ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
*** RIDE PUT BACK A DAY DUE TO BAD WEATHER! ***
Time for my next scenic forum ride!
Some of us have done a 103 km loop from Whalley (near Blackburn) to Glasson Dock (near Lancaster) & back several times over the past few years and we have always enjoyed it so I would like to do it again this year. @Littgull is kindly driving me to the start and back and several of my friends may be interested in joining us. I'm hoping that some more CycleChatters will fancy it too. To save myself some effort, I will copy and paste some details from a previous edition of the ride below ...
This year's ride will take place on SUNDAY, 3rd April 2016, leaving Spring Wood, Whalley at 10:00.
The ride involves one big climb and several smaller ones, some steep. 103 kms is about 64 miles, so the ride is not really suitable for absolute beginners but you should be ok if you have recently tackled a hilly ride of (say) 65 km/40 miles and not collapsed at the end of it!
The route takes in the glorious Trough of Bowland. From the summit, it is mainly downhill to our cafe stop at Glasson Dock on the Lune estuary. We will return to Whalley via Longridge, Ribchester and Billington.
Here is the profile.
Here is a small scale map of the route:
For those of you with GPS devices, I have created 3 GPX files. The OUTWARD LEG (Spring Wood - Trough of Bowland - Glasson Dock), the RETURN LEG (Glasson Dock - Longridge - Spring Wood), and the two linked together into COMBINED ROUTE FILE (Spring Wood - Trough of Bowland - Glasson Dock - Longridge - Spring Wood).
We come back 7.5 km along the outward leg after the cafe stop and that might look a bit confusing on your GPS screen if you try using a file for the full ride so you have the option of switching smaller files at the cafe stop, which is what I will do.
NB These are very detailed tracks which enable you to work out accurate distance and elevation data. I know from past experience that many GPS devices 'choke' on GPX files containing that many points so I highly recommend that you check that your device is okay with the files. If it isn't, you will have to use my files as a guide and plot simpler tracks just showing the turns using your mapping software or route mapping websites.
Meet at Spring Wood picnic centre car park off the A671 above Whalley [MAP] by 09:40 with a view to setting off at 10:00 sharp. If you are late, we will have already set off so you would have to chase after us using your GPS or a map for guidance ... i.e. DON'T BE LATE! Note that there is a 2 metre height restriction on the car park and they now have a pay & display machine. Last time I was there it was only £1, but bring a bit more change just in case.
Usual CycleChat forum ride rules apply - nobody left behind (IF YOU ARRIVE ON TIME TO SET OFF WITH US!), wait at the top of hills for others in your group. The rides are not fast and are more about chatting, laughing and scenery, so don't come if you are desperate to average more than (say) 10-12 mph. I guess that the 103 km loop will take 7-8 hours including the cafe stop. The clocks will have gone forwards by then so you should not need lights (sunset will be 19:43).
I'll keep track of who is planning to ride and will post updated lists below from time to time.
So ... post below if you fancy joining us. ALL WELCOME!
Time for my next scenic forum ride!
Some of us have done a 103 km loop from Whalley (near Blackburn) to Glasson Dock (near Lancaster) & back several times over the past few years and we have always enjoyed it so I would like to do it again this year. @Littgull is kindly driving me to the start and back and several of my friends may be interested in joining us. I'm hoping that some more CycleChatters will fancy it too. To save myself some effort, I will copy and paste some details from a previous edition of the ride below ...
This year's ride will take place on SUNDAY, 3rd April 2016, leaving Spring Wood, Whalley at 10:00.
The ride involves one big climb and several smaller ones, some steep. 103 kms is about 64 miles, so the ride is not really suitable for absolute beginners but you should be ok if you have recently tackled a hilly ride of (say) 65 km/40 miles and not collapsed at the end of it!
The route takes in the glorious Trough of Bowland. From the summit, it is mainly downhill to our cafe stop at Glasson Dock on the Lune estuary. We will return to Whalley via Longridge, Ribchester and Billington.
Here is the profile.
Here is a small scale map of the route:
For those of you with GPS devices, I have created 3 GPX files. The OUTWARD LEG (Spring Wood - Trough of Bowland - Glasson Dock), the RETURN LEG (Glasson Dock - Longridge - Spring Wood), and the two linked together into COMBINED ROUTE FILE (Spring Wood - Trough of Bowland - Glasson Dock - Longridge - Spring Wood).
We come back 7.5 km along the outward leg after the cafe stop and that might look a bit confusing on your GPS screen if you try using a file for the full ride so you have the option of switching smaller files at the cafe stop, which is what I will do.
NB These are very detailed tracks which enable you to work out accurate distance and elevation data. I know from past experience that many GPS devices 'choke' on GPX files containing that many points so I highly recommend that you check that your device is okay with the files. If it isn't, you will have to use my files as a guide and plot simpler tracks just showing the turns using your mapping software or route mapping websites.
Meet at Spring Wood picnic centre car park off the A671 above Whalley [MAP] by 09:40 with a view to setting off at 10:00 sharp. If you are late, we will have already set off so you would have to chase after us using your GPS or a map for guidance ... i.e. DON'T BE LATE! Note that there is a 2 metre height restriction on the car park and they now have a pay & display machine. Last time I was there it was only £1, but bring a bit more change just in case.
Usual CycleChat forum ride rules apply - nobody left behind (IF YOU ARRIVE ON TIME TO SET OFF WITH US!), wait at the top of hills for others in your group. The rides are not fast and are more about chatting, laughing and scenery, so don't come if you are desperate to average more than (say) 10-12 mph. I guess that the 103 km loop will take 7-8 hours including the cafe stop. The clocks will have gone forwards by then so you should not need lights (sunset will be 19:43).
I'll keep track of who is planning to ride and will post updated lists below from time to time.
So ... post below if you fancy joining us. ALL WELCOME!
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