England : Lancashire Whalley-Glasson Dock-Whalley, Sat 8th August, 2026. 103 km

[ColinJ]

***** ColinJ's forum rider tag list *****
Fellow forum riders, I am planning another ride!
@colly, @neil_merseyside, @Sea of vapours, @Domus, @Julia9054, @Spiderweb, @Slioch, @EasyPeez, @Kestevan, @Venod, @Soltydog, @NorthernDave, @Buck, @si_c, @videoman, @FrothNinja, @Vantage, @Dadam, @Jameshow

If anybody wants their name to be added to the list, let me know.

(If anybody wants their name to be removed, let me know, but... )

NB Make sure that you have enabled tag alerts in your account preferences - HERE (tick 'mentions you in a message')

(Yes, I know some are already signed up for this ride, or can't make it, but I copy and paste the list from one ride to the next so I don't want to edit it.)
************************************

My pal Bill and I will be doing THIS (click here) scenic Lancashire loop from Whalley to Glasson Dock and back on Saturday, 8th August, 2026 (subject to good health and acceptable weather - PS and an upcoming family funeral not being arranged for that weekend).

If you would be interested in joining us, sign up below, and watch out for updates.

I will add more details over the next few days, but that's enough for now - sunny Devon lanes are waiting for me!

 

[ColinJ]

Actually, it is 104 km - I forgot to start and finish at the picnic centre!

But now in between, because I am still fiddling with it... Er, approximately 103 km/64miles.

 

[ColinJ]

I am still hoping that the ride can go ahead on the 8th of August, but it is possible that I might be attending a family funeral that weekend. I am waiting for the date to be decided. I will confirm the date of the ride or postpone it as soon as I can.

 

[ColinJ]

This is looking like it might only the second time in nearly 20 years that no other CycleChat riders join me for a forum ride!

I will still have my pal for company but it will be disappointing if he is the only other person to come on the ride.

Are you all busy with family summer holidays that day?

 

[colly]

Sorry Colin the 8th is the day I'm off on me hols with the family. I've only just seen this but it's not possible.☹️☹️

 

[ColinJ]

Sorry Colin the 8th is the day I'm off on me hols with the family. I've only just seen this but it's not possible.☹️☹️

It could still be postponed, so check back here. It will be on a Saturday but I can't confirm which one until the date of the funeral has been set.

 

[Dadam]

Sorry @ColinJ I've only just seen this thread as I was browsing the forum rides section. For some reason I didn't get a notification when you tagged me 🤷‍♂️
I just checked alert settings and I do have "mentions me in a message" checked for "alert" so I don't know what the forum's playing at.

That aside this does look a nice ride albeit a long day with the travel. It's a 1.5 hr drive or 3 hours on 3 trains (!)
You can pencil me in but I'll have to confirm nearer the time depending on energy levels... not so much for the ride but for the potentially hideously (for me) early start and long day.

 

[ColinJ]

I was just saying to my sister that I bet a lot of people are not getting notifications! I am not going to start phoning around hassling people to see if they are interested so that is a real nuisance...

If anyone happens to be chatting to anybody on my tag list, please draw their attention to this thread in case they missed it!

I will be available to do the ride as planned on the 8th of August. (The funeral I mentioned above is now confirmed to be taking place before the end of July.)

It's a 1.5 hr drive or 3 hours on 3 trains (!)

I strongly suggest that you forget the rail option - There is a good chance that at least one of them would be late or cancelled, and 3 hours is crazy anyway!

Yes, it would be about another 45 minutes of driving beyond Hebden Bridge, so 90 minutes sounds right.

I hope that you can make it.

 

[Dadam]

There's nothing else going on that weekend at the moment so I've pencilled it in. This one will probably not be an unassisted ride!

 

[ColinJ]

There's nothing else going on that weekend at the moment so I've pencilled it in. This one will probably not be an unassisted ride!

The first half has three big hills, one easy, the other two much harder. The return is easier though it still isn't flat. The motor will come in handy!

 

[Pennine-Paul]

Count me in for this one,the gout that I developed in late May has finally subsided to the point that I can ride without pain.
Be riding the Singlespeed,Hills will be walked (well some of them!)
Anyone know if the carpark is cash only?

 

[ColinJ]

That's good news!

I think that the car park is £1/day and payment is by card or phone only. If there is any problem paying, just nip across the traffic lights by the entrance and park free on the RHS of Accrington Rd on the way down into Whalley. The handy thing about the car park is that there are toilets there, but there also others at the back of the bus station in Whalley.

If you can manage gradients up to (say) 7% on the bike then you would only have around 600 m to walk on both of the 2 main climbs and could cope with most of the rest. I think if you had to walk everything over (say) 4% then there would be too much walking because there would be hours worth of that.

Do you have an alternative bike, just in case, or could you lower the gear ratio on your singlespeed?

 

[Pennine-Paul]

I've set the singlespeed up up to be quite spinny at around 46 x 19
I did this route years ago,I almost cleared the Trough but was having to zigzag across the road and then a range rover came down and I ground to a halt 100 metres from the top,I was much younger and lighter then so I'm not expecting to clear it
I've got a 2 speed brompton ,but thats set up for shopping duties so quite undergeared

 

[ColinJ]

I was just a bit worried that your gout might flare up resulting in you having to hobble for hours, and us having to wait for hours!

If you think that all should be well - go for it!

If you (or anyone who might be worried doing the second half of the ride) got to Glasson Dock, but were really struggling by then, you could always nip along the cycle path to Lancaster station and go back to Whalley by train. It would be about £12 without a railcard or £8 with, and take around 90 minutes.