am going to stay in clitheroe for a week soon, taking the bike, local knowledge is always best, any recomended loops etc from clitheroe– much appreciated inadvance–cafes’ n pubs also…..

Literally hundreds of routes, as long as you like hills :). Care at Barley is nice and so are the waitresses 😉

I can send you some Garmin loops later. What mileage and hilliness?

have an OS map forest of bowland — no gadgets– mileage 50 – 80 day–don’t mind shorter ones– was just going to use the map, but thought there is much more knowledge/advice on here– hilliness don’t bother me, just twiddle away– but like to keep off busy main roads– no fun ..

got to say , what a great area for cycling– didn,t feel pressured by any motorists–there are many cyclists round those parts, shows what happens when cycling is seen as a normal activity. Rode a few of the climbs, nick o pendle-steep but relativly short, trough o bowland same , cross of greet was a more satisfying climb, some great lanes and scenery tp match!

For a bigger loop, go Padiham, Burnley, Nelson, Colne then over the moors towards Howarth, then turn right at Stanbury up reservoir road and drop into Oxenhope, then right and over to Hebden Bridge, then to Todmorden, then right again through Cliviger back to Burnley, Padiham, Sabden and Clitheroe.

I rode a cracker for this you could buy the book and save me from poverty ..or just download the GPX routes for free and my kids will starve. The route ticks most of the local classic climbs..and really is a bugger.

thanks for that dave– will put your book on my xmas list– one of the great things s to make your own ‘routes’– preferably away from busy roads- that capture the soul of an area….topography stylee.. 🙂

Try Waddy Fell, Trough of Bowland then hang a left towards Scorton then left again for Chipping & Longridge. Or alternatively head towards Bolton by Bowland, Long Preston, Kirby Malham hang a left to Settle & then head home.

I rode the Le Terrier Sportive last month. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/323885398

Not a single traffic light on the entire route!

Cafes – Cobbled Corner in Chipping and The Priory in Scorton. Both exceedingly cycle friendly – generally crammed full of old boys on their skinny steel frames they’ve had forever but who can still knock spots of youngsters on superlight carbon racing frames…

mmm The Cobbled Corner is okay but grumpy at times and the Priory isn’t really a cyclist cafe any more (long story…) – you’re better off in The Barn over the road.

The cafe in Waddie is good, as is Dunsop bridge, Wray, Abbey and Bendicts in Whalley…

Head to the local cafes
Country Kitchen waddington or the Old vicarage at Tosside or the tea rooms Bolton By bowland. Find them and you will have found some good routes to get there

not a cafe as such but fine coffee and cake to be had in the green Jersey cycle shop in clitheroe– by football ground , even open sunday 10 til 2 –ate in dunsop bridge,pricey but good, also in clapham, next to the outdoor shop– decent cafe. Also re affirm the country kitchen comes recommended– but the old guy i met in slaidburn with his flask and cake had it right really…..

Waddy fell, over cross o greet–clapham, settle and back via sawley, alternative to waddy fell is going over via grindleton, down to slaidburn, all good round that way though !

Love it round there – got married in Slaidburn a couple of weeks ago. Decent cafe and pub in the village.

I’ve done Le Terrier as well but only the 45 mile route. The climb up from Quernmore past Jubilee tower is a killer.

I’ve done Le Terrier as well but only the 45 mile route. The climb up from Quernmore past Jubilee tower is a killer.

Jubilee Tower is merely an amuse bouche to get the blood circulating. Try Roeburndale with 90+ miles in your legs! Jeffrey Hill, Bowland Knotts and the Cross O’ Greet are also tests.

I found Cross O’ Greet fairly straightforward but Roeburndale is brutal at the best of times let alone after 90 very hilly miles. Not sure if I’ve done the others.

Most of Jubilee tower is fine but there’s a very steep hairpin that always seems to take it out of me.

mmm The Cobbled Corner is okay but grumpy at times and the Priory isn’t really a cyclist cafe any more (long story…) – you’re better off in The Barn over the road.

Hmm, moved away from Preston a few years ago so not really ridden that way for a while, sad to hear…

Jeffrey Hill

Go up then come back down and see what speed you can hit – had 80kph down there in the past, just remember to leave plenty of time for braking to shed all that speed before you hit the left hander at the bottom…

I found Cross O’ Greet fairly straightforward but Roeburndale is brutal at the best of times let alone after 90 very hilly miles. Not sure if I’ve done the others.

I found Cross O’Greet much easier from the Bentham side than from Slaidburn, for some reason. Bowland Knotts goes out of Stocks reservoir (by the Gisburn forest mtb circuit) and straight up over the big hill in front of you. There’s a terrific view of the Yorkshire Dales from the top.

Many many routes of various lengths recorded on me Strava wotsit.

You’re never too far away from a decent cake/brew stop round there 🙂

(Or somewhere to burn off said cake grovelling up a hill)

Up to Settle and then on to Ribblehead viaduct , great views on a clear day

Think you come back to Settle on the same road though.

Went out by the Knotts and back by the Cross last night. Not many views 🙁