Hi any ideas for a three day ride around west Lancashire I know the Lancashire cycle route south goes past my house but was looking for a bit of off road heading to rivington pike and out east. If anyone has any Ideas or routes I would love some help. Going 21st for the solstice.
Cheers
Stuart
Lancashire route
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Lancashire route
Life is better on a bike
After work bivi film https://youtu.be/N-xxarJkrpE
After work bivi film https://youtu.be/N-xxarJkrpE
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Re: Lancashire route
What sort of distance Stuart?
If you go via Darwen-Haslingden Grane-Crawshawbooth you can link Rivington up to the Mary Townley Loop, and that's linked on to the Pennine Bridleway which opens up a lot of options.
edit -just noticed you asked for "West Lancashire" but "out east" from Rivi...
If you go via Darwen-Haslingden Grane-Crawshawbooth you can link Rivington up to the Mary Townley Loop, and that's linked on to the Pennine Bridleway which opens up a lot of options.
edit -just noticed you asked for "West Lancashire" but "out east" from Rivi...
Re: Lancashire route
Don’t know where you’re starting from, but if west of Parbold, canal to Wigan, and continue canal to Adlington (Bridge 64 I think), then a bit of road to Rivington (but there are options to reduce that a bit 
From Rivington many possibilities but as Andy says link up with MTL
I can get you there (Cowpe Lowe just above Waterfoot) mainly (95%) off-road, (eg from where I live (Egerton) it’s about 13 miles BUT >2000 feet ascent)...
From MTL at Cowpe Lowe you can just follow MTL north, or if south via Rooley Moor, you can (at Summit) link up with Pennine Bridleway south and get to Australia (mainly off road
)
Or MTL north and pick up canal at Barnoldswick, continue to Gargrave, then you’ve all the Dales to go at
From Rivington many possibilities but as Andy says link up with MTL
I can get you there (Cowpe Lowe just above Waterfoot) mainly (95%) off-road, (eg from where I live (Egerton) it’s about 13 miles BUT >2000 feet ascent)...
From MTL at Cowpe Lowe you can just follow MTL north, or if south via Rooley Moor, you can (at Summit) link up with Pennine Bridleway south and get to Australia (mainly off road
)Or MTL north and pick up canal at Barnoldswick, continue to Gargrave, then you’ve all the Dales to go at
Re: Lancashire route
what the other locals said
west lancs is flat and featureless in the main with limited off route options-canal to rivvy is the best for ease
From rivvy pretty much anything is possible - east to MTL/pennine bridleway
North to Trough of bowland [ have to use some road to get there mind]
I guess it depends on what you want -please say miles of featureless doubletrack across moors
The cheeky stufff [ and some not on the map] is a better option round rivvy IMHO but you should do the three towers [ rivvy, darwen and peel [ rammsbottom]- Turton is a small detour if you want 4]
west lancs is flat and featureless in the main with limited off route options-canal to rivvy is the best for ease
From rivvy pretty much anything is possible - east to MTL/pennine bridleway
North to Trough of bowland [ have to use some road to get there mind]
I guess it depends on what you want -please say miles of featureless doubletrack across moors
The cheeky stufff [ and some not on the map] is a better option round rivvy IMHO but you should do the three towers [ rivvy, darwen and peel [ rammsbottom]- Turton is a small detour if you want 4]
Re: Lancashire route
Thanks to you all.
I was heading to rivington to get to the hills as it's flat in Ormskirk does any one have any gpx files with the routes. The three peaks sounds like a good option. I am setting out next Friday solstice. I just hope this weather changes or I will have to take a tent as well as a bivi.
Thanks again for the great advice.
Cheers
Stuart
I was heading to rivington to get to the hills as it's flat in Ormskirk does any one have any gpx files with the routes. The three peaks sounds like a good option. I am setting out next Friday solstice. I just hope this weather changes or I will have to take a tent as well as a bivi.
Thanks again for the great advice.
Cheers
Stuart
Life is better on a bike
After work bivi film https://youtu.be/N-xxarJkrpE
After work bivi film https://youtu.be/N-xxarJkrpE
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Re: Lancashire route
What sort of distance did you have in mind Stuart? I can probably throw a gpx together if you give me a hint of how hard you're looking to ride.
Re: Lancashire route
Hiya Andy In-Reverse
You mentioned getting to Mary Townely Loop via Darwin, Haslingden, Grane, Crawshawbooth
Probably a lot easier than my ‘past Strawbury Duck, over Maggot Farm bog Moor, Irwell Vale, Gincroft Lane (Edenfield).’
