Scenic Forest of Bowland forum ride,108 km (67 miles) from Waddington, Sat 21st August 2021.

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It's been raining here all day, almost without stopping, so we'd definitely have been caught in it. Nothing serious, but not conducive to a pleasant, relaxed trundle around.

Ah- I didn't think of checking anything quite as local as the village web site. That's most encouraging then. Incidentally, if you happen to notice that Mewith Lane is closed then whilst that is true, we can get through. I know this since I did so on Thursday. No chance in a car though.

If Carrie comes along, does that mean you get a lift? Oh - presumably not, otherwise the last train time thing would not still be an issue. I trust you'll be encouraging her to arrive with a bike that doesn't need major repairs before the ride starts this time, as well as on time! It was on the last one that she changed the entire drivetrain at 3 Peaks Cycles before we set off, if you recall .

I'm still favouring Monday too.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I can't see the forecast of a week of good weather changing in the next 24 hours, so let's agree on Monday then.

Incidentally, if you happen to notice that Mewith Lane is closed then whilst that is true, we can get through. I know this since I did so on Thursday. No chance in a car though.
That's lucky!

I really ought to be a bit more thorough checking routes for roadworks, but... I can't be bothered to! :laugh:

Normally we can squeeze through or find a short detour.

Mind you... I did a ride with @Littgull out over the Cross of Greet once and we saw road closure signs on the way out of Slaidburn. We ignored them and ended up coming to a long stretch of freshly laid tar which was still wet and waiting for the stone chips to be spread and rolled in. That was after a couple of km of surface that hadn't set properly yet. Our bikes were covered in sticky crap by the time we eventually got off and walked along the grass verge. The alternative would have been to double back and do a massive detour over Bowland Knotts.

If Carrie comes along, does that mean you get a lift? Oh - presumably not, otherwise the last train time thing would not still be an issue.
It would be a pretty significant detour for her to pick me up. She lives just above Keighley so the obvious route is to take the A629 to Skipton, then the A59 to Clitheroe.

I trust you'll be encouraging her to arrive with a bike that doesn't need major repairs before the ride starts this time, as well as on time! It was on the last one that she changed the entire drivetrain at 3 Peaks Cycles before we set off, if you recall .
Well, I always encourage her to (get someone to) look after her bikes but often it ends up being later rather than sooner... :whistle:

Yes, it would be somewhat annoying if her bike packed up again. If something serious happened to the transmission again I would offer to turn it into a singlespeed for the day, like this...

I was in a group of about 30 riders on the Costa Blanca. We had just hit a small hill and were starting to power our way up it when we heard a loud noise and a stream of expletives coming from the back of the group. A rider had just tried to change gear and his gear hanger had broken, sending his rear mech into the wheel. Several spokes were broken, his mech was hanging down into the wheel and the chain was mangled. We were about 30 miles from our hotel, in the middle of nowhere.

Between us, we managed to take off his rear mech, shorten the damaged section of chain and turn his bike into a singlespeed for the ride back, and straighten his rear wheel enough to make it rideable with the back brake slackened off.
... or suggest a DNF!
 
Location
London
The notice that I found about the West Bradford road closure was on the Waddington village website. The notice has not been updated so I assume that it is still correct that a temporary footbridge will be provided.

My deep cover northern moles tell me that the works, still in progress, are passable by bike - up a pedestrian path that then rejoins the road on the Waddington side of the bridge.
 

geocycle

Legendary Member
Just to note chaps, I couldn’t get along Mewith Lane today. I ignored all the road closed signs but when I got to the closure it was indeed impossible to pass. seemed to be resurfacing one of the undulating sections where it comes close to a stream. At the point I arrived the work was in full flow and no verges to edge safely around So turned back to Bentham. Fingers Crossed they’ve finished for you.
 

geocycle

Legendary Member
Here’s the problem area. The obvious way round is via Bentham, just don’t think about the return gradients when you freewheel into Bentham! They might have finished or moved on to a section where you can squeeze through.

605492
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I've just discovered something interesting...

I was curious to know how much further it is to go West Bradford -> Waddington -> Clitheroe station, rather than West Bradford -> Clitheroe station (bypassing Waddington).

I tried to get Memory Map to autoroute from West Bradford to Waddington (being lazy, to save a few mouse clicks!) and it refused to do it direct. It kept doing u-turns and going via Clitheroe. It must be using an online database that knows about the road closure!

