Got a good feel for the outdoor stuff that’s available

Any recommendations for pubs, cafes, etc?

The Hark To Bounty in Slaidburn
The Cobbled Corner Cafe in Chipping
The ice cream/coffee van at Sykes in the Trough of Bowland

Some of the greatest road cycling in England round there IMO

agree with the road biking, good lanes and generally quiet.
Off road there’s Gisburn Forest but after that there isn’t alot of other trails. There are few bridleways and alot of the footpaths don’t seem to go anywhere.
Puddleducks at Dunsop bridge is generally good and the cafe by the green at Slaidburn is also a good stop.

There is an off road route can be cobbled together to form a figure of eight between chipping and dunsop, it’s not very technical or thrilling but it’s better than nowt. Then there’s the “dunsop death ride,” I did it a long time ago and it was too much for me, I might think differently now. One foot wrong or clip a pedal in the wrong place and it’s all over!! It’s the ouster rake path down whin fell I think.

Pub wise…. Inn at Whitewell.

Inn at Whitewell is expensive and snooty. If on a road bike you’re better carrying on to Dunsop Bridge. A good ride is from Slaidburn, over the Cross of Greet to Low Bentham then back over Bowland Knotts and thence back via Stocks reservoir to Slaidburn. Superb scenery and nice climbs and descents.

A good ride is from Slaidburn, over the Cross of Greet to Low Bentham then back over Bowland Knotts and thence back via Stocks reservoir to Slaidburn.

A fantastic ride, but not for the unfit!

Check out the elevation gain on this ride I did a while back:

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/323885398

I did Trough of Bowland a few years ago of an evening. It was good, reminiscent of what you’d find in Mid Wales. Not sure a Welsh or Scottish person would call it classic 🙂

Not sure a Welsh or Scottish person would call it classic

The ride I linked to above is tougher than anything I’ve ridden in South Wales…and doesn’t have a single traffic light in over 100 miles.

A good ride is from Slaidburn, over the Cross of Greet to Low Bentham then back over Bowland Knotts and thence back via Stocks reservoir to Slaidburn.

Yes, done that the other way round. Being mobbed by curlews on the Cross of Greet was memorable!