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Archive => Archived Boards => Local Issues => Topic started by: Henry_ on June 15, 2012, 09:43:00 AM

Title: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Henry_ on June 15, 2012, 09:43:00 AM
Hi,

is there to get into Stockport on a bike following off road footpaths alongside rivers etc? Was wondering if you can get down to Otterspool down behind Marple Hall and then pick up a trail from there?
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: sgk on June 15, 2012, 10:58:16 AM
The much-neglected http://www.openstreetmap.org (http://www.openstreetmap.org) shows stuff like this quite well.  Click the pics below for a decent-sized view.

Go round the back of Marple Hall school, cross Dooley Lane, hop onto Mill Lane, follow it and then cross the Goyt at the bridge, and then across Vernon Park ?

Standard view:
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2134/map1o.jpg)

Cycle map view:
(http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8716/map2j.png)
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Henry_ on June 15, 2012, 01:51:10 PM
thanks sgk, I'll trial it out over the weekend
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: sgk on June 15, 2012, 02:41:31 PM
The much-neglected http://www.openstreetmap.org (http://www.openstreetmap.org) shows stuff like this quite well.  Click the pics below for a decent-sized view.

Go round the back of Marple Hall school, cross Dooley Lane, hop onto Mill Lane, follow it and then cross the Goyt at the bridge, and then across Vernon Park ?

Oops, these are clickable images for full view btw.
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2134/map1o.jpg) (http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2134/map1o.jpg)

(http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8716/map2j.png) (http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/8716/map2j.png)
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: rsh on June 15, 2012, 02:47:43 PM
http://www.cyclestreets.net is also a nice resource, it takes the OpenStreetMap and then layers on extra detail for cyclists.

Bear in mind on that path behind Marple Hall towards Otterspool there's now a locked gate halfway down with no way to get your bike through other than lifting it over. This route is what the new Chadkirk bridge will soon help solve. From there as sgk says just follow Mill Lane around. You can cross the river using the bridge towards Holiday Lane to follow the woods to Woodbank, but this path can be a bit tricky on a bike (narrow, tree roots, ups and downs). Only alternative is to stay on the track and end up at Bredbury Hall, not far from Vernon Park, but then you're on the busy main road.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: marplerambler on June 18, 2012, 05:43:59 PM
If time is of the essence and you are commuting to Stockport from Rose Hill by bike the following route may at first seem a little convoluted but I believe it to be the safest route using metalled roads, paths and passageways for the cyclist at busy periods. Between Offerton and Stockport it uses roads which minimise sharing the road with heavy traffic. From Rose Hill station use the lane parallel to Stockport Rd for residents’ traffic between Railway Road and Marina Drive. Going down Dan Bank you are going as fast as , or faster, than vehicular traffic (on return journey ride on bicycle lane/pavement from Dooley Lane up as far as and left into Hilltop Drive then right along Claremont Avenue, Isherwood Drive, Weatherley Drive to Rose Hill). Just after the Offerton Road lights left up Marple Old Road to avoid the left hand curve which hides slowly moving cyclists. NB the No Entry sign applies to vehicular traffic only, the No Entry sign does not prohibit usage by bicycles and horses heading towards Stockport (the lowered curb to facilitate bicycle usage was deliberately constructed by the Council to precede the No Entry sign).  If the traffic is flowing freely past the BP garage at Offerton Green and Poise Brook you do have the momentum to get a long way up Marple Road but if the traffic is very slow moving when you hit Poise Brook use the pavement. The curb is lowered, it is very rare to see pedestrians on this stretch of pavement and at the top of the hill there is a lowered curb which has been installed by the Council with the specific purpose of enabling bikes to get back onto the road. It is possible to get from just before Lisburne Lane to Higher Hillgate avoiding most of the traffic using back roads and passageways. To avoid the Lisburne Lane traffic lights, turn left off Marple Road down the passageway on the left just after Chadwell St. Up the small hill at Half Moon Lane, then along Crosswaite Road to Lisburne Lane. Straight across onto Offerton Drive (this entry is blocked to cars but not to bikes). This takes you to Hillcrest Road via Woodcroft. Left along Hillcrest Road, straight across the lights onto Nangreave Road. Second on the right with a small roundabout and a big pub is Lowndes Lane. Take Lowndes Lane, watch for Bampton Close on the left, the next left turn is un-named but has a passageway to Blea Tarn Rd leading to Windermere Road. Right along Windermere Road. At the Maitland St T junction right towards  Hempshaw Lane but you avoid this lethal stretch of Hempshaw Lane by taking the passageway adjacent to the corner shop on left before Hempshaw Lane. This brings you out onto Brookfield Ave. At the Christie St T-junction left and up to Charles St (do not drop onto Hempshaw Lane). Charles St is blocked to vehicles just after the Stagecoach garage to prevent it being used as a rat run by cars avoiding the Hempshaw Lane lights but cycles use the pavement to pass the road obstruction and then back onto Charles St all the way to Higher Hillgate then right down Hillgate all the way to Underbank. I would be interested to know if anyone can suggest a better route using metalled roads and pavements. (PS before any bike bashers comment on my use of pavements reply, I wish to point out that if there is a pedestrian on the pavement I follow one rule only and that is that the pedestrian is never endangered by my bike: I either get out of the way by going back onto the road or I dismount and always give the pedestrian priority).
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: wheels on June 18, 2012, 07:42:51 PM
Well I cycle to the Pryamid to work everyday and I would add 15 minutes to my journey each way doing all that.

