UKC

I am planning a cycle tour in a couple of weeks. I'm getting the overnight boat from Belfast to Birkenhead, and ride from there to Coniston. The most difficult bits of these kinds of rides to plan is the cities. I was planning to take the ferry across the river into Liverpool and then ride North. Anyone got any tips for the best way out of Liverpool City center? And again when I get to Preston the best way across there? Boat arrives at 6.30am, so I guess it'll be 7.30-8am on a Friday by the time I'm trying to get out of Liverpool.

Here's my current planned route: https://www.strava.com/routes/3099361262520007350

Btw I'll be riding my gravel bike kitted up with bike packing gear, so I'd happily make use of any off-road alternatives, but I don't want to circuitous or slow a route - I've long enough to go as it is...

Best way out of Liverpool city centre from the ferry terminal is to turn left and follow the dock road to Bootle - then get on the A565.  

Agreed!

OP if you head north have a good look from around CrosbyFormby onwards as there are some decent and also pretty flat lanes. I wish I could remember the details but it was a regular club ride when I was in a cycling club in Liverpool as a youth. We used to go north from town but onto lanes around the Formby coastal area and then through Birkdale and on to Southport. North of Southport we'd be going through Banks, Tarleton etc and then on to Preston to form the outward part of the loop before heading south again...

Follow sustrans 56 which will take you through South Liverpool on to sustrans 62 which is an old railway line which will take you to Southport. Very pleasant and well signposted

There is the Guild Wheel cycle route that forms a loop around Preston which is a nice traffic free, but slightly tortuous way to avoid the centre. I think it is cycle route 622.

Depending on your route north of Preston you can follow it either way around from the South side of the city. Personally I'd look at looping around East to Longridge then going via Harris End & Quernmore to Caton. Then through Over Kellet to Carnforth & Warton. A beautiful hilly route on quiet roads 

A flatter alternative is to take the Guild Wheel West, and head north to Lancaster via Great Eccleston etc.  Or, not as bad as it sounds is to pick up the A6 north from the centre of Preston and just tap it out up to Lancaster. Busy but lots of cyclists do use it and there are some cycle lanes.

If you want a reasonably direct, flatish and quietish way to get north from Preston, this is what I sometimes used to do when I lived in Carnforth. https://www.strava.com/routes/14055905

Leeds & Liverpool canal, might fit the bill for part of it.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I will look into them

I am not sure you can take bikes on Mersey ferries, for some reason we had to use the train under the Mersey. Perhaps it was the pandemic or a Sunday 🤷

I always think the cycle infrastructure of Liverpool and Preston is pretty good.

The ride out to Formby and the sustrans to Southport is good, the connecting with the route up from zt Anne's to Fleetwood could be interesting for a tourist, the biggest issue being it's all a  bit flat.

Find your way to the Leeds  & Liverpool canal, follow to Burscough then take the Rufford branch towards Tarlton then use roads to Preston, once over the river follow the Guild Wheel cycle route to pickup the Lancaster canal head north towards the Lakes. 

I used to ride from near Chester to Lancaster a few times a year and found some nice stretches in West Lancs - Rainford, Parbold, Rufford might give you some clues. Always found it a challenge getting through Preston without the main roads. Never tried the Guild Route, seemed easier to press on and get towards the lanes West of the A6 and back to sanity. 

Any help? https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/cycling/cycle-routes/

I tweeted at them a few weeks ago and they said bikes were allowed. Good to know there's a train as back up if I get there and the captain doesn't like the look of my loaded bike.

Thanks that's a really handy map!

Thanks for the tips everyone, here's the route I ended up taking: https://www.strava.com/activities/9363408323. No problem with bikes on the Mersey ferry (in fact as many bikes as foot passengers).
Did it last Friday so was pretty wet. Thanks @cathsullivan for your route from Preston to Lancaster, I used a lot of that, the old railway into Lancaster was a nice ride which I wouldn't have found without your tip.