Bradford to Chorley
- Thread starter MarkF
- Start date
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ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
What distance would you be happy riding, and with how much climbing?
Do you want to ride the whole way or would you consider skipping the ride out of Bradford and catching the train to (say) Keighley or Hebden Bridge?
Do you want to ride the whole way or would you consider skipping the ride out of Bradford and catching the train to (say) Keighley or Hebden Bridge?
I want to get there in a day, not bothered about climbs, I'll get up, eventually.
I can ride to Saltaire or Shipley stations in minutes and to Keighley station in 30.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
You asked for it then ... I will plot a scenic route for you which takes in as many climbs as I like and takes a big detour! 
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I've come up with a nice route from Keighley to the A6 at Whittle-le-Woods just before Chorley. It is quite lumpy but my preference is for quieter, more scenic roads. If you want an easier, quicker route then there are plenty of A-roads you could choose instead!
Map:
Elevation profile:
Description:
Make your own way to Keighley ... Take the B6265 through Steeton to Cross Hills. Turn left onto the A6068, then soon turn right at Glusburn and climb up to the crossroads on Glusburn Moor. Turn left there for a quick descent into Lothersdale. Pass through the village and climb back up to Bleara Side above Earby. Turn left and descend from Black Lane Ends to the A56 on the north side of Colne. Climb over Colne Edge and descend to the A682 at Higherford. Descend for about a km to the northern part of Barrowford and turn right to take a succession of lovely and very minor roads through Fence over Padiham Heights and down the Old Roman Road to the A671 above Whalley. Take a right to the traffic lights, then left down the hill into Whalley. Turn left at the mini-roundabout in the village and after about a km turn up ahead left and climb to York then descend past Parsonage reservoir to the A666 just north of Blackburn. Go straight over and head to Mellor where you need to turn left and descend to the A677. Turn right onto that and then left after a few hundred metres. 2.7 km later turn left at Nab's head and do a sharp descent through Samlesbury Bottoms to cross the river Darwen, then climb back up and head southwards to the A675 at Hoghton. Turn right there then immediate left and head SW then S to the B5256. Turn right and cross over the M65. Turn left in Brindle and head SW-ish to cross over the M61 at Whittle-le-Woods. From there, take the A6 south to wherever you are headed in Chorley.
I've attached a GPX file of the route for you (or anybody else who fancies any part of that route).
Have fun!
Map:
Elevation profile:
Description:
Make your own way to Keighley ... Take the B6265 through Steeton to Cross Hills. Turn left onto the A6068, then soon turn right at Glusburn and climb up to the crossroads on Glusburn Moor. Turn left there for a quick descent into Lothersdale. Pass through the village and climb back up to Bleara Side above Earby. Turn left and descend from Black Lane Ends to the A56 on the north side of Colne. Climb over Colne Edge and descend to the A682 at Higherford. Descend for about a km to the northern part of Barrowford and turn right to take a succession of lovely and very minor roads through Fence over Padiham Heights and down the Old Roman Road to the A671 above Whalley. Take a right to the traffic lights, then left down the hill into Whalley. Turn left at the mini-roundabout in the village and after about a km turn up ahead left and climb to York then descend past Parsonage reservoir to the A666 just north of Blackburn. Go straight over and head to Mellor where you need to turn left and descend to the A677. Turn right onto that and then left after a few hundred metres. 2.7 km later turn left at Nab's head and do a sharp descent through Samlesbury Bottoms to cross the river Darwen, then climb back up and head southwards to the A675 at Hoghton. Turn right there then immediate left and head SW then S to the B5256. Turn right and cross over the M65. Turn left in Brindle and head SW-ish to cross over the M61 at Whittle-le-Woods. From there, take the A6 south to wherever you are headed in Chorley.
I've attached a GPX file of the route for you (or anybody else who fancies any part of that route).
Have fun!
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
As a Chorley resident can I make a couple of comments.
From Samlesbury Bottoms be sure to stay on Goosefoot Lane to T junction with Gib Lane and Roach Road turning left on Gib Lane at junction.
When you reach Hoghton and junction with A675 I would suggest turning left. Then take third right (still A675) in Riley Green just opposite the Royal Oak. At motorway roundabout take 4th exit A674 Wheelton. Follow this road to Chorley where it meets the bottom of A6 at Hartwood Hall as per Colin's route.
Nothing wrong with Colin's route and as a cycle club we occasionally use to return to Chorley but we prefer my option. In Colin's route Hillhouse followed by Denham Lane is a touch on the painful side.