First of all on a matter of cyclist saftey the best way to make the roads safe for cyclists is to get as many people on the roads as possible so that the driver is used to seeing the cyclist and they become a part of the normal street scene. Therefore I would counsel against getting cyclist off road.

I just go down Station Rd onto Stockport Rd and to Dan Bank, then either up Old Marple Road as you describe or just on the main road and along the main road to Hempshaw Lane, Hempsaow Lane is very quite here to the Fingerpost and then down to the traffic lights where Hempshaw Lane become duel carriageway. Whilst busy here its very safe as the traffic is moving very slowly. Across the A6 to The Florist round to the Edgeley Roundabout and down and round to the Pyramid. It takes between 26 and 29 minutes and I am over 60. It takes me about 20 mins to drive it so why would I drive it.

An alternative is Middlewood Way to the A6 then just along the A6 again very safe as the traffic generally is so slow.

Never never never encourage cyclists to get off road. The more of there are of us on the road the safer it is.

I see that recent governement proposals are that for the HGV test drivers will also have to spend some time cycling on the road during the test to help make them cyclist aware.

Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: CTCREP on June 19, 2012, 05:13:32 PM
The Bridge at Chadkirk is to be lifted into place starting about 11am on Wednesday 20th June.  The route via Mill Lane will hopefully become part of National Cycle Network Route 55. It is not ideal in its present form, rough and often wet, however Stockport MBC calls this an aspirational route, it needs all of us to persuade them that it needs to become a reality and suitable for commuting.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: rsh on June 19, 2012, 09:57:34 PM
And how do we go about persuading them? Like most people I imagine, I never know who I should be contacting about such things to actually be heard, so I don't bother.

I hope they also "aspire" to join up the loose ends at Bredbury at some point anyway:

(http://i50.tinypic.com/14ieys4.jpg)
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: wheels on June 19, 2012, 10:12:42 PM
Well you could start with Don Naylor the Councils Cycling Officer  email don.naylor@stockport.gov.uk more the point to one of your councillors or to the Council Leader who herself lives in Marple.

Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Henry_ on June 20, 2012, 09:32:07 AM
I must admit I am a nervous cyclist on roads, hence trying to stay off them. I am actually looking to commute to Didsbury but from Stockport onwards that bit is easy as the Trans Pennine Way follows the Mersey down to the back of Fletcher Moss.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Duke Fame on June 22, 2012, 06:08:33 PM
Well you could start with Don Naylor the Councils Cycling Officer  email don.naylor@stockport.gov.uk more the point to one of your councillors or to the Council Leader who herself lives in Marple.

