratic IME. Once you’re on the banks of the Holy River Mersey it is clear.

heading to Liverpool, then back via leed/Liverpool canal.

Leeds-liverppol goes north of Manchester, through Wigan and up to Blackburn, so getting back up there from Glossop is not going to be easy. I’d suggest you follow the TPT along the Woodhead Pass then up through Dunford Bridge – I rode that way over to Bradford on a CX bike with 28mm tyres and panniers. had to push up the off-road climb at the mouht of the woodhead tunnel, but otherwise all rideable

EDIT – sorry hadn’t realised you were going OUT via Glossop. Yes, TPT is the way to get from Glossop to Liverpool, though be prepared as the signage is, as mentioned, not great

A few years ago we met a German tourist cycling the TPT from Liverpool towards Manchester. He really disappointed with the route, and horrified that he couldn’t even get his laden bike through the stupid A-frame barriers. So don’t say we didn’t warn you!

The restrictor gates ruin the TPT as a bike ride between Liverpool and Manchester, no question. Hundreds of them. Definitely worth doing once, as it’s an interesting route, but you won’t go half a mile without seeing one.

Seems rooted in a 70s mindset that teams of scallies on motorbikes will descend onto these paths if we don’t block them off. I highly doubt that would happen in any sort of significant way – the fallowfield loop opened all the gates a couple of years ago and don’t think I’ve seen a motorbike on it (ride bits of it most days).

Bridgwater canal is lovely, Lymm a cracking wee spot for a pint as well.