I knew that it was 'aware' of permanent closures such as Calderbrook Road near Littleborough, which closed years ago due to subsidence undermining the road. I didn't know that it 'knows' about temporary closures. I'll find some more and check those too...

Hmm... It isn't showing the problem with Mewith Lane mentioned by @Sea of vapours so it looks like Memory Map's database is not fully up to date.

@geocycle has just posted while I have been typing...

I just Street Viewed Bentham, having never been through it before. My reaction was 'easy to get into and harder to get out of'! The B-6480 looks like it might have fast-moving traffic on it at times? I'd prefer not to do the climb on that road if possible, so perhaps we should try the original route and see if the roadworks situation has improved? If not we could turn back and go down the nice unnamed lane to Station Rd, do the main road bit, then use Greystone Gill Ln and Buffett Hill Ln to get back on course.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
I have also just spotted a road closure at Marshaw Wyre after the descent from the Trough of Bowland. We know that cyclists can often get through such works, but if we really couldn't then that would be a real problem. The detour involved would be enormous and take too long. Fortunately, at that location there is a wooded verge which we ought to be able to walk our bikes along even if the road were completely dug up.
 
Uh oh - I sincerely hope they've finished the Mewith Lane works today. Assuming it's the bit I came to a few days ago, they were putting a large pipe across the road so there was about 2/3 of it fenced off and a narrow walkway to the side. i.e. 'get off and walk for 4-5 metres. With luck, they were finishing the 'fill in and resurface' bit today. Don't worry about the detour in traffic terms, Colin. The road is only 'busy' at rush hour and we'll be there mid-afternoon. It's not problematic at any time (and I'm not keen on traffic, so the bar is low here). If we did need to turn back then it would be into Bentham the way you said, straight along the B6480 and then turn off if to Clapham Station. Dropping back into the valley and up to Mewith Lane again is fairly unappealing and it's pretty quick the way I've said. It would add 10-15 minutes though.

I'm tempted to drive over and have a look .... Then again, I don't want to have to reverse a long way if it's closed so maybe not.
 
I have also just spotted a road closure at Marshaw Wyre after the descent from the Trough of Bowland. We know that cyclists can often get through such works, but if we really couldn't then that would be a real problem. The detour involved would be enormous and take too long. Fortunately, at that location there is a wooded verge which we ought to be able to walk our bikes along even if the road were completely dug up.
This is getting ridiculous! If the roadworks marker is correct for that one then it's just before a house on the the north side of the road and there's a wall. On the other side, it appears to be directly above a small stream, which suggests 'reinforcing culvert under road' or some such. I can't see that being terminal, but only because I'm pretty sure we can walk about 5m into the wooded area and step over that small stream. Not appealing, but hard to imagine it being actually impossible. On the upside, it's about time that road had some repairs!
 
Aha! Good news:
https://www.lep.co.uk/news/people/m...lley-route-to-be-closed-for-six-weeks-3331501
The key words in there are: ' .. a safe route through the closure will be available at all times for pedestrians and cyclists.'

Phew.

EDIT: Later on the following appears in that article:
'A diversion suitable for all vehicles including HGVs will be signed from Dunsop Bridge via Whitewell, Inglewhite and Oakenclough to Marshaw, though local traffic may be able to find shorter routes. '
It's alarming to think that anyone would choose to take an HGV along that road unless for access in the first place! I've never met anything large along there in numerous trips.
 

gbs

Guru
Location
Fulham
Colin, sorry but too many conflicts on yr new August dates. How about a 3 day period in September with selection of DD at DD-2. i would take a chance on that and book travel and hotels.
 
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ColinJ

ColinJ

Puzzle game procrastinator!
Carrie can't make it either - her van is in for its MOT and a friend is calling round to see her.

@Sea of vapours and I have decided not to mess about going to see if the roadworks are passable so he has come up with a diversion from Wray. He has also inserted a little scenic detour further on. I have attached the new route below. This one is 113 km in length.

Colin, sorry but too many conflicts on yr new August dates. How about a 3 day period in September with selection of DD at DD-2. i would take a chance on that and book travel and hotels.
I'll think about it once this ride is over. I'd certainly like to get out there again before the autumn sets in. I would come up with a different route for next time though. It could be harder, easier, or about the same level of difficulty. Probably just over 100 km.
 

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