Meet at Astley Park Gates, Chorley PR7 1JU at 9 a.m. on Sunday 23rd August. Adjacent free parking on Queens Road Car Park. See full parking and route details below.
Please bring the usual emergency tools and puncture repair equipment. Daytime running lights are also a good idea. Cash/Card if you require lunch.
This is a Tour of Liverpool sights. Lunch is planned at the Imagine More Cafe in Strawberry fields. The cafe ideally would like advance warning of numbers, so signing up to the ride by the end of the week would be helpful. Also peruse the Menu: https://www.strawberryfield.salvationarmy.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/2026-08/Spring%20Lunch%202026.pdf as we may request advance orders for lunch to speed things up.
Total Distance is 74 miles, but the hills such as they are, are in the earlier part of the route.
NO ONE will be left behind
Terry Hemsworth: Most regular Bus Stop Bikers will have known Terry, who sadly died in March of this year. Although he left Liverpool as a young man he was always passionate about its history and culture, as well as a lifelong Liverpool FC supporter. This ride has been created in his memory.
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 74 miles
- Time 7 h 20 min
- Speed 10 mph
- Min altitude 0 ft
- Peak 551 ft
- Ascend 2730 ft
- Descent 2726 ft
Start is from Astley Park Gates, Chorley PR7 1JU. There is an adjacent Car Park on Queens Road which is free on Sundays and evenings after 5 p.m. (What3words///line.firmly.pose). There are toilets at Astley Hall on the other side of the park together with a further car park on Hallgate (PR7 1NP), but there is a charge of £3 for all day parking at all times.
The route is clockwise to Birkacre, up Birkacre Brow to Coppull, Coppull Moor, Pepper Lane, Shevington Vale, Gathurst, Orrell Post, and Billinge. From here it climbs over the Crank Road descending to Crank, then taking the East Lancs Road cycle path from Windle. It then passes through Knowsley to Knotty Ash and Calderstones Park taking NCN route 56 via Penny Lane to Sefton Park. From here it passes the Liverpool Festival Gardens in St Michaels following the riverside drive to the Liverpool Waterfront. There follows a route around the city centre sights before joining the Dock Road (Regent Road) to Bramley Moore Dock. From here it turns East towards Stanley Park, heading up Rice Lane with a short diversion to Walton Cemetery, adjacent to the Prison. It carries on North to Aintree and Melling, returning via Bickerstaffe, Parbold, Andertons Mill, Eccleston and then Back Lane to Euxton and Chorley.
The Route passes the following sights:
1. Brookside Close (of TV fame)
2. Knotty Ash and the former home of Ken Dodd
3. Strawberry Fields (of the Beatles song)
4. Penny Lane (ditto)
5. Sefton Park, containing the famous Palm House
6. Lark Lane - trendy "bohemian" street
7. Liverpool Festival Gardens (site of the first garden festival in 1984, restored in 2010)
8. Liverpool Waterfront (includes Albert Dock, Pier Head ferry terminal, Cruise terminal, the 3 Graces and the Beatles statues etc.)
9. Matthew Street and the site of the Cavern Club
10. Liverpool Anglican Cathedral (started 1904, completed 1978)
11. LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) Started by Paul McCartney
12. Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
13. Philharmonic Dining Rooms (Pub with celebrated toilet facilities)
14. Everyman Theatre (Theatre known as a proving ground for many celebrated actors)
15. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (completed 1967) known as Paddy's Wigwam
16. Liverpool University
18. Liverpool Royal infirmary, now part of the University (Set for the TV series Casualty 1907)
19. William Brown Street, several impressive classical buildings viz. St Georges Hall, Walker Art Gallery, Central Library, World Museum
20. Queensway (Birkenhead) Tunnel Entrance
21. Kingsway (Wallasey) Tunnel Ventilation Shafts
22. Hill Dickson Stadium (New home of Everton FC)
23. Anfield Stadium (Home of Liverpool FC) and the Hillsborough Memorial
24. Goodison Park (Former home of Everton FC, now home of Everton Ladies)
25. Walton Cemetery (now incorporated into Rice Lane City Farm) resting place of Robert Noonan, Known as Robert Tressell. d.1911, Inspiration to the Socialist Movement
26. Liverpool Prison (Walton Jail)
27. Aintree Racecourse (home of the Grand National
Total Distance is 74 Miles.
