Did San Marino and Great Hill to White Coppice today bloody fantastic runs Great Hill to White Coppice the Garmin was at reading 22 mph at one point 😀

Lots of walkers and I was expecting trouble (riding a cheeky path after all) but had no bother every one friendly. Doing again soon 🙂

Chaps,

Always meant to get round to riding San Marino. Did it today and it is indeed a very entertaining descent. What’s the best way to go at the bottom though. We turned left into Belmont, then left again up rivington road, then left again at the top onto the old Belmont cobbled road which deposits you at the pigeon tower.
Is turning right at the bottom of San Marino better?
The road climb was a bit mleh, and the cobbled road was a bit annoying, but if that’s the best way back round so be it!!!

@MartynS The best route really depends on where you are getting back to! I dont mean to sound facetious but thats the way it is! I hate the cobbled road back to the pigeon tower too – sometimes i would rather follow the road back down towards Rivington Village and then into the carpark (at the bottom of the Ice Cream Run) and follow the trail back up under the 7 arch bridge.

You might want to try this little off road ride out of Belmont rather than taking the road up to the top…

Gareths Mountain Goat Climb

If you do go right at the bottom of San Marino then you could head up Scout Road and then either take Coal Pit Lane back on to Winter Hill or carry on to Walker Fold Woods or Edge Lane.

wittonweavers – Member

@MartynS The best route really depends on where you are getting back to! I dont mean to sound facetious but thats the way it is! I hate the cobbled road back to the pigeon tower too

Good point well made!!
We park at rivi barn so that’s where we go back to. I’ll have a look at your other suggestion as well. Ta!

If you are aiming for the barn and are at the end of your ride then i would just take the road back personally!

Or park in Belmont and have SM as the finish. Great ale in the Belmont Bull too.

The road climb was a bit mleh, and the cobbled road was a bit annoying, but if that’s the best way back round so be it!!!

I hate that road it is uphill in both directions – really awful on a hardtail.

The goat route is very MLEH and only worth doing if you really hate roads

Personally i would climb back up san Marino, even if it meant pushing, as you get in an extra descent and it is quicker.

Hey martyn, long time no see!

Our route, such as it is on a night ride is now san marino x2 then over the style at the bottom, horrible cobble thing then ICR down to the car park then hang a left back up for more cobbled horribleness.

There’s part of me that wants to do ICR x 2 now as well. I’ve never done the Japanese gardens but every time we’ve been up there in anything other than the pissing rain the air has been so think with weed smoke that i’d be worried i’d be off my tits by the time I got to the bottom 😀

The goat route is very MLEH and only worth doing if you really hate roads

I rode up it a couple of years ago and absolutely hated it! Then, a few weeks back I did it again with Turton Mountain Bike Group. I really didnt fancy it but a lot of work has been done on the trail and its now quite rideable and far better than it used to be.

Like most trails in this neck of the woods, its better in the dry!

scaled, try this for an alternative nightride route:
from barn;
up through Gardens and up to Pike;
Pike descent, then past dog kennels to top of Wilderswood;
Descent through Wilderswood (nice fast & rooty);
short road climb back to Georges Lane;
offroad climb from top of Wilderswood to Winterhill access road;
Winter Hill road;
San Marino down then reverse and climb;
Offroad traverse/slight descent from mast to Two Lads;
Dog Kennels descent;
Jap gardens – stairway from heaven descent;
turn left and climb short section of cobbled track to hairpin at end of gardens;
turn right and descend to left of lake then down LHS of gardens (nice techy line and bombhole – way better than ICR IMHO)
memorial woodland back to barn.

That’s my favoured route to link as many good bits as possible into a short ride.

Bear in mind that the kennels run from Two lads is being closed for 4 weeks soon (cant remember the exact dates). Looks like they are going to be sanitising one of the best bits in the area.

From Here to Here

wondered what they were doing …only really the bottom bit is nice IMHO and the rain will trash whatever they do fairly quickly anyway

Not to muddy/wet today – just rode it up and its cracking fun down…less so up.

IMHO the gardens should be avoided due to walkers unless late at night and I dont agree that that descent is better than the ICR it kingd of peters out after the bombhole IMHO

Will be gutted if they ruin the last section of the kennels run, I know it’s only very short but love that run down from two lads to belmont rd.

Looks like they are going to be sanitising one of the best bits in the area.

Is that for sure? Sad news if so.

I saw the signs both sides of Georges Lane but they were a bit vague so I assumed there was going to be work taking place on there that would block off access to the FPs.

I’m only assuming that that is what is happening. cant really think of any other reason why that particular section would be closed.

MartynS
We ususal park just up from the School just on the way to the barn.
Then head all the way up to the Dog Kennels then (up) Dog Kennels to the road up to the mast then San Marino.

At the bottom if we are in for a long one we go left head towards Belmont then right and follow the road to the Witten Weaversway then towards Great Hill or out even further Whitton Weeavers Way to Cadshaw.

