Sunday Run on the S Lancs Cycleway (25/10/20)

Yesterday’s ride took us boldly where some of us never go.  We set off from Preston at 8.00 am, to make use of the hour, heading east via Mellor and Wilpshire before turning south for Church and Oswaldtwistle.  After our previous navigational deviations, we found Route 6 easier to follow this time past Accrington station and south up the old railway incline to reach Haslingden for a socially distanced morning break at the site of an old bank, now converted into a garden.

From Haslingden, the South Lancs Cycleway (Route 91) heads NE undulating as far as Rossendale before turning N and climbing gently for about 4 miles through Lumb and Water.  The scenery was increasingly wild as we climbed over Deerplay Moor and descended narrow lanes to Walk Mill.  Our next climb took us through Worsthorne (for a socially distanced lunch at the new War Memorial).

We zigzagged and undulated through wonderful moorland east of the Burnley/Nelson conurbation, eventually descending to Trawden.  The weather had been kind, with sunny periods following one early shower.  The brisk SW breeze was helpful, albeit cool.  Passing the well-known monument commemorating Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee, we bypassed Wycoller to reach Laneshaw Bridge before starting our next climb.

This ascent took us over the beautiful Kelbrook and Bleara Moors to reach the steep descent into Earby (where I started to realize my brakes needed some adjustment), thereby returning to the Ribble Valley.  Having been travelling generally northwards, we tuned west here to continue along Route 91 through Barnoldswick.  The roads from here are quiet (and undulating along a few single arrow climbs) and pretty and run into Downham.

Here we had our third break before we continued, now with lights, south westwards into the setting sun.  We followed Route 91 through Worston before deciding to take a more direct (and less hilly) Cycleway into Whalley.  Twilight was on us and we proceeded towards Preston by the most direct route – along the A59.  Our original route would have been via Ribchester and Longridge but we decided the back lanes would be no advantage in the dark.

We had no problem along the main road; traffic gave us a wide birth because of our lights. Being able to set a good cadence along the smooth tarmac, we soon reached the lights at the top of the hill at Samlesbury and here diverted on to the B6230 to reach Walton-le-Dale where the ride effectively finished and we headed for our different homes.

This is an excellent ride (although the finish was an expediency we would have avoided in the summer) but a long one, not so much because of the miles but because of the ascent.  We both enjoyed it, having completed 89 miles (97 for Ian) and over 7000 feet of climbing, and many miles of unfamiliar and scenic roads.  It had been a first class day!

Mike Bridges