Well it's not so bad really, and although it's not Yorkshire it is up north and therefore better than that there London (unless you want a job doing what I do)

and with Blackpool, Bolton, Man U & City and Blackburn all riding high and Leeds not so, well it can't be all that bad.

Anyway we digress and this weekend I will be visiting the in-laws in Blackpool.

Got Friday all day on my bike, so what to do?

Head up to the lakes?
Ride straight out from Blackpool? (bit flat)
Lee Quarry?
North Wales?
or nip over to the Dales and re-ride my youth?

Its got to be the lake district, your only an hour or so away and the weather is mint here at the moment and looking good for the weekend.

Head up to the lakes?

yep

Ride straight out from Blackpool? (bit flat)

nope

Get yourself over to the Trough of Bowland. Or Gisburn if you want trail centre type riding.
Lee Quarry's not really worth the drive – far better 'natural' stuff round Todmorden/Hebden Bridge if you want to head in that direction…

For a few ideas just mouse-over the flags on the map here

Don't ride out from Blackpool though, you'll be very tired and have wasted most of your day by the time you reach anything worth riding.

How about Garburn from Kentmere

Anybody fancy doing a tour guide role?

Lakes. End of.

Lakes. End of.

I fear this may be the case 🙂

What's Grizedale Forest like?

Other option is to get a map and just go finding stuff.

What's Grizedale Forest like?

Grizedale is brilliant – just ride as many of the bridelways as you can 🙂 I'm leading a ride there on the Saturday…

lots of singletrack. North Face trail is okay, if tame.

I'd say go over to Wheelbase (Staveley) and do Kentmere, either Garburn way or over to Long Sleddale. Then lunch at Wilfs 8)

lots of singletrack. North Face trail is okay, if tame.

I'd say go over to Wheelbase (Staveley) and do Kentmere, either Garburn way or over to Long Sleddale. Then lunch at Wilfs

Ha!, good plan, Wheelbase ain't too far away.

I'll get a map unless anybody knows of a nice online map / route

i promise i'm not making this up:

sitting next to the lad at work, he's from lancashire, just out of curiosity i type 'lanchashire beauty spots' into google.

google replies; 'did you mean yorkshire beauty spots…?'

i had to show him.

disclaimer – i like Lancashire, i really do.

Is that like typing

"french military victories"

into Google and hit the "I'm feeling lucky" button.

A cracking all day big country route from Wheelbase would be Gatesgarth and Nan Beild.

Gatescarth & Nan Bield by lowey.com, on Flickr

If your feeling fit you could even end with Garburn as well.

+1 Shibboleth.

Blackpool to the Trough and Gisburn forest is about the same in time terms as south Lakes and you're less likely to encounter weekend Lakes traffic.

Blackpool to Hebden Bridge is also easy: M55 – M6 – M65 then A646. Loads of good riding there.

How far is that Lowey?

Distance and time?

I'd rather do an 'wild' route than a trail centre

+1 Staveley/Garburn Pass

Tiger, depending on fitness I'd say about 6-7 hours.

Tiger, depending on fitness I'd say about 6-7 hours.

😯

Have you got the number for Search and Rescue?

That's an all day epic! not sure my fitness will hold? I'll give it a go though. I assume it ain't flat? How many miles is that?

Fancy being sick on Friday? 🙂

could park in Kentmere and do a circuit over to sadgill, gatescarth, haweswater and nan bield if you want something a bit less but still get up int' hills. if you have the energry a push up and ride back down garburn…

Its around 18-19 miles. Much ascent though including a brutal carry from Haweswater up to Nan Bield.

ONe of my fav rides though. The Descent from Gatescarth to Haweswater and from Nan Beild to Kentmere are superb.

Forecast is looking good too. Shame its Friday or I would have joined you.

aye, nan bield to kentmere is supurb. love the top section from the shelter.

Lowey; the wife has just cleared me for Friday or Sat, so if you do fancy it, I could ride Sat otherwise I'll go for it on Friday as it may be a bit easier on the roads.

Sorry mate, but Sundays are my days.

The route is dead easy to follow if you have a modicum of map reading ability. The forecast is for clear weather so you will be fine.

Enjoy, its a great route.

If your feeling fit then after the climb up to Whiteside End, instead of descending to Ullthwaite Bridge, carry on to High Borrans, then up past Dubbs and over Garburn. Proper lakeland epic.

I'll take photos and report back

🙂

planning 🙂

lol… its easy to follow but if your struggling give me a shout.

Lancashire is the cradle of civilisation. I hope you get a puncture for that insult. Or two.

I hope you get a puncture for that insult. Or two.

us Lancashire folk rise above such petty slights! And bricks for wheels is a fair exchange, innit ?

Us East Lancashire folk respond with extreme violence. You will be held down whilst a rabid clog wearing ferret is forced down your trousers.

Reaaaaaaaallly…..

yeeeeeaaaahhhhh….

ooooooooohhhhhhh…

righhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhtttt..

Anyway, Lancashire will only be my base as Cumbria is calling 🙂

Just remember that parts of 'Cumbria' are really Lancashire anyway …..

It will nice to be back up north, I'm really looking forward to the openess and the hills. Swinley is good but growing up in t'Dales means I'm really looking forward to tomorrow now.

and proper Beer…

Black Sheep
Jennings
OP

🙂

I've just bought a house back in Lancashire. 300yds from a Jennings Ales pub and in the other direction is another real ale pub, but that is at least 350yds away!

Many….many….many years ago I did a tour of the Jennings brewery and the only thing I remember is they were the only ones to have a women as the Master Brewer.

I'll have to concede that there's some good beer in Yorkshire : Copper Dragon, Timmy Taylors, Black Sheep etc. Mind you, as a true Lancastrian I am partial to a pint of Thwaites Wainwright.

Well I did this on Friday and weather was glorious.! Nice ride and enjoyed it so thanks for the suggestions.

also hit 500 miles on my bike (got it March)

Glorious day for it mate. Glad you liked the route.

We were up on High street Yesterday in similar weather.

IMAG0199 by lowey.com, on Flickr