Dd1 (11) wants to cycle 5 miles and back by herself along the canal....

[TooTicky]

....which, on a sunny summer day won't be deserted.
Should I let her??
She was going to go with ds1 (9) but he decided it was too hot.
I would just prefer it if she wasn't alone, it's not because she's a girl. I'd feel the same about ds1 going on his own.

Not on her own, but with a friend at that age I think it would be ok. If you let her go, I'd suggest she takes a mobile so you can check everything's ok.

how close to the canal would she be? thats what would worry me, if she fell off her bike and into the canal.

will one of ehr friends go with her?

I would say yes to that.

Could you meet at at the turn around point and then at the end?

Is a good exercise in manufacturing some safe independence for her and it will boost her confidence and shows that you are willing to trust her.

No, I wouldn't, not at 11 - actually I don't think I'd let 11 + 9 go either, when DS2 first wanted to do this with a friend at 14 I was a bit iffy about it

(This was mostly fear of them falling in btw, assisted or otherwise...)

Hmm, no handy local friends. No mobile either.

I really want to let her go but...but....

It is right by the canal but we have lived here for 7 years and they are used to it.

Is there any sort of cycle route she could go on which isn't next to water?

No. The canal is the cycle route. It's that or roads.

Anything on sustrans???

You could maybe drive somewhere with the bike in the back, drop her off & pick her up later.

I would be happy to let her go if she was with someone else, not necessarily an adult. If she has no mobile and something happens, such as falling into the canal, how would you know? How would she get help?

Surely you could just give her your mobile?

I don't have a mobile atm.

Off to investigate Sustrans link...

Sustrans suggest the canal

Thing is, we're going on holiday tomorrow so not a good day to drive her about the countryside. Will plan something for when we get back and weather the snarls today I think.

I have said she could go a mile or two - I'm not totally unreasonable (imo, not hers!)