Here are the bike rides that SLH organised during 2016.
Sunday 15th May 2016 11am start. Cycle to Manchester.
This is the first of our summer series when we will be taking a 9 mile ride, dropping off at the Whitworth Art Gallery in the University of Manchester. We can look around this newly refurbished, award-winning building, where entry is free, the cafe setting is idyllic, and the surrounding park is a good setting for a picnic. The route is mostly off-road using cycle-ways and shared paths, along with some back roads. We hope it will give cyclists the chance to try out a quiet route to the universities or hospitals, with tips on how to continue into the city centre.
We will meet in the car park on Gladstone Grove at the back of the Moor Top pub, on Heaton Moor Rd.
Sunday 26th June 2016 10:30 am start. Portland Basin Museum.
Our second ride is along level well-surfaced trails to Portland Basin, near Ashton. Enjoy the cafe and free museum in the 1834 warehouse, at the junction of the Ashton and Peak Forest canals. There’s something for everyone on this 14 mile round-trip route.
We will meet by the Orchard in Heaton Chapel. This is accessed from Meadows Rd on the track between house numbers 20 & 22, or from Nelstrop Rd on the track to the left of Adlington House.
Saturday 30th July 2016 2:45 pm meet-up. Handlebards: Romeo & Juliet.
The Handlebards, a troupe of Shakespearean players who travel the country by bike, will be performing Romeo & Juliet on the Fallowfield Loop in Levenshulme, at the quadrants. It will be a pay-what-you-can event, with curtain at 4pm. Bring a rug, cushion or low chair, and a picnic tea. In case of wet weather bring a poncho rather than an umbrella; though an adjacent, covered, wet-weather venue is being planned. There are further details on the website of the prime organisers, Sustrans.
There will be a group ride-in from Heaton Moor park at its Buckingham Rd entrance, meet at 2:45 – please see map.
The 2 mile route there, will be largely off-road on well surfaced tracks, but will also use some quiet side roads.
Sunday 11th Sept 2016. Bruntwood Park.
Our 9 mile Heritage Day route will be via Abney Hall, and while using a few back roads, will again be mostly off-road. At Bruntwood there is the large outdoor play area, a cafe, ice-creams stall, mini-golf and the BMX track. For those who want something different we can continue on an off-road extension to John Lewis.