Anyone done any riding in the Forest of Bowland and care to share route ideas? Drove through at the weekend and saw a couple of bridleways off to the right just past Dunsop Bridge. Checked the map when I got back - whats it like round there, worth a trip over?
Thanks
I remember doing a good circuit around there, stayed at the Hark To Bounty pub... its got a sauna and everything... great riding but its really peaty on the tops and in wet weather will be a bottomless swamp.... a surprising area with good riding and trails..... one section I remember is a diagonal descending path with a mahoosive drop on the right.....
One for the dry I reckon..
[url= http://www.bogtrotters.org/route/showrouteframe.php?route=61 ]Dunsop Fell[/url]
best avoided except during a big freeze or after at least 2 weeks without rain :o)
Ouster Rake... Just north of Dunsop Bridge will be the drop in question 🙂
Nothing to see/ride around here......
Move along now.
Mark,Ouster Rake doesn't exist....its an illusion... 😉
Gaz
and here isn't a picture of it:
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Cheers Simon (and rickmeister) - I thought you might have some ideas. If you think its a boggy ride then it must be! - shall save it for the dry or next big freeze.
I'm doing some research in the area at the moment, I often ride in by bike. The drop on Ouster Rake is indeed severe and pretty worrying when it's wet and muddy (all the time). Lots of good bits of track generally linked by quagmires.... Beautiful part of the world though, and overlooked by most as it's not as easily accessible as parts of the Dales etc. I'll be there on Weds, no doubt it'll be pissing it down as usual. Just grab an OS and link the bridleways and byways.
And here isn't another picture of Ouster Rake,with one of my mates 'not' riding down it
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Looks like ouster rake is rubbish then - I won't bother :wink:.
As Simon above said avoid when wet, there is some great riding but it is a watertable......unsure if that is the correct term.....but holds water, some of the peat bogs are deep. But it is a great area but limited bridleways.....booo
IIRC,12/18 months ago,a local lad fell off the top of Ouster Rake down into the valley below.
Mountain Rescue had to call on the services of the RAF to airlift him out with a SeaKing 'copter.
I must admit that I always struggle riding it,especially about 1/2way down where you're riding in a deep rut,that is just about wide enough,but narrow enough for you to catch your pedals.
A damn good challenge tho!!
If wanting to do Ouster Rake I would combine it with ride over Mellor Knoll [url= http://www.southlakesgroup.org.uk/2007photogallery/photos3rdnov2007.html ]Click here to see photos[/url] of ride South Lakes Group did in 2007. The other classic route is the Salter Fell track or the Hornby Road you can see photos of this route [url= http://www.southlakesgroup.org.uk/2008photogallery/photos13thapril.html ]by clicking here[/url]