7th September 2014 ride to Long Preston (Page four)

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A rose hip

A view of Stocks Reservoir from the Causeway.

Wild flowers at side of the road on the climb up to Bowland Knotts.

A information board at summit of Bowland Knotts

A view looking from Bowland Knotts towards the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The view looking back down towards Gisburn Forest from summit of Bowland Knotts.

Stopping for eat up, with another 12 miles to go before getting back to Halton.

Ride Report by Simeon Orme Well it was post to be first ride of the Where’s the Brewstop? Cycle touring group but like quite a few South Lakes Group rides that I led in past few years it was just me with my camera and bike, its going take a bit of time before there some regular riders on these rides but the reason for starting new group up is that I just got fed up of amount of car assisted rides or in my case van assisted rides that I have been doing of late but don’t get me wrong car assisted rides are valuable tool for cyclists to explore new area a bit further away from home but with the price of fuel continuing to go up its becoming a luxury which not everyone can afford to do every weekend and I sooner spent money on a coffee and cake at local cafe which is far better way of pumping money into local areas that we visit. Anyway for those live a bit further a field from North Lancashire, Halton Station is a few minutes driving time from Junction 34 of M6 with free car parking and there good cycle touring ride which ever direction you go from the station, with two Areas of outstanding natural beauty on the doorstep and with in about hour riding time there also two National Parks to explore which in my view makes North Lancashire one best area in England to start ride from. Anyway as you guess there no one waiting for me at Halton Station, I did not hang about, I was soon heading up the cycle path to Bull Beck where I join the A683 then few miles later on, I turn on to the B6480 which followed for the next few miles until I got pass Wennington, I then followed the lane through Moss House Farm which as some interesting old farm buildings which is worth stop a few minutes to admire from the road in my case take a few photos. From there it was about half mile of tarmac bashing before turning on to first track of the day, the public way to Old Wennington, the track was quite dry and with some good views of the local area. I was soon in Old Wennington where I cross over the county border into North Yorkshire and followed the lanes up the Greta Valley to Ingleton for morning brew and cake at Inglesport Cafe. After my brew stop, I headed out of Ingleton on the Old Road and got chatting to family for few miles who had caught the train up to Ribblehead and riding back to Skipton, they soon drop me on the ride down to Clapham. I headed through Clapham, then the short bridleway along the A65 before following the lane into Austwick where I pass couple doing the Way of Roses. I then headed through Austwick before following the Pennine Bridleway up to Feizor. From Feizor I followed the bridleway over to Buck Haw Brow where I rejoined the tarmac again for some more road work through Giggleswick and Settle. In Settle I pick up the Pennine Bridleway again, its a bit of climb up Mitchell Lane out of Settle but lane soon turn into track and I was soon following the Pennine Bridleway over Hunter Bark, it had been few years seen I last did this track, there good views in what ever direction you look on this track, I soon stop for lunch at bench at side of the track with good view of the Ribble Valley. After lunch, I followed the track which soon turn into tarmac down into Long Preston, after crossing over the A65, I headed out of Long Preston on the B6478, after crossing over the River Ribble via Cow Bridge I decided to rejoin the Pennine Bridleway and followed it over to Halton West, it was quite a easy section to do mainly on white road but fore section around High Scale Farm which takes you through several fields around the farm before heading over to Middle Laithe Farm, I must admit that I had look at the map a few times check where the bridleway was going on this section but after that it was easy ride into Halton West. From Halton West, I did a bit road work following the lanes towards Wigglesworth before heading towards Gardenmakers Tearoom near Mere Syke for afternoon brew. After looking at the map in the tearoom, I followed the lanes up to Tosside where short section on B6478 before heading along the lane into Gisburn Forest where I did detour to look at Forest Den Cafe at Stephen Park which open at Weekends from 10am to 4pm, I was a bit late to try out the cafe but its worth knowing about and from Stephen Park I did about mile on the forest cycle track to get me back on to the tarmac for the big climb of the day up and over Bowland Knotts Pass, it quite hard climb up to summit of the pass but worth it for the views and then it was fast ride down to Keasden where I headed along Mewith Lane back down the Wenningdale stopping part way along for eat up before following the lanes over to Wray and then the tarmac back down the Lune Valley to Halton. You can click here to see photos of 14th September ride to Dent or you can checkout the What’s New Page to see what’s new on the site and you can also sign up for site’s free weekly newsletter