Up north..100 mile ride to the coast and back

[SlowerThanASluggishSloth]

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I'm interested in a hilly Hebden ride, too. Obviously a lot can happen between now and the 20th (?) but I enjoyed the last run so much I'd be keen to meet up with you guys again

 

[ColinJ]

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I'm interested in a hilly Hebden ride, too. Obviously a lot can happen between now and the 20th (?) but I enjoyed the last run so much I'd be keen to meet up with you guys again

It's very last-minute Mike, but if you are free tomorrow (Sunday, 6th March) - check out the Goose Eye Grovel thread!

 

[Ajay]

There is a good cyclists' cafe at Scorton at the 73 mile point

Agreed, I was in there yesterday, it's certainly a nice stop, a bit posher than your average cyclists caff and..... it's got a bar!! www.theprioryscorton.co.uk

ColinJ, I know that you're the Route-Meister-General, so I'm not looking to tread on your toes, but if I could throw in my 2 penneth of local knowledge:

You pass very close to Beacon Fell http://www.visitlanc...ntry-park-p1730 (north of where the fig of 8 route crosses), I'd suggest you take it in, especially if you guys dont get up this way often (and its a clear day) great views for very little extra effort.
Once you get down onto the Fylde you could tweek the route a little and go via Elswick and Bonds Ice Cream Bar http://www.bondsofelswick.co.uk/ lovely cafe and fantastic homemade ice cream, well worth a detour!
I'd love to join you all, but I'm due to be out with a couple of old pals on the friday, so I probably wont be legal to drive to Whalley, let alone ride a ton, maybe I'll be able to meet up for an ice cream (or pint)!

 

[ColinJ]

You pass very close to Beacon Fell http://www.visitlanc...ntry-park-p1730 (north of where the fig of 8 route crosses), I'd suggest you take it in, especially if you guys dont get up this way often (and its a clear day) great views for very little extra effort.

I've been over Beacon Fell a few times and I took a couple of forum rides that way for the very reasons you have stated. Unfortunately, in this case I am under strict instructions to minimise hills, and even though Beacon Fell isn't huge, it is still a significant hill!

I'll organise another ride later in the year to take in Longridge Fell, Beacon Fell, the Trough of Bowland, and Waddington Fell. Hopefully you will be able to make that one!

Once you get down onto the Fylde you could tweek the route a little and go via Elswick and Bonds Ice Cream Bar http://www.bondsofelswick.co.uk/ lovely cafe and fantastic homemade ice cream, well worth a detour!
I'd love to join you all, but I'm due to be out with a couple of old pals on the friday, so I probably wont be legal to drive to Whalley, let alone ride a ton, maybe I'll be able to meet up for an ice cream (or pint)!

You'll have a full day to recover AJay - the ride is on Sunday 27th!

I could certainly reroute the ride through Elswick without increasing the distance or hilliness. The ice creams would probably go down well if it was as sunny as it was today.

Any comments about the bit between Lytham and Fleetwood? I don't know it but it sounds as though quite a bit of it is promenade which we can ride on. I know that bits of Blackpool promenade are closed. I'd like to stick as close to the sea as possible and away from heavy traffic where possible.

 

[ColinJ]

Okay, I've rerouted the ride for ice creams at Bonds of Elswick and taken out some twiddly bits elsewhere to bring the distance back down to 101 miles. Here you go - this route is the one including the ferry over the Wyre.

I've also plotted an alternate route in case we miss the ferry or it isn't running due to rough seas. I've put the route up on Bikely here. It is 102 miles.

 

[ColinJ]

I've worked out a 50 mile option!

If you would like to come along on the ride but only feel up to riding 50 miles, you can ride out to Blackpool with us and then return to Whalley on the train for £11.

Depending on which train you catch from Blackpool North, change at Preston and Blackburn, or just Blackburn.

 

[Pennine-Paul]

If you would like to come along on the ride but only feel up to riding 50 miles, you can ride out to Blackpool with us and then return to Whalley on the train for £11.

That sounds like a good plan,I'd love to ride a century one day and this gives an easy bail out if I dont
feel up to the return leg

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

That sounds like a good plan,I'd love to ride a century one day and this gives an easy bail out if I dont
feel up to the return leg

just join colinj on the train, something will break...it usually does......

 

[ColinJ]

just join colinj on the train, something will break...it usually does......

Don't tempt fate! (I must start carrying those spare spokes ...)

 

[skudupnorth]

Oh yeah bring it on !!! Hope the ferry is running,i've not been on that since i was in shorts......bugger i'm still wearing shorts !!!

 

[potsy]

Hey!! don't nick all the train spaces, I might need one of those

Shaun- seem to remember it was your bike falling to bits last time we did Trawden

Colin was picking bits of it up and putting them in his pocket

 

[ColinJ]

Hope the ferry is running, i've not been on that since i was in shorts......bugger i'm still wearing shorts !!!

I contacted the ferry company last week!

The ferry from Fleetwood will run once an hour on the hour on that day, subject to safe weather conditions.

The charge is £2 for cyclists (strictly £1.50 per pedestrian plus 50p per bike, so I assume two riders plus a tandem would only cost £3.50?).


They warned me that there are some steps to go down, so watch out if you use Look (or similar) cleats that stand proud of the soles of your shoes.

 

[skudupnorth]

I contacted the ferry company last week!

The ferry from Fleetwood will run once an hour on the hour on that day, subject to safe weather conditions.

The charge is £2 for cyclists (strictly £1.50 per pedestrian plus 50p per bike, so I assume two riders plus a tandem would only cost £3.50?).


They warned me that there are some steps to go down, so watch out if you use Look (or similar) cleats that stand proud of the soles of your shoes.

Cannot wait,should be a good ride......is it fixed friendly ? might come out to play on the Boardman

 

[ColinJ]

Cannot wait,should be a good ride......is it fixed friendly ? might come out to play on the Boardman

It is very fixed-friendly! I'm not saying that there are no challenging little lumps to get over, but the highest point on the ride is only at 523 ft. About 90 miles of the route is flat or downhill. Most of the remaining 10 or 11 miles isn't steep.

Here's another look at the profile (there could be a few minor differences in the flat section depending on whether we catch the ferry or not, diversions in Blackpool etc. but the lumpier bits at either end should be accurate).

The route isn't nearly as hilly as that profile makes it look. You need to look carefully at the scales on the axes. I exaggerated the vertical scale to make the lumpy bits more obvious. On one of my hilly routes, the hills would go up to nearly 1,500 ft!

 

[skudupnorth]

Should be no problem with the Boardman then,bit of a ride up the the meeting place and then the big one !