The council has a cycling officer? jeez.

I do the route, Hibbert la> Brindley la> Church St> Stockport Road to past Rose hill, nip onto the parralell road to take the traffic> back on to the main road > pass the queue down to the lights > lose momentum > jump off at Marple old road > back on at teh top of hill to get a run onto hte main road again > I sometimes have to jump on the pavement as we pass the BP garage but I do see a lot of pedestrians - I got taken out by a woman on the road up the hill so slightly nervous (+ I should have teken her to court, injured for about a year after) up to the lights, jump on ht epavement to clear the lights, back on the road to Hempshaw Lane, pretty fast all the way to the office.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: wheels on June 22, 2012, 07:00:50 PM
Do you have a problem with the Councils Cycling Officer?
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Duke Fame on June 22, 2012, 11:26:28 PM
Do you have a problem with the Councils Cycling Officer?

Seems a waste of council tax money & a career
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: simonesaffron on June 23, 2012, 06:20:04 AM
All you cyclists, I fear for your safety, why do you do it ?

I saw a cyclist yesterday cycling down Dan Bank, I was driving, the rain was a deluge you couldn't see anything, certainly not him yet there he was peddling away.

It might be safe poodling around cycle tracks or around the backways of Marple but cycling to Stockport on main roads, you must be mad! Well some of you obviously are anyway, I can tell from previous posts. I took the bikes off my kids and locked them up and that was twenty five years ago - now there is even more traffic.  I considered it a basic child - safeguarding act. I've got three adult ( their age says that they are) friends who cycle regularly, over the years, between them, they have had a multiplicity of accidents involving cars/trucks. One of them was actually (mercifully unhurt) taken out by a speeding ambulance, can you believe it? Another, almost died and was in hospital for ages at the time he had three children all at school yet he couldn't wait to get back on his bike.

I don't understand cyclists.

Cycling is great - in Holland.       
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Duke Fame on June 23, 2012, 07:18:08 AM
All you cyclists, I fear for your safety, why do you do it ?.       

Why? For me it's quicker and saves a few £. When kids are at school and their parents want to ensure their kids don't see past the age of 50 by insisting on driving them to school & creating obese kids (it will alleviate the pensions crisis though), it takes up to 3/4 hr to drive to work. To cycle, 20 mins.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: simonesaffron on June 23, 2012, 10:46:41 AM
All you cyclists, I fear for your safety, why do you do it ?.       

Why? For me it's quicker and saves a few £. When kids are at school and their parents want to ensure their kids don't see past the age of 50 by insisting on driving them to school & creating obese kids (it will alleviate the pensions crisis though), it takes up to 3/4 hr to drive to work. To cycle, 20 mins.

You don't have to drive your kids to school, they can walk. If you let your kids cycle to school, they might not see 15 let alone 50.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Lily on June 23, 2012, 11:10:33 AM
For once, Simone, I generally agree with Duke. And why wrap your children in cotton wool - mine were riding bikes before they were 5 yrs old. They also walked to school - whatever the weather.

Why should we cyclists be confined to cycle tracks and back roads?  What if we don't have the luxury of being a multiple car household and certain members of the family have to resort to pedal power to get work?  Buses and trains don't always run between your destinations.

I'm afraid that in a lot of cases it's the drivers who need educating (although I admit there are some some foolish cyclists).

I'm a cycle commuter.  Fortunately I have never been hit by a vehicle - just by the stupid drivers/passengers lashing out or throwing things at me while passing (in both directions).

There needs to be education for both drivers and cyclists. 

Cyclists - please wear bright clothing and use lights for your own safety. Don't bounce on and off pavements back into moving traffic.  Signal your intentions and check behind you before manoevering - as you would in a car.

Vehicle drivers - give the cyclists more room when passing them.  We have to avoid small potholes and debris on the road that a driver would happily go over (although if bad enough a driver will swerve to avoid them). Also, please check your mirrors before manoevering and please don't overtake a cyclist just before making a left hand turning - we may be going straight on!

Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Duke Fame on June 23, 2012, 11:54:43 AM
You don't have to drive your kids to school, they can walk. If you let your kids cycle to school, they might not see 15 let alone 50.

No Simone, you are right, walking is good too. When I was a lad, the kids who were given a lift to school were considered mummy's boys and it was the height of embarrasment.

Cycling for kids develops a kids judgement of road dangers, creates awareness on hte road and sets them up to be better riders of a motorbike and then a car.

Parents are killing their kids with "kindness", I have a reletive in his 20's who was never taught to ride a bike, he's scared to do so even now, I tried teaching him to drive but his natural road sense was not there as he'd never been exposed to traffic. Sadly, he also has a chronic weight problem too.

I'm with Wheels, get more people on bikes and on hte road and you will get much more awareness of cyclists.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: wheels on June 23, 2012, 03:00:28 PM
Endorsement from you Duke was not something I was looking for. :) But on this occassions your right get people on the roads cycling and it safer for us all.

Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Robert on June 26, 2012, 04:24:48 PM
The Bridge at Chadkirk is to be lifted into place starting about 11am on Wednesday 20th June.  The route via Mill Lane will hopefully become part of National Cycle Network Route 55. It is not ideal in its present form, rough and often wet, however Stockport MBC calls this an aspirational route, it needs all of us to persuade them that it needs to become a reality and suitable for commuting.

Is this bridge open now? And could someone let me know how to get to it from Marple - this makes my journey home to Bredbury virtually car free!
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Lily on June 26, 2012, 05:01:06 PM
Hi Robert,

Have a look at the topic 'Catering for Marple/Connect2' and click on the 'Friends of Chadkirk' link.

This suggests that it will still be about a month before the bridge is usable and open.

However, to get to it, access is down the Back of Marple Hall School via one of the many roads through the estate (on the right of Stockport Rd as you are leaving Marple) or by the lane that actually passes along the outside of the bus layby fence at Marple Hall School. Once you know the route through the estate, like you say, your journey will eventually be virtually car free.

The new path that has been laid is excellent and will be great when the bridge is completed (there's lots of pics on this website showing the progress).
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: chicken lady on June 26, 2012, 05:19:18 PM
Was it one of our lovely forum cyclists, resplendant in blue lycra and with a yellow back pack, who undertook my car at speed as I was passing  a stationary bus (at the bus stop) at Rose Hill at about 8.15 this morning? If so, you probably didn't notice the pedestrian emerging from in front of the bus who you nearly ran off the road, the pedestrian leapt back and banged herself on the side of the bus.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: wheels on June 26, 2012, 05:33:58 PM
Well it wasn't me I was still in bed.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Lily on June 26, 2012, 05:38:21 PM
Not me, Chicken Lady.

Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Harry on June 26, 2012, 05:47:21 PM
Was it one of our lovely forum cyclists, resplendant in blue lycra and with a yellow back pack, who undertook my car at speed as I was passing  a stationary bus (at the bus stop) at Rose Hill at about 8.15 this morning? If so, you probably didn't notice the pedestrian emerging from in front of the bus who you nearly ran off the road, the pedestrian leapt back and banged herself on the side of the bus.

Nobody should ever, ever, step into the road in front of a stationary bus.

A woman did that when a friend of mine was passing a bus many years ago. It was the last thing she ever did.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: the rover on June 26, 2012, 05:52:29 PM
The cyclist that Chicken Lady referred to is probably the one who rides down Church Lane every morning at speed totally ignoring the fact that it is a one way street going in the other direction. I see him every morning whilst out walking the dog, there are a lot of MHS kids walking down Church Lane who are not expexting a dangerous maniac on a bike to come riding at speed behind them. Tomorrow I shall make a note of his clothing etc and try to describe him. I just hope that one day a vehicle will come out of the Texaco and turn up Church Lane and that will be the end of this fool. How many drivers coming out of Texaco look up Church Lane before pulling out? I always do as there are a lot of bad cyclists about!

