Just to let you know what is going on ...
I had a heavy cold which kept me off the bike for 17 days. It has left me with some breathing problems. Apparently, this is quite common for people like me, recovering from serious lung problems.
I have done 2 bike rides since the cold, but had to shorten both of them to 13 miles because I wasn't feeling good.
So ... It looks like I will have to spend some time building back up to longer rides. Assuming that happens fairly quickly, I will try to do this Bowland ride in about a month or so. I will post again below when I think I am up for it!