Overall Rating for this segment of the Trans Pennine Trail: ⭐⭐⭐
The Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) crosses England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. This guide is for just one part of the overall TPT. It covers the 7.2 miles of traffic-free cycling between Altrincham and Warrington. This route is suitable even for young children.
Some photos provided by Jane.
Surface
The route surface is mainly unsealed, with a few stretches of tar thrown in. Though unsealed, it’s mainly good for cycling, but can be slightly potholed in places. When wet, it can get a bit muddy in some places, too, but you can usually skirt the muddy patches.
Bikes
You can use any standard bicycle along the TPT.
Toilets
There are toilets at the Rope and Anchor, which has a disabled toilet on the left as you enter from the rear car park.
There is a access point from the bottom of the car park onto the trail, so no need to use the road, but care is needed – no proper steps or ramp. The Apple Barn is a café/bar/pizza place about 100 metres from the trail near the Rope and Anchor. That also has toilets in the form of Dr Who’s Tardis.
Ratings
Safety: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hilliness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Refreshment stops: ⭐⭐
Barriers: ⭐
Surface: ⭐⭐⭐
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐
Points of Interest
Consider visiting Dunham Massey Hall.
Routes in Cheshire
- The Shropshire Union Canal cycle route
- Chester Millennium Greenway
- The Wirral Way traffic-free cycle route
- Trans Pennine Trail – Altrincham to Warrington
- Peak Forest & Ashton Canals
- Middlewood Way Traffic-Free Cycle Route
Barriers
The TPT is littered with the dreaded A-frames, plus several other types of barrier. Trikes and most cargo bikes will not get through. A touring bike with panniers can just about squeeze through.
Forecast for this segment of the Trans Pennine Trail
What it looks like
Getting there
There isn’t a train station directly on the route, and there are no traffic-free sections from the train station in Altrincham to the start, nor from the end to Warrington train station. Nevertheless, it remains possible to get to near the start and finish by train.
More Routes
To find more routes, click this link.
Interactive map for this route
You can download the GPX file from the map below, simply by clicking the GPX button. Hovering over the elevation profile will show the elevation for that point along the route, in both metres and feet. It will also show the gradient.
And finally…
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Bay Malton Pub closed a few years ago and is now being converted to a private house.
Rope and Anchor has a disabled toilet on the left as you enter from the rear car park. There is a access point from the bottom of the car park onto the trail, so no need to use the road, but care is needed, no proper steps or ramp. The apple Barn is a cafe/bar/Pizza place about 100 yards from the trail near the rope and Anchor. That also has toilets in the form of Dr Who’s Tardis.
Thanks very much for the updated info, Bob!