Cycling On The Canal Towpaths


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Today we got the cycles out and went for a short ride,nothing strenuous because of my dicky ticker,we have the canal towpath about 500yds from our house,and in the 8mile ride we had the pleasure of witnessing a mother duck and 11 ducklings about a week old,i never saw anything move so fast when the Barges passed by,A herd of cows and calfs drinking from the canal,a field full of cowslips and blue bells in the hedges,a Heronry (not sure if that is what it is called) in the trees,Happy people on their Barges waving as they passed by,and not sure if we saw a Kingfisher,to fast to be sure.It really lifts the spirits and all that for FREE,can't wait for tomorrow to do it again.I hope you all have something as special where ever you live to enjoy.Perhaps you could let us read your experiences.

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I'm sure the poor lady is distraught.  At times like that one is not worrying about which thread one is in.   Re.  the digression in this thread.  It was a little banter about a side issue w

Over the years our cycle rides have reduced in length from approx 30milers a time, to 6/8 miles a morning. Still very enjoyable but can be a bit of a struggle up and down the canal bridges.  

This happens all the time TRD.  I doesn’t bother the majority of posters at all.  Just a single word can spark a memory for someone, but in this recent instance Chulla was referring to a comment that

still a nice walk mudgie but paths are better know more man made a nice walk from town to attenborogh i am tild by my sister i can only manage a few yards now but know a lot of people who walk it regularly

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Good on yer Carni, can't beat a steady bike ride, and i agree you do get closer to nature and see some wonderful sights

Rog

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carni, if ever a bright red narrow boat called Muchgigglin' comes by, give 'em a shout and a wave, it's my hubby's cousins. They're always out and about on their boat, on one canal or another. You'll hear it before you see it, the engine is an old one that chugs!

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Katyjay, I love the name of the boat, I am sure i won't forget that one, and if they are ever on the Shropshire Union or one of our other West Midlands Canals at the same time as us i will surely give them a shout and wave.

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They got the name for their boat from when they had their first one. They moored for the night near a town, walked to town for a few bevvies and then walked back to the boat, except they forgot where they'd moored it. They did muchgigglin' on the way to finding it, so when they had this present boat built, that was its name.

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Katyjay, That sounds like a really good night out,and a what a great way to find a name for their new boat,a night they will never be able to forget,i hope they have many years enjoyment sailing the muchgigglin.

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Our plans have just changed,So we have decided to get the bikes out and get on the tow paths,will check out the duck family there was 11 ducklings, but haven't been for a week,that can make a big difference,sadly they rarely all make it.I'm up to 12 miles so getting better all the time,great,hope the sunshine stays,enjoy you'r day every one.

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Hi AKM

Welcome to Nottstalga,It looks like a beautiful day coming so i hope you manage to get your cycle out,it is always a little cooler cycling by the canals and so much to see.I am sure you will find lots of tips on Nottm Cycle routes on this site.

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Hiya,Today we were back on our bikes,on the Stafford shire and Worcester canal tow paths,we have got up to 12 miles now,not a lot but getting longer slowly.We saw at least 6 duck families with ducklings at varying stages of growth and 2 moor hen families each with two offspring,very cute,1 Heron that was teasing us, as soon as we got about 20yards away,he was up and off again,i took a photo,but he looked just like a grey stick sticking in the ground,For the first time ever ,we saw what looked like 2 Canadian geese and 5 goslings,I thought they might attack,so i did the best thing and put my hubby between us,There was about 5 swifts diving down and skimming the water,it looked like they were drinking or eating insects of the top of the canal.1 Jenny Wren,i recognized the little turned up tail,Sorry no photo's as they were all so quick,they were gone in a second. We found a nice bench and had our salad cobs and tea and watched the Barges go by, and then started the journey back.Still no King fisher,i know they are there some where.

This retirement thing is fantastic.

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Hi,

On Thursday we went for a cycle ride on the nature trail (old train line) and went off route down a dirt track back to the canal tow path.The path had all tree roots on top of the ground making it dangerous to ride, so i got off the bike and promptly fell sideways onto a barbed wire fence, I was completely stuck and tangled, i now have two holes in my arm,a 2inch wide bruise and scratched face.On Saturday we ventured on the canal tow path again, a cyclist approached us, so i moved over behind hubbs to let him pass, he warned of an obstruction over the bridge, at which my hubbs slammed on the brake....i ran into him we both ended upside down, cycles on top of us in the nettles, and had to be untangled by passers by,concluding in bruised and scratched legs..elbows...faces and nettle rash every where.Today i tripped over my charging up cable for my laptop (while on Nottstalga) and hit the wall...the chair ...flat on my back with cup of tea some where up the wall,yet to find it. Do you think its safe to go out yet. :biggrin:

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You two sound like kamikaze cyclists. Hope you wear crash helmets !

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Sounds to me Carni you need to start riding a recumbent trike like mine, 3 wheels so very difficult to fall off, nice comfy seat to lay back in when resting (similar to a deck chair) and plenty of luggage space to keep your camera

Rog

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Sounds wonderful, but i know we will never be up to your standard of cycling, I can only manage maximum 20miles and that has to be flat ground, We will make do with the tow paths and nature trail, I was going to say it is safer, but i'm not sure any more. Lol. By the way i love all the locations you photograph for us and it makes it so much more personal seeing your recumbent trike in the picture. We absolutely love riding our bikes and i have only fallen off 4 times in 20yrs, so that's cool. :biggrin:

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"By the way i love all the locations you photograph for us and it makes it so much more personal seeing your recumbent trike in the picture."

So reminiscent of Reg Baker of PTP fame except his was a two wheeler. Lots better pictures by plantfit though.

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Fell off the trike once up at Lady Bower/Derwent resevoir, riding down the road with the pathway about 6 feet above road level up a grass bank, thought it would be a good idea to take a picture of my trike with the Derwent dam in the back ground, so carefully pulled to the side of the road and rode up the bank at an angle, unfortunately the angle was too great and the trike with me in it rolled over, my cycling shoes still clipped into the pedals and me upside down with the contents of my drinks bottle slowly emptying itself over my head, could'nt right myself up for laughing, fortunately no one was there to witness the cockup and I eventually got righted and caught the other trike riders up at the next dam (Howden I think) spent the next 4 hours riding in trike convoy with the rest of the group covered in Lucozade from the drinks bottle (very sticky)

great ride though

Rog

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