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?
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!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.
Fair enough.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.
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!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.
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!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.
I'll be ok going up it, but I will be very careful on the steep, twisty descent back to the reservoir!Good luck on Moor Road.