Thursday solo ride Bowland’s remote hills and Roman road. Mike Codd - 5 November 2020

I last rode (and pushed) the Hornby Road about 10 years ago. Our leader had injured her Achilles’ tendon the night before (Dangerous sport, country dancing) and her husband had phoned me to lead from the Boot & Shoe. On that dismal Sunday, I had about 6 followers and we all managed to ride most of the Salter’s track to High Salter farm. (Just remembered! We all got told off by a khaki clad “Little Hitler” bird watcher, for picnicking near his peregrine falcon’s nest!).

We probably pushed about a mile on the stony bits.

Today’s Ride

Today was different; covering  the previous hardened mud with thick gravel might have been a good idea for quad bikes but is no help to those on two wheels!

I started out from the Boot & Shoe and took the Newlands Road as far as the road to Quernmore, turning off on  Littlefell Lane and down Stock-a Bank to cross the Postern Gate road and head for Baines Crag.

I passed Haylot Farm and turned for the Salter farms to join the Hornby Road. The first 200 m was OK, then the loose gravel started. I got off and pushed; not because the hill was too steep, but because the back wheel was slipping. On the level, the traction was OK as long as I could keep up about 5-10 mph. Once I started climbing and the gravel re-appeared, the bike would move forward slowly, but would not steer. Back onto Shanks’s pony again.

I would say that the views were pleasant, but not distant and it had got mistier the further east I went.

At the first summit, I stopped for a bit of biscuit and a view of the tarmac track across the valley to Tarnbrook (maybe for later exploration?).

Continuing, the route got too stony to ride (as I’d expected) and later muddy and puddled (as I’d also expected). Then the route improved, with a lighter sprinkling of gravel and then sporadic patches of tarmac on ancient concrete - bumpy but rideable. Better concrete followed as I passed a lone rambler and the footpath on the left to House of Croasdale, turning into very welcome tarmac. I resolved never to do the Hornby Road again, unless on a mountain bike.

The rest of the ride was all on tarmac (Heaven!).

I took Back Lane to Newton, then riding above the River Hodder along the road that had been blocked by a motorbike accident during one of our Spring Audaxes (Remember that?). I stopped at Dunsop Bridge for a take-out coffee and a biscuit from Puddleducks – open for takeaways! I also had a nice socially distanced chat to a lady who’d ridden over from Fulwood.

The Trough of Bowland was waiting for me and traffic was very quiet as I continued for Abbeystead. At Dolphinholme, I took the right turn at the mini-roundabout and along a hilly but pleasant route, bringing me out at 5 Lane Ends – we should use it more often.

The remainder of the route was as normal, via the Uni and past Booths to home.

43 miles and 5020 feet - 7 hours!

Mike Codd