Roller blading

Hi. I've been rollerblading for roughly two years now, mostly to relax and for the exercise. I also find it an excellent way to see the scenery and meet like minded people. I, like all keen rollerbladers, am always looking for the elusive goldtop - the best quality asphalt: smooth, long and uninterrupted by traffic, hills or junctions. The search goes on but there is a list of some of the best places I've found below. N.B. All routes are 'unofficial' and are taken at your own risk!

Blading in Lancashire

Jonathan Skinner - 24 April 2006

A good rollerblading route in Lancashire:

The route follows the River Lune from the Bull Beck picnic site near Caton to Morecambe via Lancaster. It can be joined at several points on the route. My most commonly used is Denny Beck Bridge car park.

Directions to this start point: M6 Junction 34. Head for Caton then take first left down minor road towards Halton. The car park is just before narrow bridge over the river.

From the car park either follow the cycle path south towards Lancaster or north towards Caton.

The path is traffic free and perfectly smooth tarmac with lovely river valley scenery.

Hope this is sufficient info to get you on to the path which I think is called the Lune Valley Milennium cycle path? Once on it there are signs which fully describe where you are heading.

If you require any further info please e-mail, also, If you come across any rollerblading routes anywhere in the UK I would be hugely grateful if you could forward me the details.

Thank you very much,

Jonathan Skinner
Email reply

North Lincolnshire blading route?

5 September 2004

Hi Ed,
We would like to go roller blading and the nearest route we have is Derbyshire. Can you tell us where the Lincolnshire wold route is so we can try it out and save us some miles!

Regards, Lynn

Ed: There is no official route, Lynn. The map below shows one route for experienced bladers which travels along the top of the Wolds with excellent views over the Ancholme valley and River Humber.

To get to the start, take the Barton road (B1206) from Brigg towards Elsham. Go up the steep hill past Elsham until you get to the junction at the top of the hill (with the pumping works). Turn left onto the unclassified road and park up. Skate along this unclassified road (in a roughly northwards direction). After a few miles of (almost) traffic free tarmac the middle of the road becomes a little covered with kak. At this point turn back and return to the start point. N.b. make sure you do not deviate from this road as there are some steep descents to the valley floor.

Great places to rollerblade

This list is certainly not authoritative: my experience is mostly limited to a few cities, so if you have any suggestions, please send me an email or call me on 07762 268 290.

The wolds. North Lincolnshire

Excellent views, wonderfully smooth tarmac and very light traffic make this area excellent. It has not (yet) been discovered by the blading community, so make the most of its unique charm while you can.

Ooij Polder. Nijmegen, The Netherlands

This is one of the places to go to blade. Scenically, it is stunning with superb skating. It is also home of a major skating tour: the Waal on Wheels. It gets a bit hectic on Sunday afternoon, not so much any longer with rollerbladers but with a mixture of German and Dutch tourists driving around keeping an eye on the scenery - and not on the road. That said it's about as safe as it gets for blading.

Bemmelse Polder. Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Another stunning skating area near Nij. In some ways this is better than Ooij: there are less tourists and through traffic and the surface is a lot better (scoring 10 / triple crown on the Dutch rating system). In the winter it is very dramatic because you blade on top of the dyke surrounded by water on all sides.

Alster. Hamburg, Germany

This is a rather special double circuit which is not for the fainthearted. The route covers some bridges, traffic and very busy and narrow cycle paths. That said, it is an experience worth having.

Central Paris, France

Scary until you are used to it but also ultra-chic. The only way to get around this great city. There are weekly blading nights too.

Quay / little mermaid. Copenhagen, Denmark

I can't remember the exact name of the quay, but its the one to the north of the city's ferry terminal to Sweden (past the Amelienborg). The skating itself isn't that amazing, but the view certainly is. Relax, take in the scenery and the people and say hello to the little mermaid.

Stanley Park. Vancouver, Canada

This park is awesome and the skating likewise. A complete circuit of the park is possible. Here and there the quality of the asphalt is a bit suspect, but the stupendous setting make up for this. This is a very, very popular haunt of rollerbladers - so be prepared for rollerjams on Sunday. Also be aware that there are some reasonably steep descents crossed by heavily used footpaths so you might need to make sudden stops.