Is that mainly off-road ?
Give me a clue if it is.... ?
(Any idea what it’s like from Irwell Vale station north to Rawtenstall.... only a mile - have you done it ?)
You mentioned getting to Mary Townely Loop via Darwin, Haslingden, Grane, Crawshawbooth
Probably a lot easier than my ‘past Strawbury Duck, over Maggot Farm bog Moor, Irwell Vale, Gincroft Lane (Edenfield).’
Is that mainly off-road ?
Give me a clue if it is.... ?
(Any idea what it’s like from Irwell Vale station north to Rawtenstall.... only a mile - have you done it ?)
Re: Lancashire route
I think you can follow the river from there to Rawtenstall - was a long time ago that I did it]- its certainly cheeky.
As for route your route is what I would choose ,Its the best mix of off road riding from rivvy to east lancs that I know . There are not a lot of BW options [ or even FP] between Darwin and Rawtenstall looking at map and this has always deterred me from trying to do anything that way- its really not local to me its somewhere i can reach with 2-3 hours effort so not great knowledge to be fair . Peel tower has always been basically a there and back choice for me .
Again trying to remember but think we just went up between scout moor and cowpe lowe to get to PB/MTL - wherever that "trail centre" is that links to Lee Quarry whose name i forget [ told you i was not local ]
As for route your route is what I would choose ,Its the best mix of off road riding from rivvy to east lancs that I know . There are not a lot of BW options [ or even FP] between Darwin and Rawtenstall looking at map and this has always deterred me from trying to do anything that way- its really not local to me its somewhere i can reach with 2-3 hours effort so not great knowledge to be fair . Peel tower has always been basically a there and back choice for me .
Again trying to remember but think we just went up between scout moor and cowpe lowe to get to PB/MTL - wherever that "trail centre" is that links to Lee Quarry whose name i forget [ told you i was not local ]
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Re: Lancashire route
Afternoon Eric.
Was thinking something like this: https://www.strava.com/routes/19615488
That's mosty off road, albeit there's about 4km dropping into Haslingden on the Blackburn Rd. There are some tracks around Ogden res/Musbury Heights that could cut that out but I'm not sure how rideable they are and you'd then ride through the middle of Haslingden. fatbikerbill might have a better idea than me about geting around the Ogden area.
The climb up out of Hoddlesdon is tarmac too. Quiet though.
Like Lazarus says you can ride up the Irwell into Rawtenstall - there's a path on the east side of the river. It's foorpath but it's outside of the fences for the farmer's fields so you shouldn't get any grief.
edit - Also like Lazarus says, going through Rammy then up Bamford Rd/Coal Rd/Scout Moor is another good shout. That liitle "trail centre" is Cragg Quarry.
Was thinking something like this: https://www.strava.com/routes/19615488
That's mosty off road, albeit there's about 4km dropping into Haslingden on the Blackburn Rd. There are some tracks around Ogden res/Musbury Heights that could cut that out but I'm not sure how rideable they are and you'd then ride through the middle of Haslingden. fatbikerbill might have a better idea than me about geting around the Ogden area.
The climb up out of Hoddlesdon is tarmac too. Quiet though.
Like Lazarus says you can ride up the Irwell into Rawtenstall - there's a path on the east side of the river. It's foorpath but it's outside of the fences for the farmer's fields so you shouldn't get any grief.
edit - Also like Lazarus says, going through Rammy then up Bamford Rd/Coal Rd/Scout Moor is another good shout. That liitle "trail centre" is Cragg Quarry.
Re: Lancashire route
Hi Andy, thx for the info.
Did a ride last year (a big circular..... “investigating” like I do, included some great bits of RW (Rossendale Way) above Cliviger, no people, just curlews and ST (single track) and eventually via Rising Bridge got above the Grane Road looking down on Ogden Res.
It was good, very interesting.
My plan was to go via Musbury Heights, but dark was coming on so aborted via the road.
by the way on Strava if you subscribe can you get your hands on the gpx ?
Did a ride last year (a big circular..... “investigating” like I do, included some great bits of RW (Rossendale Way) above Cliviger, no people, just curlews and ST (single track) and eventually via Rising Bridge got above the Grane Road looking down on Ogden Res.
It was good, very interesting.
