Andrew Harris gives us the 6 best cycle routes in the North West

Cycling in the North West

By Andrew Harris

The origins of the modern bicycle can be traced back 202 years to 1818 when Baron Karl von Drais obtained a German patent for what he called a ‘velocipede’ from the Latin term for ‘fast foot’ because that is how it was powered. There was a brief craze for this machine but because of its limitations it didn’t last long. The first true bicycle was invented in Paris 50 years later and became especially popular in England where it evolved into the ‘penny-farthing’. The introduction of smaller wheels, tyres and a chain drive created the third and greatest bicycle craze in the 1890s – and this one lasted. More surges in bike sales happened in 1965-75, the BMX craze in the 1990s and after British cycling wins in the 2012 Tour de France and the Bejing Olympics which the GB Cycling Team dominated.

The Covid 19 pandemic has triggered the seventh and most recent cycling craze. According to the Bicycle Association – the trade body for more than 70 bike makers – bike sales have surged by 57% as families took advantage of quieter roads to exercise and avoid public transport. Those who want to take up cycling in the northwest for exercise, commuting or fun can get help from a bewildering number of sources –

• Cycling UK is the national cycling charity which aims to help people get into and keep cycling. With more than 100 years of experience they stress that cycling is more than just a useful transport; it makes you feel good, gives you a sense of freedom and creates a better environment for everyone. Cycling UK has identified Lancashire County Council as one of the most ambitious councils in the UK for cycling – of which more later. For full information about the charity visit www.cyclinguk.org

• British Cycling is the main governing body for cycle sport in Britain. It is focussed on competitive sport, selects national teams, has more than 116,000 members and is based at the National Cycling Centre – the site of the 2002 Commonwealth Games – in Manchester. British Cycling administers road racing, track cycling, cyclo-cross, BMX, mountain biking and cycle speedway. It has helped to make Britain dominant in competitive cycling. For details visit www.britishcycling.org.uk Cycling is for everybody

• Sustrans is less focussed on competitive sport. It is a charity which aims to make it easier for people to walk and cycle. They connect people and places, create liveable neighbourhoods, transform the school run and deliver a happier, healthier commute. Sustrans are best known for the National Cycle Network which has been used for 786 million cycling and walking trips. They offer full information about favourite cycling routes in the northwest. For details visit www.sustrans.org.uk • Komoot is a company which has reviewed its collection of cycling routes to deliver the top 20 in the northwest. You are invited to click on each route to see a full breakdown of detailed information including elevation profiles, surface analyses, real tips and photographs uploaded by other members of the Komoot community. They offer mapping packs at £3.99 for one region and £8.99 for several. If you sign up to Komoot the first pack is free. For more details visit www.komoot.co.uk • Lancashire County Council actively promotes cycling. In partnership with Go Velo it offers courses for new, improving and advanced cyclists as well as training in cycle maintenance. It supports 27 Cycle Clubs throughout the county and its flagship project is the Preston Guild Wheel. Suitable for cyclists and walkers, part of the route is diverted between Blackpool Road and the Lancaster Canal until 2023 while the Preston Western Distributor Road is being constructed. • Cycleplan is provided by Manchester-based Ripe Insurance who offer cover for cyclists and others. They have selected six of the best cycle routes in the northwest of which more later. To learn more about Cycleplan visit www.cycleplan.co.uk

The NHS tell us that ‘regular cycling can reduce the risk of a number of serious illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. It can also boost your mood, improving the symptoms of some mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Cycling can also help you maintain a healthy weight’. It is described as a lowimpact exercise which means it is easier on your joints compared to high-impact aerobic activities like running.

and even younger

Cycling burns fat and calories. Cycling at a steady pace burns about 300 calories an hour

