So here's the thing.

My OH and I are relatively new to MTBing, probably still measured in months rather than years. Skills-wise we're improving, we've successfully tackled a lot of Blue graded routes at trail centres (we've done four of the 7 Stanes, Coed Llandegla, Gisburn Forest, etc etc) and had a blast without any serious incident. We've also done an amount of random XC stuff, and we're keen to improve.

However, we're limited in certain areas due to health issues. Without going into detail on a public forum, big long uphill slogs are problematic. With all day to go at it's not an issue, but it limits us when we want to just bob out for an hour.

We seem to live in an area that's turning into a bit of a mountain-biking mecca, which is great, but we're increasingly finding that trails are springing up that we're just not ready for yet. We scoped out Billinge Woods the other day with the idea that it might make a good 'first red' and frankly it was bloody terrifying. Tonight we went for a reccy at Cragg Quarry (and saw loads of bikers, hi if you passed us); we didn't even make it to the quarry, we got about halfway up and had to make a tactical withdrawal.

So the question I have is, can anyone recommend somewhere to go after work for a couple of hours that's a bit more interesting than the blummin' canal towpath but doesn't involve driving halfway across the country and isn't going to kill us? Trail centres, bridleways, something else?

Thanks in advance.

If you need to build fitness, you need to ride bikes. You don't have to drive half way across the country to ride, you can ride from your front door if you know your local area. Where do you live in East lancs? Best bet might be to ask your local bike shop for some advice on local routes, then it's just a case of sitting down with the map and working out how you can chop and change the routes to make something that's doable.

I know where you;re coming from on the health issues thing, Mrs NBT suffers from CFS and we do have to plan rides to account for her state of health: sometimes we nip out for an hour, sometimes we're out for 6. Sometimes we overdo it, but that's another matter. Luckily for us, we've been riding the trails round here for the best part of ten years so we know how to get the best out of our time and can plan a route that will keep us entertained no matter how long we have. You just need to get to know your local trails so that you can do the same. Good luck.

but you don't say where in East Lancs…
Gorple Road
Hebden Bridge
Edenfield
Rivington
Darwen Moor
Great Hill
Haworth
Bingley Bash

Loads of trails in east lancs, I live in rossendale and natural trails are all over the place, give a bit more info of what area you are in and I am sure you will get some advise.

Are you happy reading maps? There are some really easy rides in the Yorkshire Dales you could try, not too far from East Lancs. Loops that you can build on and extend over time? If you want to email me for some ideas my email is in my profile.

Btw there's an easier way up to Cragg Quarry. Have a word with the landlord of The Buck. he will point you in the right direction. HTH.

Specifically, I'm in Accrington.

Cragg Quarry – I spotted a map on another forum which showed two routes to the site, allegedly a short, steep one and a longer, easier one. We took the latter, I shudder to think what the difficult one is supposed to be like. (I'll see if I can find the link)

Asking a LBS is a good idea, thanks for that.

OH is a map geek, so we're reasonably happy following maps, but we've not had a lot of luck with tracks we've found being particularly bikeable so far.

I live on a dirty great big hill on a main road, so riding direct from the door has its own reward. (-: "If" you know your own area is a big if; I tore up the place for years on a Raleigh Boxer when I was a kid, but retracing my steps now and a lot of my old haunts are impassable on foot, let alone on bikes. Things change in twentymumble years.

I'd agree with both of those comments though; we need to dig out maps more and through caution to the wind; problem is, riding in the evenings doesn't leave a lot of margin for error when experimenting.

This is great though guys, thanks. Any more for any more?

The map and directions I used to (fail to) get to Cragg Quarry is the one posted by StumpyJon here (backed up with Google Maps to find the pub, and an OS-a-like overview from streetmap.co.uk

Cougar, I have loads of route cards I have saved from magazines – I can pull out some gentle Yorkshire Dales routes and send them to you, drop me an email. All the routes are rideable out of the ones I have in mind, they are well ridden trails that I ride week after week.

Sweet, that'd be great. Ta.

Um. How the geoff do I view profiles here?! (-:

Ah – I can catch you on Twitter. Followed.

accy ride

rossy up and down via crag quarry

See a couple of rides from map my ride, the second in rossy takes you up to cragg quarry the best way, up the rooley moor road, its a nice little leg strecher

Ah, that's awesome. Thankyou (-:

I've just moved from Accy… There's loads to be had – even if you just barrell out over The Coppice behind Whitikers…

Hameldon was always good fun..

You can head out to Ozzie along the canal, and head up to the hills there.. Or, just head out over onto the Grane Road and explore??

Yeah, we've done a few miles on the Leeds – Liverpool, it just gets a bit samey after a while.

Grane is a stellar idea – I'll do a bit of mapping. I think what we need to do is earmark weekends for trailblazing and experimenting, rather than trying to be clever after work and coming unstuck.

Um. How the geoff do I view profiles here?! (-:

click "member" next to the poster's name

I'd agree with both of those comments though; we need to dig out maps more and through caution to the wind; problem is, riding in the evenings doesn't leave a lot of margin for error when experimenting.

Experimenting is half the fun. Distance doesn't always mean a great deal as long as you enjoyed getting out and exploring

Cragg Quarry – I spotted a map on another forum which showed two routes to the site, allegedly a short, steep one and a longer, easier one. We took the latter, I shudder to think what the difficult one is supposed to be like. (I'll see if I can find the link)

The blue route is FAR easier but it's still not an easy climb by any means. The red is far steeper, don't think I've ever managed the entire climb in one go. More than that though I don't really see Cragg Quarry as being worthy of a driving to in order to ride, at least not just yet: there are a few trails in there worth playing on if yo;re passing through, but nothing to merit a specific trip. Lee Quarry just down the hill maybe worth a trip, on the other hand – did you confuse the two?

Couger, do you have memory map ? I can knock you together some easy routes around rivi and darwen and send them over.

Have you tried Blackburn and District Mountain Bikers ?

click "member" next to the poster's name

Oh good grief. *facepalm* thanks.

did you confuse the two?

Confuse Cragg and Lee you mean? No, we've been to Lee Quarry before. Not ridden it yet, but we went on foot last year to check it out.

do you have memory map ?

Theoretically, though it'll be an old version and I'm not 100% it's even installed (it was on a PC which is now ostensibly a media server and not much else). I've been meaning to get it sorted out though, hold that thought.

Threshfield Moor (Common?) and Winterburn Res. area has some good routes that aren't massive ups and downs. Some of it has been made all weather and there are lots of intersecting bridleways, so routes can be made short or longer. It's just in the Dales, so out in the wilds. There is a guidebook for Southern Dales mtbing, which might be worth getting.

Tried up around Crown Point (between Accy & Bacup). There's some reasonably easy trails around the ridge line.park at Clowbridge resevoir, bit of a climb up (pushable in 10 mins) and then there are a range of tracks you can pootle around ranging from pretty smooth to a bit rocky. I use it as my evening 1 hr quick blast coming in from the other direction. Couple of bridleways and the Mary Townley Loop can take you further afield to.

Google Maps link

I would second stumpyjon.

There are some great natural trails up and around Crown Point, Hambeldon Hill and Higher Withins

You lot rock. That is all. Thank you so much.
Love, Cougars other half.

cougar and loulouk – you have mail (to Cougers email address) re route maps in the Dales.

Cougar I also live on the huge hill in accy, loads of riding to be done round here, I ride over coppice then over moleside, down into rising bridge then up green haworth then home. Takes an hour and is good for stretching the midweek legs, weekend rides without driving, accy to holcombe tower, accy over to cant clough reseviour and round pennies way.