My plan was to go via Musbury Heights, but dark was coming on so aborted via the road.
by the way on Strava if you subscribe can you get your hands on the gpx ?
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Re: Lancashire route
Not sure - I've never paid for the premium. There is a browser extension for Chrome that lets you download gpx files from Strava, but I don't know if it's available for every browser. pm me your email address and I'll send you the file for that.
Think I mentioned my Bacup upbringing when we were riding together last year - one of the only positives it left me was a decent-ish knowledge of the trails around the Rossendale Valley
Actually if you copy and paste the address of that route into this page: https://labs.strava.com/gpx-to-route/#1 ... 3/37.73651 you can save it as your own route and then download the gpx. Might not be 100% accurate though.
Think I mentioned my Bacup upbringing when we were riding together last year - one of the only positives it left me was a decent-ish knowledge of the trails around the Rossendale Valley
Actually if you copy and paste the address of that route into this page: https://labs.strava.com/gpx-to-route/#1 ... 3/37.73651 you can save it as your own route and then download the gpx. Might not be 100% accurate though.
Re: Lancashire route
signing in was enough for me to be able to get the GPX
Ta
Might try it on the cross bike[dont really know any of it after it hits Darwen]
Dont do the bit across darwen Moor I did it once and the ride is titled the swamp of eternal despair -if i knew how to post the bike of my bike up to its hubs in mud i would.
Its probably only terrible after all this rain but there are easier ways up and over IMHO
Ta
Might try it on the cross bike[dont really know any of it after it hits Darwen]
Dont do the bit across darwen Moor I did it once and the ride is titled the swamp of eternal despair -if i knew how to post the bike of my bike up to its hubs in mud i would.
Its probably only terrible after all this rain but there are easier ways up and over IMHO
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Re: Lancashire route
Yep, there's a few bits of that which won't be any fun in the wet John. The trail over to the tower is a better bet in current conditions but a bit less direct - just tweaked the file to show that.
Re: Lancashire route
Johnny Lazarus
Across Darwen Moor:
(Use OS Map )
Taking Wilton Weavers Way NW ish, past Pasture Ho. Farm, just before Tockholes, turn right, up the hill, over the gate, and when you get to the top there’s a signpost.
Take the track on the left. It is GOOD, very good, thanks to ‘Nigel from Darwen’ whose project it is. It’s an old miners’ track and used to be boggy as buggery... first few hundred metres still a bit diff but rideable, then it’s a beaut. ST with a shale surface....
More later...
Across Darwen Moor:
(Use OS Map )
Taking Wilton Weavers Way NW ish, past Pasture Ho. Farm, just before Tockholes, turn right, up the hill, over the gate, and when you get to the top there’s a signpost.
Take the track on the left. It is GOOD, very good, thanks to ‘Nigel from Darwen’ whose project it is. It’s an old miners’ track and used to be boggy as buggery... first few hundred metres still a bit diff but rideable, then it’s a beaut. ST with a shale surface....
More later...
Re: Lancashire route
do you mean just before i hit the tarmac to go to tockholes?[ Catherines edge - amazing using the OS map learning all the proper names of trails you ride ]just before Tockholes, turn right
will try it - after a dry period I almost always go up lyons den but i believe that road is technically a foot path]
Re: Lancashire route
No not as far as the gate (over which is road)... and besides no need if you’re going into Tockholes to hit the tarmac. 20 feet before the tarmac there’s a gate.... go that way
Back to the theme:
About 200 metres before all that (the gate and the road) there is a track leading up right, it’s that way...
And over a gate, up a bit more, then when it bends left, take the rutted series of... ruts ! Up to the top.
A bit of pushing, but can be (mostly) rideable if dry...
Back to the theme:
About 200 metres before all that (the gate and the road) there is a track leading up right, it’s that way...
And over a gate, up a bit more, then when it bends left, take the rutted series of... ruts ! Up to the top.
A bit of pushing, but can be (mostly) rideable if dry...
Re: Lancashire route
we mean the same place
You still have to do some tarmac your way [ I do know it it is just this ex roadie does not have an aversion to road and that is, IMHO, not worth the effort to avoid such a short section of road.
[sorry OP but we can help now we have helped ourselves
]
You still have to do some tarmac your way
[ I do know it it is just this ex roadie does not have an aversion to road and that is, IMHO, not worth the effort to avoid such a short section of road. [sorry OP but we can help now we have helped ourselves
]