For a short one at the road at the bottom of San Marino turn right then follow main road then right up Scout road to the cross roads then right Up towards then across Smithhills Moor across the Moor to the tower again.

Then Dog Kennels (down), Ice Cream run (Down)At the bottom of Ice Cream run go left over stile and little bridge (cheeky run)follow back turn left then right and end up back at the barn 🙂

According to today’s bolton news, Georges lane will be closed for 2 months to allow a water main to be laid from down by wilderswood car park up to the kennels.

The work starts on 20th june. The paper is suggesting that the road will be closed to walkers and cyclists but I’m not sure why that would be the case…

Sorry double post!

Closed section is advertised from wildeswood to kennels so sounds more like work on George’s rather than (god forbid) trail sanitisation. Guess they don’t want walkers and cyclists getting in the way of the works, gonna put a hell of a crimp in any riding, 90% of my local rides go along/across that bit.

Guess they may be bundling some sanitisation while they’re at it but signs just mention access to George’s lane rather than row closures

One hundred

Bloody out of towers coming over here stealing our wunundreds.

Bleedin liberty takers!

Can’t see why a corridor couldn’t be kept open for walkers and bikes.

Gonna make rides up there over the summer a bit of a PITA.

Have to see what actually happens obvs, but I guess it’ll be a push up from the other end of George’s Lane to the masts?

The track from the back of the Pike to the masts was horrific when I tried it once, IIRC.

Possibly tarmacing the road to the kennels???

Not sure why they would do anything to Georges Lane though.

Shocking tactics there from nbt, bloody south manchester types!

I don’t think there’s a great way of getting back from San Marino, other than riding back up it. The uber-cheeky stuff over by Smithills is ok, but likewise drops you out miles from anywhere.

The best bit descent (other than St San Marino) is the lovely track in Shaw’s Wood below the Pike. Ace tight rooty, twisty, necky and definitely possible to have a major spill at 0 mph. I know nbt and a few others know of it!

I couldn’t possibly comment on any of the above 😉 😛

I’ve ridden at Rivington a few times but never know what the names of the runs are called. Looking at the video posted I don’t think I’ve done San Marino. Where is it in relation to the top of Rivington Pike where that big concrete tower is? We normally ride down from there and then on to a grassy field descent. I got the route off Edge Cycleworks. Maybe I should just come out with you lot sometime.

San Marino is the decent from the top of winter hill down towards Belmont. It’s the best decent in the area so you should give it a go 🙂

Although it may now be harder to get to (see about Georges Lane closure above).

Rode it last night, it’s got pretty blown-out so is quite sketchy if taken fast.

I get over there most weeks so drop me an email if you want a ride justatheory.

justatheory you are not riding the best routes

Ride every week – Tuesday night ride and some weekends usually a Sunday

E-mail in profile if you want a guide

Basically head to the mast go past it and as the road bears left look to the ride to the gate and stiles = Belmont descent.

I have marked the descent not the start!!!
Please note ALL OF THE ROUTE IS A FOOTPATH INCLUDING THE TARMAC ROAD TO THE MAST!!
FWIW the descent is clearly part of the old pack horse route to the Witton weavers way

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=366700&y=414765&z=120&sv=366700,414765&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=728&ax=366700&ay=414765&lm=0

I rode on Saturday & there are signs up about the forthcoming road closure saying the footpaths will not have access to Georges.

Make me believe there will be no access for walkers etc 😐

Bolton News item

they must be leaving access for them to get there as well and god bless em for doing it in the middle of the summer 👿

No easy way round that tbh – cut down through the field opposite kennels and down to Wildswood then climb back up that or the hard road climb.

Or Shaw’s Wood singletrack from the bottom of the Pike down to Old Lord’s Height Lane which takes you to Ormstons Farm, then skirt Wilderswood and back up the tarmac to George’s Lane?

Not great timing, but that lane has been snowbound for decent periods between Oct to Apr, so I’d assume that forms some of the thinking behind when the work takes place.

top of Rivington Pike where that big concrete tower is

🙄

Anybody been up Georges Lane today?

Wondering whether it’s blocked now as I was going to be taking some visitors riding up there tomorrow.

Been up today – I know my way a out a bit but which is George’s lane?

The unpaved road that runs below the Pike, from Horwich past dog kennels and along to dove tower.

It is clear but there are some barriers that look like they’ll be going up soon.

They are quite low and flimsy looking though.

😉

indeed they are

Work has started and it looks like it may not be wide enough for a car to pass and they have coned it off but the car at the kennels was still there and nothing to stop cyclists or walkers at present

It looks like you will always be able to get round on the road on a bike [ or over if you really had to ]

Thanks for the update Junkyard.

I’m planning om using Georges Lane on the Monday night pub ride next week so please keep updates coming!

Incidentally i need to get us from where Horrobin Road crosses Rivington Reservoir (near the old school / tea room) and up to the TV Mast. I have it in my mind which route i will take but wondered what suggestions others would give?