If you go with Colin's choice just after the right and left in Hoghton the road will be marked "private" but there is no issue in using it. The stretch from Hoghton to A6 needs careful attention to the Garmin, especially after crossing M61.
From Samlesbury Bottoms be sure to stay on Goosefoot Lane to T junction with Gib Lane and Roach Road turning left on Gib Lane at junction.
When you reach Hoghton and junction with A675 I would suggest turning left. Then take third right (still A675) in Riley Green just opposite the Royal Oak. At motorway roundabout take 4th exit A674 Wheelton. Follow this road to Chorley where it meets the bottom of A6 at Hartwood Hall as per Colin's route.
Nothing wrong with Colin's route and as a cycle club we occasionally use to return to Chorley but we prefer my option. In Colin's route Hillhouse followed by Denham Lane is a touch on the painful side.
If you go with Colin's choice just after the right and left in Hoghton the road will be marked "private" but there is no issue in using it. The stretch from Hoghton to A6 needs careful attention to the Garmin, especially after crossing M61.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
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PS I have just remembered some discussion about that 'Private Road' a month or two back. I will have to search for it. Ah, it was HERE.
No problem! I like playing about with maps and was already very familiar familiar with the route from Keighley to Mellor. I had been looking at the roads after that for a potential forum ride in the future. I want to ride to the Commonwealth Games road race course at Horwich. I got a lift over there for the race but have never cycled in that specific area.Yikes!
Many thanks for your time and effort Colin, I'll discuss this with my riding partner.
I'll check out my route vs your suggestions on Street view later. I was just working off the OS map and hadn't taken a detailed look at the last section. I do tend to avoid motorway roundabouts wherever possible though - the fast-moving traffic worries me!
PS I have just remembered some discussion about that 'Private Road' a month or two back. I will have to search for it. Ah, it was HERE.
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
This particular motorway roundabout has high visibility up the Mway exit and towards traffic approaching from further up the roundabout. It's perfectly safe and a quiet exit.
There are several ways to Chorley from Hoghton. We wouldn't use this one if it was dangerous.
There are several ways to Chorley from Hoghton. We wouldn't use this one if it was dangerous.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Fair enough.
I found a nasty one off the M62 coming up from Huddersfield once. It was uphill so I was trying to get started, clip in, and accelerate with traffic bearing down on me. Drivers were braking and swerving - it was a bit scary! (Especially since I had managed to get in the wrong lane ...
)
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I just took a look on Street view at the A675/A674 after Hoghton ... They look busy with fast-moving traffic. Statistically, it might actually be safer to stay on wider roads but I prefer to stay off that kind of road as much as possible. I also checked the lanes that I had selected and much preferred the look of them. Each to his/her own I suppose!
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Colin if you do venture in this direction as mentioned be aware the A6 is the main non-motorway route between Preston and Chorley -it's horrid and best avoided on a bike.
The A675 between Walton le Dale and Hoghton and the A674 Hoghton to Chorley have both been made largely redundant by the M65. Both roads have been re-signed to local destinations only to further divert traffic. Traffic is light on both.
The A675 from Hoghton to Bolton is fast but not busy.
The A675 between Walton le Dale and Hoghton and the A674 Hoghton to Chorley have both been made largely redundant by the M65. Both roads have been re-signed to local destinations only to further divert traffic. Traffic is light on both.
The A675 from Hoghton to Bolton is fast but not busy.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I can't see me ever actually venturing into Chorley or onto that part of the A6. I had looked at my route before as far as the bridge over the M61. My intention was to go round to the Commonwealth Games road race circuit at Rivington, then climb to Belmont and head for home via Ramsbottom. To be honest, I didn't really look beyond the M61 for Mark - I was thinking that he probably knows the Chorley area and could work out the last bit for himself!
Yes, the A6 does look busy. We used to go up that way to Scotland every year for our summer holidays before they built the M6. My dad had a motorbike and sidecar and when I was 18 months old took me, my 6 year old sister, and heavily pregnant mum up the A6 and over Shap Fell where we were caught out in a thunderstorm. My dad got near-hypothermic and had to be thawed out in a pub somewhere after the descent from the Fell!
For my ride I was going to avoid the A6 and go ... Lower Copthurst, cross the A674, Heapey, White Coppice, Anglezarke Reservoir, Lane Ends, Rivington ...
PaulSB
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
Good luck on Moor Road.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I'll be ok going up it, but I will be very careful on the steep, twisty descent back to the reservoir!