Cycling enthusiast and consultant surgeon Andrew Dunn offers more detailed advice – • Cycling improves your cardiovascular fitness – it works just about every muscle in the body and lower blood pressure. In increases the presence of good cholesterol in the body which transports fat away from the arteries. • It can reduce stress levels. While being fun it is a great way to forget about the sources of your stress while making you fitter. • Cycling burns fat and calories. Cycling at a steady pace burns about 300 calories an hour. Such exercise for ½ hour daily equates to about 11 pounds of fat each year. • It is gentle on your joints. It is a safe way to remain physically active without aggravating painful arthritic joints. • Cycling helps improve muscle tone and strength in the legs. This helps with everything from climbing stairs to keeping up with your children and grandchildren. • It works the upper body too. When riding 70% of the body

Exploring by bike is fun and healthy

weight goes through the saddle and handlebars rather than affecting the hips, knees and ankles. • Cycling helps to fight off common health conditions and can lower the risk of developing some cancers. Research suggests that cycling 30 minutes a day can reduce the chance of diabetes by 40%. The risk of breast and colon cancer can also reduce. • It builds stamina which is really great for your overall physical and

mental health. The more often you cycle the longer you will be able to ride before you tire. • Cycling helps fight depression. People can be vulnerable to depression for different reasons but cycling can increase the endorphins in your body making you feel better. • It is a healthy mode of transport. Instead of being sedentary in a car, bus or train cycling helps you, the environment - and your bank balance!

Covid 19 is changing our world. Even if an effective vaccine saves us we have different values. We like fewer carbon emissions and reduced pollution. We like commuting less and live in a less wealthy country. Cycles aren’t the answer to every issue but they are an improvement. We can be better-off and fitter. So, whether we cycle a lot or a little how do we go about it?

Cycling proficiency tests which have given children the freedom of the road since shortly after the Second World War are to be offered to adults from this August. Instructors funded by the taxpayer will teach bike handling, safety and traffic skills to help those contemplating a switch from four wheels to two for commuting, shopping and leisure trips – and accompany then on ‘buddy rides’. The first 3,000 riders will begin free courses run by the new ‘Bikeability’ scheme shortly. There will be an emphasis on reaching novice or lapsed adult riders. PM Boris Johnson has declared a “new golden age of cycling” funded with £2bn. British Cycling is introducing a campaign to persuade 14 million adults to get on their bikes.

Courtesy of Cycleplan here are six of the best cycle routes in the northwest –

THE LIVERPOOL LOOP LINE – This family-friendly and mostly flat cycle path stretches for 13 miles from Halewood to Aintree. The trail is well served by public transport and is traffic-free. Also known as the Wild Flower route, the Liverpool Loop Line follows an old railway which used to take vegetables from the Lancashire Plain to London’s Nine Elms market. After it fell out of use in the 1960s it was developed into a cycle path.

LUNE VALLEY TRAIL, LANCASHIRE

This is a 5-mile traffic-free route that starts at Lancaster’s Millennium Bridge and finishes at the Bull Beck picnic site. The Lune Valley inspired romantic poet William Wordsworth and he urged travellers to take in the Lune Valley on their way to the Lake District. This trail is part of the Lune Valley Ramble – a 16-mile long path that stretches from Lancaster to Kirkby in Cumbria.

ASKHAM FELL MOUNTAIN BIKE ROUTE

This is one for off-roaders. Starting at Pooley Bridge in the Lake District, the Askham Fell Mountain Bike Route has, for the area, relatively little climbing. The 15-mile trail is mainly off-road and has one of the best natural descents in the country. There are two tough climbs – one from Pooley Bridge to Askham Fell and another from Askham back to Askham Fell. But all that hard work is worth it when you see the view.

THE LAKE DISTRICT LOOP

According to the readers of Cycling Plus the Lake District Loop is the best ride in the UK. The 40-mile loop takes in some tough climbs along the Wrynose Pass and beautiful views. Most of the roads are quiet but watch out for potholes. Cycling Plus editor Rob Spedding called it ‘a proper cycling challenge’. Starting and ending in Broughton-in-Furness this route passes Coniston Water, the Drunken Duck Inn, Wrynose Pass and Seathwaite.

