England : Lancashire Whalley - Glasson Dock. A scenic 103 km loop, *DATE CHANGE* SUNDAY 3rd April, 2016

[Littgull]

Excellent!

I was looking for a decent cafe round there. What is the one at the foot of Sheep House Lane like?

If we do stop there, I think we will come out and ride from Rivington to Horwich and back to get our legs working again before tackling the climb to Belmont!

The Rivington route sounds great, Colin. There is a big cafe/gift shop at Rivington called Great Barn. The food is very good and tangles from tasty hot snacks to hot meals. It gets packed but the service is quick. It's very popular. I would strongly recommend take a bike lock. Not that the clientele are particularly dodgy but the bikes would likely be way out of sight and opportunist passing thieves would know that.

 

[lpretro1]

Don't bother with the Great Barn - always too busy and not cheap. The best is the Rivington Tearooms which is right at the junction where Sheep House Lane arrives in the village - there is a great place to put back round back on left of cafe entrance

 

[doughnut]

Rivington Barn has good food (hot, cold, cakes, etc) though expensive and busy. Probably around half a mile from the bottom of the hill. There is another cafe right at the bottom of Sheephouse Lane, its an old church hall I think, not sure what its called - bit more basic but plenty cyclists stop there while contemplating the climb.

Chorley Grand Prix (British Cycling Elite Road Series) was last Saturday - a 116 mile race made up of 5 laps of a circuit. Each lap included a run up Sheephouse Lane and over the top to Belmont. I think its on Eurosport tomorrow night (Thursday) so you should be able to see what's in store. Fingers crossed the weather will be better - I was at the finish line and during that last lap I think if someone had thrown a bucket of water over me I wouldn't have noticed.

 

[skudupnorth]

Well sadly I am out of this weekends jolly due to my little angel doing a gymnastics thingy ! Absolutely gutted as it was going to be my first big ride this year. Sorry to let you down Colin, I always like your interesting rides.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm still up for this Saturday. Let's see how they're forecasting it (Saturday) tomorrow before calling it off. Like i said, i don't mind the odd shower but not like yesterday's 55 mile ride from Whalley to Feizor near Settle and back. As we got about 7 miles into Yorkshire the rain became relentless, though a bit warmer now that Winter's gone. I said to the bloke who decides where we go that we should head west as that's where the better weather was that day, but would he listen!

 

[rusty bearing]

Could be a wet morning but forecast changes every time I look! Currently heavy rain till 11 a.m then a bit of light rain till lunch after which the sun comes out. I'm in your hands gentlemen, given the above forecast I've had worse.

I'd be up for the May ride as well, be strange though riding from over your way. I too only live a wee way from Rivi, lots of cafes to choose from

 

[ColinJ]

Sorry you can't make it Skud, but family first!

I promised my friend Carrie that I would tell her at midday tomorrow what the decision is. She now has a lift arranged with Kevin and they are keen to come along.

I'll check the Met Office forecast at about 10:00 tomorrow for Whalley, Slaidburn and Lancaster which cover the area we would be riding in. Those forecasts give an hourly breakdown including a percentage chance of rain in each hourly band. I'll text @Littgull at about 11:00 to see how he feels about that forecast.

What seems to be clear is that it will feel a bit nippy and it will be at the very least a bit damp on the way out. We should have a tailwind though, so the rain will be less of a bother than it would be into a headwind. We will have a headwind coming back but hopefully the wind will have blown the rain away from us by then.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Sorry you can't make it Skud, but family first!

I promised my friend Carrie that I would tell her at midday tomorrow what the decision is. She now has a lift arranged with Kevin and they are keen to come along.

I'll check the Met Office forecast at about 10:00 tomorrow for Whalley, Slaidburn and Lancaster which cover the area we would be riding in. Those forecasts give an hourly breakdown including a percentage chance of rain in each hourly band. I'll text @Littgull at about 11:00 to see how he feels about that forecast.

What seems to be clear is that it will feel a bit nippy and it will be at the very least a bit damp on the way out. We should have a tailwind though, so the rain will be less of a bother than it would be into a headwind. We will have a headwind coming back but hopefully the wind will have blown the rain away from us by then.

How about changing it to Sunday? The weather has to be better that day.

 

[ColinJ]

How about changing it to Sunday? The weather has to be better that day.

That MIGHT be a possibility. The trouble is when people can only do the Saturday still want to do that day. I have tried this in the past and I typically end up with a 50-50 mix.

Discussions/decision below between 11:00 and 11:45 tomorrow (Friday).

 

[ColinJ]

There is going to be a huge bank of rain cloud blowing north over this area between now and tomorrow afternoon. If the wind picked up then the cloud would pass on more quickly. If the wind slowed then we would get stuck with it for longer. It looks likely that we would set off in rain and encounter more rain on the way to Glasson Dock. It should then lighten up. So, the first half of the ride could be wet and miserable, then we would try and thaw and get dry in the cafe, only to turn and ride back into the wind.

Sunday would still be windy but looks likely to be dry and feeling a bit less chilly.

I asked @Littgull and my pal Bill. They would be ok with a change to Sunday. Carrie's mobile is kaput and she hasn't answered my latest email but I expect her to phone me in about half an hour from a landline somewhere. I'll see what her reaction is to a change to Sunday.

I'll post again as soon as I get off the phone with her.

 

[ColinJ]

Sorry chaps - still waiting for that call. I rechecked the last email and it didn't say that Carrie would ring me at midday - she said "lunchtime" so I would expect that to be soonish.

 

[ColinJ]

Hmm, democracy ... I spoke to Carrie and she could make Sunday, but only if Kevin gives her a lift then, but he isn't answering HIS phone so we don't know!

I decided in the end that there is no way to do this in a way that is guaranteed to please everybody so I will be a benevolent dictator- muhaha!

The weather looks better for Sunday so let's ride on Sunday instead! Otherwise, same arrangement - meet at Spring Wood at 09:45, start ride at 10:00.

I will change the thread title, and the first post to reflect this decision.

My pals Carrie, Kevin, Julie and Bill know about the change of day.

Will the following RSVP ASAP to confirm that you know about the new date!

• @MontyVeda - if you are planning to nip down from Lancaster to see us - make it SUNDAY! We will probably arrive at Glasson Dock at around 13:00. If you want to ride towards us, it should be fairly easy to work out our route, or I can give you more details if you need them
• @Globalti - SUNDAY! We don't like the forecast for Saturday, so meet us on Sunday instead if you, your lad and your pal are free then.
• @skudupnorth - will the gymnastics be finished in time for a SUNDAY ride with us?
• Anyone else who fancies it - come on down!

 

[rusty bearing]

Good for Sunday, see thee at SpW car park

 

[Littgull]

A good decision, Colin, given the much better weather forecast for Sunday. I'll meet you in the usual place outside Wethies in Tod at 8.45 am an Sunday.

Looking forward to riding with as many others who can make it as well.

 

[Accy cyclist]

A good decision to move it to Sunday Colin! Yes i'll be there at 9.45....see you then folks!!