Leeds to Blackpool

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Cinq

Active Member
Hi chaps,

Planning a trip on my road bike to Fleetwood in the Blackpool area around the end of this month.

Could anyone recommend a decent route for me? I am virtually 5 mins from the A65 Skipton road and was considering taking this and cutting through lancashire.

My preferences are basically: shortest route possible, followed by quietest route possible and then lastly the most scenic route possible.

I appreciate the last two go hand in hand, but would really like to get the ride done in a day so will put up with some busy roads if necessary. I am only 2 months into road biking but have been riding other bikes for years now and did a lot of bike work in the gym prior to this so am I not completely useless.

Many thanks
 

battered

Guru
Part of a ride I did on Sat is a nice bit of your route. It avoids the A65 and takes you from otley to Ilkley and onto Skipton. No big hills. Head N out of Otley, on to Denton, Nesfield, up towards Bolton Abbey. From there, you'll have to choose. Hope this helps.
 
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Cinq

Active Member
Cheers mate. That would be the route I would head to skipton, A65 incorporates part of that one though. I just don't know that part of lancashire too well so when heading almost due west from skipton I'd be a tad apprehensive!
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
I think Battered has certainly found you the best way out of Leeds.

After Skipton, given that you don't mid a bit of main road - A58 south west to Guisburn (not actually that busy), west on very quiet roads to Bolton by Bowland then Slaidburn, Dunsop Bridge, Trough of Bowland, Dolphinholme. Cockerham, coast road into Fleetwood.

About 80 miles and 6000 feet of ascent from north Leeds.

If you want the absolutely shortest route you could get 10 miles or so more direct, but the Trough of Bowland will turn it into a quality day out.
 
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Cinq

Active Member
Thank you to you both.

I'll have a bit of kit on me as staying with my sister and visiting family over there, although there is the option of transporting this up a weekend earlier making it a much lighter ride.

Am I right in saying I am looking at 80 miles in total from Leeds to Fleetwood? 6000 feet ascent sounds brutally challenging but certainly manageable. I had better get practicing :smile:
 
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Cinq

Active Member
Map my ride says 90.2 miles. I think having it there in front of me on the screen has got me even more geared towards doing this asap
 

postman

Legendary Member
Location
,Leeds
In August 1995 .I put together a charity bike ride .Leeds to Blackpool .

Just been checking the write up .

So heres my route from memory .

Skipton A 59 to Gisburn .Up past meat factory .
Down Sawley Brow right into Chatburn,onto Clitheroe over river to Eddisford pub,turn right then first right up a pig of a hill, Chaigley.

Look out for signs Longridge, head for Goosnargh straight thro' to Broughton Traffic lights and onto Singleton ,Poulton le Fylde and look out for Fleetwood signs .

I would check this out my memory might just pay tricks .But all the best .
 
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Cinq

Active Member
postman said:
In August 1995 .I put together a charity bike ride .Leeds to Blackpool .

Just been checking the write up .

So heres my route from memory .

Skipton A 59 to Gisburn .Up past meat factory .
Down Sawley Brow right into Chatburn,onto Clitheroe over river to Eddisford pub,turn right then first right up a pig of a hill, Chaigley.

Look out for signs Longridge, head for Goosnargh straight thro' to Broughton Traffic lights and onto Singleton ,Poulton le Fylde and look out for Fleetwood signs .

I would check this out my memory might just pay tricks .But all the best .

This one clocks out at 82.3 miles. Although a 'pig of a hill' sounds rather dangerous.
 

bigtoe

Über Member
Hi cinq i used the get directions on google maps and used the walkers route to get me to barley at the weekend to watch the national road race. clitheroe to chipping then garstang to fleetwood as the last bit being a bit rubbishy a better bet would be to head for knott end and catch the ferry to fleetwood loaded bike no problem £2 would knock about 7 miles off your journey and a much nicer run from garstang. I put leeds to knott end in the get directions on google map and it came out at 68miles(walking option)
 

toekneep

Senior Member
Location
Lancashire
I do these roads regularly as I live in Freckleton on the coast. I would go with Postman's route but avoid that Chaigley hill by heading for Bashall Eaves and Cow Ark. That does involve a long but very gentle hill and then takes you onto Chipping where you can pick up routes for Longridge once more. If you have Tracklogs I can send you any number of routes in the Lancashire area.
 

ASC1951

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Cinq said:
Am I right in saying I am looking at 80 miles in total from Leeds to Fleetwood? 6000 feet ascent sounds brutally challenging but certainly manageable. I had better get practicing :smile:
That was a very rough figure from Tracklogs.

It depends what sort of day you want. If you want to go fairly direct on quiet roads, Postman and Piedwagtail have good routes. But if you haven't done the Trough of Bowland, it really is a local classic and I would take the chance to include it.

A couple of years ago I rode over the ToB to Bolton le Sands and back (the next day!) and it's very satisfying to have an objective, rather than just a route.
 
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Cinq

Active Member
I'd be looking at the more direct routes. My aim is to get there in shortest time possible as my intention is to see family but want to save on travel costs!

I will definitely take time out to go through the ToB at some point though. My friend from university used to ride up from lancashire area through there to morning seminars. Said it was beautiful
 
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