My girlfriend is visiting friends near Hapton/Burnley on Sunday so I’m going to join her for the drive then go for a ride.

I’ve never been that direction, was thinking of getting dropped at Lee Quarry, having a ride round Lee and Cragg then following Mary Towneley Loop as far as A671 then to Hapton on road.

Would that be a decent ride to sample the trails up there? Any ideas how long it would take?

Bump. Any locals able to say if this would be a decent route?

Hiya.
Lee and Cragg’s a good idea.

You can get back over to Hapton, off road and lanes, from Crawshawbooth, just north of Rawtenstall.

Been a while though and the signage can be poor.

In work at the moment, I’ll have a look later and see if I can remember which way the route goes, we missed an unsigned turnoff last time we tried.
I’m sure someone will be along shortly with some proper advice.
🙂

If you come out the bottom of Lee quarry and head through Bacup. Do a left up Burnley road then instead of going up through Weir do another left up Step Row just past Broadclough mill. It’s the old road and bloody steep but fetches you out at the old Deerplay moor pub.
Head on down towards Burnley but pick up part of the Mary Towenley, past Compstons Cross over to Clowbridge reservoir.
Left onto t’other Burnley road for a bit then climb up to the weather station.
Straight on past the the mast and do a right after the gate follow the muddy track and it turns into what looks like a river bed. Probably will be at the minute.
It’s good fun.
That takes you down to Hapton.
Hope that’s clear enough for you. 🙂

Just re read your post.
Just follow Mary Towenley from Cragg to Clowbridge is best. Then up to weather station.

Thanks chorlton. Don’t suppose you’ve got a Strava link that covers any of that?

Straight on past the the mast and do a right after the gate follow the muddy track and it turns into what looks like a river bed. Probably will be at the minute.

Struggling to figure this bit out using Google maps. Is it the lane for New Laithe Farm with the three masts at the top?
If yes, I can’t see where to go right after the gate? Is it to go towards the windmills or to join this track?