Towpaths and Parks

Wanting to discover a shorter traffic-free ride? This one is perfect. The route starts at the Medal Factory, the infamous home of British Cycling, at the HSBC UK National Cycling Centre. Dubbed the Medal Factory due to the unprecedented success of British Cycling athletes across various disciplines and eras, the centre is home to an indoor BMX track, a velodrome, an outside pump track and a mountain bike trail. In addition to that it’s a great place to start a ride in Manchester.

The route will take us along two different canals, meandering through the outskirts of the city centre, before returning back. We’ll cycle around Clayton Vale, a stunning park hidden away, before meandering around Philips Park. You’ll see various wildlife, listed buildings, contemporary art work, fantastic cycling infrastructure, and maybe you’ll catch sight of an athlete!

NB this route has very short sections of cobbles which may not be suitable for thin wheeled bikes. But fear not, you can just climb off and walk the 10 yards of cobbles. Hurray!