This is Lancashire Gravel is a 114Km ride that used to start around the corner from my old house, some 16+Km away from where I now live, so 114Km + 32ishKm = a good day out, only I haven’t ridden over 100Km since last September, this is going to hurt, but mentally I’m in a good place.
The route has been on as a social quite a few times, usually in winter, so to ride it on dusty trails is a new challenge however the sunshine and lack of chill won’t go amiss.
I rode up down the old tram way, grabbed a maccies muffin and coffee, waited outside the railway pub and had second breakfast.
The ride wasn’t as busy as past events, possibly COVID, possibly post lockdown catching up, everyone was keeping to their own bubbles and on this ride I encourage everyone to spread out before the canal even before global pandemics.
Once we crossed the train line it was into drops and head down time, stupidly I decided to catch a tow and join in the “fun” this pace lasted all the way to Haigh Hall where I let the pack drop me and I decided that despite feeling broken I was having a great time, just drop down a gear or two and enjoy the ride. I decided not to stop and eat at Haigh Hall, I had plenty of food in my bags, chomped on a cherry bakewell flapjack and plodded on towards Blackrod.
The ride is a ride of two halves, once you get off the canal, there’s some singletrack and the climb into Haigh, before climbing towards Blackrod and the big hills hit, despite having only just over 1000m of climbing, this is all in the second half and really help your legs to wake up if they haven’t already.
Whilst the scenery on the canal is great, you can’t escape the beauty that is Rivington and the views you take in, the more you climb, the more you can see and also, the more descents you get to do.
It’s been so long that I have last been up Rivington that there’s a new café on Georges Lane, a black coffee was ordered, along with some chocolate flapjack eaten whilst enjoying the views.
One of the toughest parts of this ride for me is the Witton Weavers way following the A road out of Belmont, it was mainly a false flat and is very lumpy, this time round was no exception either, I was suffering badly with cramps and sore hands, however I was really enjoying myself whilst physically falling apart. I think for the first time in a long time I new I was knackered and instead of getting angry with myself, I accepted this and was just bloody pleased to be out cycling, this mental retune of my mind was a wonderful feeling.
As I felt my fatigue set in, I kept eating and drinking and quickly found my second wind, the best feeling when having a tough time is coming the other side and finding your legs again.
Some great downhill in Tockholes, a beautiful track past white coppice and smiling as I see the cricket on again it’s back onto the canal before cycling through Curden Valley and finish at Hewitts. I call in and have a quick catchup, grab an energy gel to get me home then slowly plod back the way I came.
All in 147Km cycled, about 90 miles.
The TCX is below and at the foot of the page is a Ko-Fi link, I spent about a year compiling this route on and off, I love creating routes and putting stuff together, if you want to buy me a brew I’d appreciate it.
One reply on “This is Lancashire Gravel”
Hi Mate- Great loop! I have lived in Australia for a long while, but initially from Oldham. I often get back and I mtb over the tops as often as I can -Pennine Way; Mary Townley loop etc, but keen to do this route. I am back this year again in mid-July for a couple of months. Would it be possible to hook up and do this route with you one day? I have mates back home who would come along too. Drop me a line as a first point of contact at my email address and hopefully catch up. Cheers …Haggis