LONGDENDALE TRAIL

According to local people the Longdendale Trail is haunted by Roman soldiers. This roman road turned freight railway turned cycle path is seven miles long and takes in moorland and the picturesque hills of the Peak District. Starting at Hadfield the route is almost flat despite the surrounding hills. A detour to Glossop for a drink at the Howard Town Pub is recommended.

THE MARY TOWNELEY LOOP

Located in the South Pennines east of Manchester the Mary Towneley Loop is 47-miles long between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire. It is best cycled on a mountain bike and many people start and finish at Todmorden where there is a convenient railway station. The varied terrain takes in moorland, the odd quiet road, ancient packhorse trails and causeways. It can take 2 days to do this route but there are many hotels and B&Bs along the way. If you don’t have 2 days free you can use one of the many car parks to ride just part of the route.

To learn about many more attractive cycling routes in our region visit www.komoot.co.uk and go to Route Planner and Cycling Routes. Cycling serves other purposes. A recent survey by the polling firm ICM for Shand Cycles indicates that as many as 5 million commuters could take to two wheels instead of four in the aftermath of the Covid 19 pandemic. This is supported by a poll undertaken by YouGov which suggests that 36% of people questioned will rethink their travel habits and use cars and motor vehicles less. It seems clear that commuters are looking to change how they travel if there is an ongoing need for social distancing. Cycling has a momentum behind it that it has not seen for many years. To give substance to the Prime Minister’s comment about a golden age for cycling the Transport Secretary has announced major funding to encourage more people to cycle as an alternative to using public transport.

Whether for exercise, commuting or just for fun the trend is for more and more cycling in the North West. Enjoy it!

Andrew E. Harris gratefully acknowledges the information and images provided by all the organisations named in this article. For previous articles visit www.andreweharris.co.uk

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Lockdown litter epidemic Dispose of it, or take it home

The Turning Tides Partnership is calling on visitors to the North West coast to play their part in keeping our beaches clean and safe by taking their litter home when they visit the beach.

The easing of lockdown and hot weather in recent weeks has brought hundreds of visitors to the North West coast. The result has been disastrous for our beaches as many people have left their rubbish instead of taking it home.

The Turning Tides Partnership is a consortium of organisations along the coast stretching from Southport to Allerdale, including the Environment Agency, United Utilities and Keep Britain Tidy and all of the coastal authorities working together to improve local bathing waters and beaches. The partnership is calling on the public to act responsibly when visiting the coast by using the bins provided and by taking a bag to the beach so that they can take their litter home.

Neil Jack, chief executive of Blackpool Council and chair of the Turning Tides Partnership Board, said: “It has been extraordinary to see the number of people who have flocked to the coast as restrictions have eased – but it has come at a price.

“During the lockdown period, we had all witnessed the beauty of spotlessly clean beaches and sparkling blue water along our seashores. To see that undone by irresponsible disposal of litter is unacceptable.

“While we hugely appreciate the efforts of the many volunteers who have turned out to remove this litter, the responsibility lies with those who use our beaches. The message is simple – dispose of it in one of the many bins available, or take it home with you.”

Turning Tides also asks that the public refrain from leaving rubbish by full bins as this is also considered littering and people can be fined. Also, it requests that people leave disposable barbeques at home. If they are left on the beach, they can cause harm to people and wildlife, and cause fires if left in the dunes.

In recent weeks, LOVEmyBEACH, the partnership beach clean volunteer campaign, has been tackling the problem, spending hundreds of hours litter picking and collecting hundreds of bags of litter.

Richard McIlwain, Deputy CEO of Keep Britain Tidy commented: “We understand that people want to visit the beach, especially after months of lockdown. Firstly, we would ask that people only visit the coast within government safety guidelines in light of the Covid-19 outbreak and maintain social distancing at all times. We must act responsibly towards each other and the environment.

