I’m thinking of a nice loop to do on my CX bike.

I would like to do a loop from Baildon, up to St Ives, over t’moor to Widdop Resevoir, and then over the back to Burnley (all very nice riding)

However then it appears to be either of case of roading it back of Colne to Crosshills, and back along the canal, or following the Canal from Burnley, all the way round to Skipton and then back to Baildon.

Roughly how long would it take to ride the canal from Burnley to Skipton, and roughly how many miles is it?

Or am I missing some off road route back from Burnley ish area that would be more fun?

Ta

Pennine bridleway through Wycoller, follow to Earby and then follow dismantled railway back to Skipton?

The canal would be around 30 -40 min to colne, but I would go down gorple right into worsthorne crooked billet pub facing you turn right up past rogerham gate pub and at next left hand bend turn right a few hundred yards up there then left down some steps through river and follow path up to a farm track keep heading up till you meet road turn right and follow road for a mile or so till you reach the top of the hill and it drops down a bit to a bad bend turn right and bridleway to wycoller is there as previously mentioned

Thanks for the advice, I will try and work it out using online OS maps. On my current OS map I am struggling to see BW’s from Worsthorne area to Earby.

Would I actually be better on the mtb, rather than CX bike for the stuff through to Earby?

has the old railway been opened up to bikes at last. ?

Ah that could blow that route out as an option…

Not 100% that the rail line is “officially” open as a right of way, but it is in common usage with; walkers, cyclists and horse riders. I’ve ridden it a few times and prefer it to the canal as a route to Skipton.

The Pennine Bridleway is pretty well signed and comes off the Mary Towneley loop as you head towards Burnley from Widdop res. Most of it is pretty new trail, there is some good directions on the Pennine Bridleway website.

do you know about bikehike?. you can plot your route on that and save the file.

answering your question, 25 miles burnley to skipton, so 2hours? barnoldswick to skipton is nearly all on grass.

Chudsy – I’ve found this coincil document on the web from 2008 ish…

A feasibility study into converting the section of the old railway between Earby and Skipton was carried out by Sustrans for Craven District Council in 1998. Much of the route between Skipton and Earby is in private ownership and the bridge over the River Aire is missing. It is unlikely the route would be a priority for North Yorkshire, though Yorkshire Forward has helped fund cycle paths.

When was the last time you rode it?

I’m planning on doing the ride this week, and I dont fancy doing a lot of hard work getting over that way to find I need to then add another 20 miles or so to go by the canal…

When I have looked on ariel mapping some bits look like you have to go through industrial estate type areas or farm yards. I dont mind a bit of cheeky trail, but I dont want to have to turn back half way along 🙁

BA – Thanks for that, not seen it before. Marking the route it made it approx 60 miles and 7000ft of climbing 😯