Favorite back roads

[Richard A Thackeray]

The first isn't exactly a back-road, but...
Lotherton Hall to Towton, in either direction (a lot of the traffic has gone, due to the A1 & A64)
Top of 'Mary Pannal, turning right at the lights, onto Back Newton Lane, & heading into Ledsham
Newthorpe (where 'Squires' is), over Gorse Lane, towards South Milford (past Steeton Hall), then Westfield Lane, onto Butt Lane, into Lumby

I really like Widdop Road between Slack (above Hebden Bridge) and Thursden (above Colne). I don't have my nice summer photos to hand, so here are some winter ones instead ...
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Given the changeable weather up there, that could be summer!!

 

[Globalti]

I love this short section of Moor Lane, which runs along the top of Whalley Nab between Blackburn and Whalley. The beech woods are beautiful and the lane flat so you can just cruise along with little effort enjoying the patches of sun and shade. Heading east you are about to drop down Whalley Nab itself, a great descent you can fly down straight into the village.

https://goo.gl/maps/mg6AA416f5H2

 

[ColinJ]

Given the changeable weather up there, that could be summer!!

Indeed!

 

[ColinJ]

I love this short section of Moor Lane, which runs along the top of Whalley Nab between Blackburn and Whalley. The beech woods are beautiful and the lane flat so you can just cruise along with little effort enjoying the patches of sun and shade. Heading east you are about to drop down Whalley Nab itself, a great descent you can fly down straight into the village.

https://goo.gl/maps/mg6AA416f5H2

That is one stretch of road that I haven't ridden yet. I usually ride up Whalley Old Road but Whalley Nab is on my to-ride list in that area, along with Birdy Brow and Jeffrey Hill. I plotted a route which takes in about 10 tough climbs there - those 3, Nick o'Pendle both ways, Black Hill to Padiham Heights and so on. I might tackle the ride later in the year if I feel fit enough!

 

[Globalti]

You're always welcome over our side, Colin!

 

[ColinJ]

You're always welcome over our side, Colin!

I have a ~100km ride planned from Whalley for 20th May. Out via Slaidburn and Cross of Greet to a cafe at Wray, then back via Bowland Knotts and Gisburn Forest. If you are free, you'd be welcome to join us. I will adding the extra distance from Todmorden in the morning and back in the evening to make the distance up to 100 miles.

 

[Globalti]

Might be able to make it - that's the day between returning from a trip to FYR and going to York for the Cyclist magazine track day. We'll have to see what Mrs Gti says and how tired I'm feeling.

 

[ColinJ]

FYR ... Is that the Former Yugoslav Republic (of Macedonia)?

 

[Globalti]

In my case Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and finishing across the EU border in Hungary, a whistle-stop tour covering over 2000 kms in five days. This year I've booked to hire a decent car with big wheels to make lighter work of all those empty motorways with perfect tarmac.

 

[mjr]

This year I've booked to hire a decent car with big wheels to make lighter work of all those empty motorways with perfect tarmac.

Well, it'll be perfect after your big-wheeled hire "car" has been past:

 

[clid61]

Out of Puerto Pollenca in Mallorca us the 'garden route'. Lovely views, smells and plants.

Then the road to Caimari is equally beautiful.

Could fall out with some people lol , love that route but it's not my back yard lol !

 

[Aravis]

A borderline case, perhaps, as it's a B-road for part of its length, but my nomination is the Lambourn Valley road heading north-westwards from Newbury.
I grew up in Kingsclere, 7 miles south-east from Newbury, and after riding there it very often came next. Nowadays it's not quite so close to home.

Yesterday evening I was travelling back from Newbury without time pressure, and the road was quiet enough to drive at cycling pace (if you're Bernard Hinault). I stopped at the Ashdown House car park to brew a cup of tea (how middle aged) and took a few pictures:

It was a pleasant, warmish, sombre evening. I saw one cyclist, just approaching Lambourn on the way down, in full helmetless touring set-up. Lucky chap.

Seeing the sheep and sarsens put me in mind of a whimsical opera by the English composer, Harrison Birtwistle, Yan Tan Tethera. Amongst my planned rides I have one that will take me over from Wantage and through this part of the valley. With a little tweaking I should be able to make it come out at 123 miles. No question, this has to happen.

 

[Blue Hills]

The wilds of the Cambridgeshire/Essex/Hertfordshire borderlands will never compete on hills and rugged grandeur with some of the above, but this road IMO is one of the very best for miles around. Coploe Hill between Ickleton (Cambs.) and Catmere End/Strethall (Essex).
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View attachment 347273

is that on a sort of ridge? If so I think I may have ridden it, once at night, then in the daytime, on a return ride from Upminster to Cambridge.

 

[robjh]

is that on a sort of ridge? If so I think I may have ridden it, once at night, then in the daytime, on a return ride from Upminster to Cambridge.

Yes, effectively, or it certainly feels like it. It is at the northern edge of the chalk ridge that runs NE-SW here and eventually becomes the Chilterns, and once on the top here, as shown in the photo, you cross wide open fields and feel like you're on the highest point for miles around. The northern (Ickleton) end of the road has a sharpish incline where the ridge meets the plains.

 

[Blue Hills]

thanks for the reply rob - yes pretty sure that was it.