“We are reaching epidemic proportions of littering in the UK and the beaches are no exception. We would also ask that people remain mindful of the impact on our beaches, oceans and wildlife that high numbers of visitors is having. Please take your litter home and don’t leave it on the beach.

“We would also encourage people to use reusable bags and bottles to reduce the amount of single use plastic being taken to the beach.”

The impact of the litter epidemic has been felt along the entire North West coastline and will have a seriously detrimental effect on the local environment, wildlife and economy.

The New Brighteners, a beach cleaning and environmental volunteer group based in New Brighton, Wirral, have been overwhelmed with the amount of rubbish on beaches, promenades and adjacent green spaces over the last few weeks since lockdown eased.

A regular volunteer for the group said: “In 7 years we have never seen the amount of rubbish left by visitors that we’ve seen in the last few weeks: takeaway packaging, plastic bottles, food wrapping, NO2 cartridges, portable BBQs, nappies, hand wipes, face masks, dog waste, used rubber gloves, plastic bags, soiled clothing, drinks cans, tents, bedding, supermarket shopping trolleys in our lake, and pretty much anything else you can imagine.

For more information on how we can all play our part in keeping our beaches safe and beautiful, please visit www.keepbritaintidy.org

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The internationally renowned fashion designers Christopher and Tammy Kane have become patrons of national charity Heart Research UK.

The brother and sister team, whose global ‘Christopher Kane’ brand has been worn by everyone from Michelle Obama to Phoebe WallerBridge, first became involved with the charity’s Heart of Scotland Appeal in 2019. The Scottish pair lost both their father and brother to heart disease, and kick-started the Heart of Scotland appeal by designing a range of striking charity t-shirts and badges. Since then, they have been involved with numerous aspects of the campaign, and are now to become patrons of the charity as a whole. Christopher Kane said: “The work that Heart Research UK does is incredibly close to my heart. Losing members of my family has really driven home how devastating heart disease can be, and how vital it is that we continue to fight the nation’s single biggest killer. “After we first became involved with the charity, we’ve both been blown away with the work that they do, and we are immensely proud to be joining such a dedicated team for such a worthwhile cause. “The advances in research and surgery over the last few decades have been truly remarkable, thanks in no small part to the vital work that charities such as Heart Research UK are doing. “So the opportunity to be able to play our part is 88 LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE one we are both delighted to take.” Kate Bratt-Farrar, Chief Executive of Heart Research UK, said: “We are all incredibly touched and excited that Christopher and Tammy are joining us as patrons of the charity. “We have been blown away with their energy and generosity in supporting our campaigns, and we are so excited to continue our partnership with them. “We know research works, but the seven million people living with cardiovascular disease in the UK need it to work faster. We are dedicated to funding the latest pioneering research in to the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.” Heart Research UK was founded in 1967 by Mr David Watson, an eminent cardiovascular surgeon, with the intention of making heart surgery safer. Since then, Heart Research UK has invested over £25m in pioneering research in to the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease.

Nine reasons to move to Nantwich

AFTER months of spending more time at home than ever before, it’s no surprise that many are now eager to move and a growing, new community in Nantwich could be the ideal place.

Anna Evans-Kerr, head of sales for Redrow Homes (NW), said: “People have had a chance to reflect while they’ve been staying at home these last few months and that includes looking at their home in a new light. For some it’s made them realise they need more space, perhaps with a room they can work from; while others want a bigger garden or are happy to live further away from their workplace in favour of being part of a community.”

Whatever is motivating your search for a new home, these are some of the reasons why you should choose to move to a Redrow home at Kingsbourne, Nantwich.

