England : Lancashire Whalley - Glasson Dock. A scenic 103 km loop, *DATE CHANGE* SUNDAY 3rd April, 2016

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ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
*** RIDE PUT BACK A DAY DUE TO BAD WEATHER! ***

Time for my next scenic forum ride!

Some of us have done a 103 km loop from Whalley (near Blackburn) to Glasson Dock (near Lancaster) & back several times over the past few years and we have always enjoyed it so I would like to do it again this year. @Littgull is kindly driving me to the start and back and several of my friends may be interested in joining us. I'm hoping that some more CycleChatters will fancy it too. To save myself some effort, I will copy and paste some details from a previous edition of the ride below ...

This year's ride will take place on SUNDAY, 3rd April 2016, leaving Spring Wood, Whalley at 10:00.

The ride involves one big climb and several smaller ones, some steep. 103 kms is about 64 miles, so the ride is not really suitable for absolute beginners but you should be ok if you have recently tackled a hilly ride of (say) 65 km/40 miles and not collapsed at the end of it!

The route takes in the glorious Trough of Bowland. From the summit, it is mainly downhill to our cafe stop at Glasson Dock on the Lune estuary. We will return to Whalley via Longridge, Ribchester and Billington.

Here is the profile.
Whally-Trough-Glasson-Longridge-Whalley profile.gif


Here is a small scale map of the route:
emergency-map-trough-forum-ride-29-3-14-gif.36018.gif



For those of you with GPS devices, I have created 3 GPX files. The OUTWARD LEG (Spring Wood - Trough of Bowland - Glasson Dock), the RETURN LEG (Glasson Dock - Longridge - Spring Wood), and the two linked together into COMBINED ROUTE FILE (Spring Wood - Trough of Bowland - Glasson Dock - Longridge - Spring Wood).

We come back 7.5 km along the outward leg after the cafe stop and that might look a bit confusing on your GPS screen if you try using a file for the full ride so you have the option of switching smaller files at the cafe stop, which is what I will do.

NB These are very detailed tracks which enable you to work out accurate distance and elevation data. I know from past experience that many GPS devices 'choke' on GPX files containing that many points so I highly recommend that you check that your device is okay with the files. If it isn't, you will have to use my files as a guide and plot simpler tracks just showing the turns using your mapping software or route mapping websites.

Meet at Spring Wood picnic centre car park off the A671 above Whalley [MAP] by 09:40 with a view to setting off at 10:00 sharp. If you are late, we will have already set off so you would have to chase after us using your GPS or a map for guidance ... i.e. DON'T BE LATE! Note that there is a 2 metre height restriction on the car park and they now have a pay & display machine. Last time I was there it was only £1, but bring a bit more change just in case.

Usual CycleChat forum ride rules apply - nobody left behind (IF YOU ARRIVE ON TIME TO SET OFF WITH US!), wait at the top of hills for others in your group. The rides are not fast and are more about chatting, laughing and scenery, so don't come if you are desperate to average more than (say) 10-12 mph. I guess that the 103 km loop will take 7-8 hours including the cafe stop. The clocks will have gone forwards by then so you should not need lights (sunset will be 19:43).

I'll keep track of who is planning to ride and will post updated lists below from time to time.

So ... post below if you fancy joining us. ALL WELCOME! :hello:
 
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MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
I might do Lancaster to Glasson Dock...

here's the profile:
______________________

:biggrin:
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Gti Junior and I might be interested as long as the weather looks OK. We probably live the nearest to the start point - it's about 20 minutes riding from home. Will see if my cycling buddy wants to come as he actually lives in Whalley.

The road that passes the Inn at Whitewell is closed thanks to a landslip in the woods but cyclists can get through; for about a mile we have private use of the road.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Gti Junior and I might be interested as long as the weather looks OK. We probably live the nearest to the start point - it's about 20 minutes riding from home. Will see if my cycling buddy wants to come as he actually lives in Whalley.

The road that passes the Inn at Whitewell is closed thanks to a landslip in the woods but cyclists can get through; for about a mile we have private use of the road.
If the weather were going to be REALLY bad then I would postpone the ride. I don't do the riding in epic bad weather thing! I can put up with drizzle, but it's a big NO to torrential rain and gales ...

I like that road through the woods at Whitewell so I am glad that we will still be able to get through.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I'll have to give this one a miss,It's the girlfriends birthday that weekend.
Hopefully be able to do the Cheshire 200k later in the year though
Ok, Paul. I need to agree on a date with @Littgull for the Cheshire 200. I have 4 major things to do on Saturdays in June, and 4 weekends to choose from so I need to work out which order to do them in!
 
Actually, I could probably include Sat, 30th May, so I have 4 things to do and 5 Saturdays to choose from!

Regarding the Cheshire 200 , I think the 30th May is a Bank Holiday Monday (not a Saturday). I'm unlikely to be free that weekend. But the first two weekends in June (Sat/Sun 4th/5th and 11th/12th) are looking ok. Beyond that in June I have familt commitments.
Is the Cheshire 200 an audax or is it the ride Colin and I did last year with a few other forum chums who joined us on route? We did that ride on Saturday 27th June 2015 (just consulted my diary). It was superb. we clocked 129 miles in total.

Apologies, if I've clogged this thread up about an unrelated ride.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Regarding the Cheshire 200 , I think the 30th May is a Bank Holiday Monday (not a Saturday). I'm unlikely to be free that weekend. But the first two weekends in June (Sat/Sun 4th/5th and 11th/12th) are looking ok. Beyond that in June I have familt commitments.
Is the Cheshire 200 an audax or is it the ride Colin and I did last year with a few other forum chums who joined us on route? We did that ride on Saturday 27th June 2015 (just consulted my diary). It was superb. we clocked 129 miles in total.
It's the rerun of the one that we did. I'll pencil in Sat 4th June for it with the option of putting it back by a week if we get unlucky with the weather.
 

skudupnorth

Cycling Skoda lover
Put me down as a possible Colin,i will consult the boss to make sure all is clear that day. I have not been to Glasson for many years and it would be nice to see it again. I can ride up to Whalley and start with you all and then maybe peel off down the A.6 on the return leg.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Put me down as a possible Colin,i will consult the boss to make sure all is clear that day. I have not been to Glasson for many years and it would be nice to see it again. I can ride up to Whalley and start with you all and then maybe peel off down the A.6 on the return leg.
Good man! (And pencil in the Cheshire ride too, if there is any chance of you joining us for that again.)

Confirmed riders:
  • ColinJ
  • Littgull
Possibly joining us:
  • Bill (pal of mine)
  • Globalti, Gti jnr, plus pal
  • skupupnorth
  • MontyVeda (Guest appearance at Glasson Dock?)
 

skudupnorth

Cycling Skoda lover
Good man! (And pencil in the Cheshire ride too, if there is any chance of you joining us for that again.)

Confirmed riders:
  • ColinJ
  • Littgull
Possibly joining us:
  • Bill (pal of mine)
  • Globalti, Gti jnr, plus pal
  • skupupnorth
  • MontyVeda (Guest appearance at Glasson Dock?)
Definatly planning to be on the Cheshire ride again, loved every mile of that one........and the cake stop ! :birthday:
 
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