Aintree - Liverpool - where to ride?

tezboy1234

Firstly, i would like to start by saying i have no desire for road riding, although some will be required as a means of getting from A-B. I also don't want to have to travel too far, so London for example is out of the question.

What im looking for is places to go on a mountain bike. I'm not too fussy on anything else, so cycle paths, forests or trails of any kind would be good. I have a cross country hardtail mountain bike, so full on downhill stuff will be no good either. I like scenic places and foresty type stuff, and its hard to find anywhere to go.

My normal route is to enter the Leeds to Liverpool canal by the Aintree Racecourse entrance, then go up a few mile or so to Maghull, then come off the canal and enter the Transpennine cycle path, wich i take all the way up to the beginning of Southport, were the Royal Birkdale Golf Club is. There and back is 24 mile total.

I have heard that theres a bike trail wich goes through the Formby Pine Forest, and there's a signpost for Formby at the end of the Transpennine route, but when i took it, it ended and i found myself at a rounderbout and had no idea were i should go, so i left it, lol.

Can anyone suggest any plces i could go? Ilive by Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. The closer to here the better really, although i'm aware i'll probably have to do some travelling.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

cooldad

See big section called 'Routes, Rides and Holidays'

dmorton

Have a look on:

http://ridewithgps.com/

People may have posted rides in your area. Also you can use it to plot out your own off road rides. Change the map to the OSM Cycle map, although some paths shown on there are footpaths, which technically you shouldn't ride on.

You can then export your plotted route to .gpx then follow it using something like Viewranger http://www.viewranger.com/en-gb

omegas

http://www.letstravelwise.org/files/322 ... 202012.pdf

You can order free maps from:

http://www.letstravelwise.org/content227_Cycling.html

stubs

Miles of offroad trails around Rivington. If you dont have a car cycle to Kirkby station get the Wigan train, at Wigan change onto Manchester train (Only 2 platforms so you cant go wrong at Wigan) get off at Westhoughton station and then its a 20 odd minute 6 mile ride to the Rivington trails.

TheJohnClimber

I live nearby to you #waves

There are loads of boring off road miles to be had.

from above http://www.letstravelwise.org/files/322 ... 202012.pdf
This shows the coastal tracks, but the "footpath" pass Altcar Barracks is closed for work at the monent.

You can get to the Iron Men as Crosby by following the Leeds Liverpool Canal to Primrose park and through this to the coast and head north, then Cheshire Lines home.

There's the Liverpool Loop Line to Halewood, cycle paths through Speke to the coast and head north to Albert Dock then Leeds Liverpool canal home.

Hop on the ferry and do the north Wirral coastal path

Follow the Leeds Liverpool canal path to Rivington

Alternatively join a local mtb group, say like The Woollybacks http://www.thewoollybacks.co.uk/content.php

And get shown trails around The Dream, Parbold, Billinge, Carr Mill, Sankey Valley etc.

Enjoy