1. New neighbourhood

Moving to Kingsbourne balances rural living with the amenities people want and need close by. Redrow has already welcomed dozens of homeowners to the development, which will eventually boast its own facilities including a school, shops plus a number of outdoor gym areas and children’s play area. To support the growth of the neighbourhood, Redrow will inject more than £2.5million into the area, including improvements to the local primary and secondary schools and highways. 2. Schools

For parents of young children, it’s important to live within the catchment area of well-respected schools and there are plans for a primary school to be built within the Kingsbourne development itself. In the meantime, the area is served by a number of “outstanding” and “good” primaries including Millfields and Acton CoE schools. For older students there’s Malbank High or Brine Leas Academy. Reaseheath College offers both further and higher education in land-based subjects such as equestrian and agricultural courses. 3. Shops

Being able to shop locally has become a key focus for many in the wake of COVID-19 and, eventually, there will be local shops within Kingsbourne. There’s also a choice of supermarkets within a 10-minute drive including Sainsbury’s, M&S Simply Food and Morrisons. The town centre’s mix of boutique stores and high street brands is also within easy reach. A traditional market has been held in the 90 LANCASHIRE & NORTH WEST MAGAZINE town for centuries and today is complemented by a range of specialist markets, including vintage markets, farmers markets and more. 4. Community spirit

Celebrating the sense of community in the area, Redrow voluntarily gifted £10,000 to good causes local to Kingsbourne. Funding allocations included a contribution towards the cost of a specialist bed at the Wingate Special Children’s Trust, sports kits, equipment and training sessions for local footballers, cheerleaders and martial artists, creating counselling workshops for children, Scouts camping equipment and forest tots sessions. Redrow also provided a replacement defibrillator within hours of learning that the life-saving equipment had gone missing from the town centre. 5. Exercise*

Life in lockdown saw many people embrace exercising outside by walking, running or cycling and the countryside surrounding Kingsbourne is perfect for long walks, runs or bike rides. Residents can explore along the banks of the River Weaver or the towpaths of the Shropshire Union Canal. For those who prefer to be in the water rather than alongside it, Nantwich Swimming Pool and Gym are less than a mile away, with the chance to dive into the famous outdoor brine pool. There’s also the option of a round of golf at Reaseheath College Golf Club, or to watch or even join at Nantwich Town FC. A number of outdoor gym areas are planned as part of Kingsbourne, enabling residents to stay fit and active close to home.

6. Culture and heritage*

Nantwich is famous for the medieval timbered buildings dotted around the town and is second in the county to Chester for its wealth of historic buildings. The Jacobean Dorfold Hall, with its magnificent grounds, is only a fiveminute drive from Kingsbourne. Nantwich also hosts a range of festivals throughout the year including jazz and blues, food and the UK’s largest cheese show. New release films are shown monthly by Nantwich Film Club, with more regular screenings at the Odeon and Reel cinemas in nearby Crewe. Crewe also has a choice of theatres with regular touring productions.

7. Well connected

While working from home is “the new normal” for many, there are still those who need to physically go into their workplace and Kingsbourne is well-placed as a commuter base by road or rail. Crewe, Whitchurch, Stoke-on-Trent, Chester and Manchester can all be reached within an hour.

8. Choice of homes

Kingsbourne offers a choice of three and four-bedroom homes from Redrow’s Heritage Collection. Externally they look very traditional, taking inspiration from the architecture of the Arts & Crafts era. Step inside and they feature layouts designed to meet the demands of modern living, with a superb specification as standard. Current prices range from £257,995 to £450,995. 9. Help to Buy or Sell

Homes at Kingsbourne are within the price threshold for the Government’s Help to Buy equity loan scheme. It means customers can apply for an equity loan for up to 20% of the property price, leaving them to find only a 5% deposit and a 75% mortgage from a lender of choice. The equity loan is interest free for the first five years. Or for those with an existing property to sell, Redrow’s own Help to Sell incentive uses local estate agents to find a buyer and makes a contribution to the selling fees.

The show homes and sales centre at Kingsbourne are now open, with new social distancing measures in place to ensure the safety of customers and staff. For more information see www.redrow.co.uk/kingsbourne or call 01270 861704.

Customers can also register for the My Redrow online hub, enabling them to fully interact with Redrow online, including browsing, reserving and choosing options for their new home.

Find out more about Redrow’s coronavirus social distancing measures here: www.redrow.co.uk/coronavirus