Sorry I don't know how to do quotes from other people.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Lily on June 26, 2012, 06:52:41 PM
Rover, please don't tar all cyclists with the same brush.

As I have previously posted there are foolish cyclists. There are also foolish pedestrians and drivers.

I'm afraid there are some cyclists who have a Kamikaze attitude to commuting and leisure cycling (eg - wearing dark clothing and not using lamps in bad light). I have been stopped at red lights at the bottom of Dan Bank and also at Seventeen Windows when other cyclists have hurtled through without a thought for other road users, and without giving any indication where they intend to go.

There is a 'Highway Code' for a reason!!

However, I wouldn't have passed Chicken Lady and the bus in the circumstances she mentions - although it appears that both cyclist and pedestrian were at fault on this occasion.

I was taught at school, over 40 yrs ago, not to step out in front of a bus.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: rsh on June 26, 2012, 06:57:50 PM

Is this bridge open now? And could someone let me know how to get to it from Marple - this makes my journey home to Bredbury virtually car free!

Best route is probably Bowden Ln - Dale Rd - Turnpike - Marple Hall Dr, nice and quiet: http://goo.gl/maps/cWyb
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: the rover on June 26, 2012, 07:05:23 PM
Rover, please don't tar all cyclists with the same brush.

As I have previously posted there are foolish cyclists. There are also foolish pedestrians and drivers.

I'm afraid there are some cyclists who have a Kamikaze attitude to commuting and leisure cycling (eg - wearing dark clothing and not using lamps in bad light). I have been stopped at red lights at the bottom of Dan Bank and also at Seventeen Windows when other cyclists have hurtled through without a thought for other road users, and without giving any indication where they intend to go.

There is a 'Highway Code' for a reason!!

However, I wouldn't have passed Chicken Lady and the bus in the circumstances she mentions - although it appears that both cyclist and pedestrian were at fault on this occasion.

I was taught at school, over 40 yrs ago, not to step out in front of a bus.


I am not saying that all cyclists are bad but I see more bad ones than good ones. I have yet to see a cyclist look behind them before pulling out to overtake a parked car or avoid a grid and these are ones that think they look professional in their silly lyca outfits. My wife was driving along Otterspool Road on Saturday, I was a passenger, and there were 2 men cycling alongside each other chatting away and totally ignoring the fact that nobody could overtake them and a traffic jam was building up behind them so my wife beeped them and we were then subjected to rude fingers and verble abuse. My wife refused to stop the car so that I could get out, probably a good job or I could have been arrested for what I would have done.
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: wheels on June 26, 2012, 07:23:23 PM
I don't understand that at all I cycle to work each day at the Pryamid on the main roads and it seems to me to be a perfectly pleasent way to get to work. I am more punctual than my colleagues who drive and arrive feeling much better than them. My sickness record is also much better. It also takes me 10 minutes longer to cycle. So why would I not cycle and the way in which we get people cycling is by getting more of us doing it not off road but on the highways.

I worked for 15 yrs in the field of cycling promotions eventually owning my own business working for large company's getting their staff cycling to work and the barriers to cycling are all perceived rather than actual.

I actually fear for the health and well being of you drivers and all the children you would deprive of the freedom that comes with cycling.

A very very sad post Simone
Title: Re: Best off road cycle route from Marple to Stockport
Post by: Robert on June 27, 2012, 01:04:52 PM
The Bridge at Chadkirk is to be lifted into place starting about 11am on Wednesday 20th June.  The route via Mill Lane will hopefully become part of National Cycle Network Route 55. It is not ideal in its present form, rough and often wet, however Stockport MBC calls this an aspirational route, it needs all of us to persuade them that it needs to become a reality and suitable for commuting.

Is this bridge open now? And could someone let me know how to get to it from Marple - this makes my journey home to Bredbury virtually car free!

Thanks to those who helped with information here. I'll look forward to the grand opening.