HOLIDAYS  BUYING  HELPLINE Great trails: Lancashire Pedaling Pendle Up hill, down dale, and up hill again. Here are two cycle rides to stretch your calf muscles, with scenery to blow your mind A bicycle allows you an intimacy with the countryside and the flexibility to cover more miles in a day than is possible on foot. You can hire bikes from Pedal Power, near Clitheroe Camping and Caravanning Club site, where we stayed (see overleaf). To get there, leave the approach road and turn right onto Edisford Rd (B2643). At 1 mile, turn left at the first mini-roundabout, and straight over the next. At 1.3 miles park in the narrow street next to Pedal Power. Route 1 Barrowford in Pendle With the bike on, or in, your motorhome, advance along Waddington Road, then at 1.4 miles, take the second exit at the mini-roundabout, down Well Terrace. At 1.5 miles turn left at the roundabout and take the A671, signed Chatburn. At 2.3 miles, turn right at the roundabout onto the A671 (Skipton). At 3.1 miles turn left onto the A59 (Skipton), then at 9.5 miles turn right onto the A682 for Nelson. Turn left at 16.5 miles into Colne Road, towards Pendle Heritage Centre, and at 16.6 miles left again into the car park (no charge). At 19 miles, this first route is enough for most of us for one day, though the more hardcore cyclist may wish to attempt both routes: with an early start, time shouldn’t be a problem, especially in the summer months, but your stamina may be found wanting as there are many hills to climb. Cycle left out of Colne Road, then right up Pasture Lane, which is just before the White Bear pub. Continue for about 1.2 miles to the village of Roughlee, then take a left at the Bay Horse pub onto Blacko Bar Road, following it for about 1.2 miles until you reach Gisburn Road. Here, turn left onto Wheathead Lane and continue straight ahead, down Stang Top Road. The road veers to the right to become Black Moss Road - continue down it for a further 0.3 miles, then head right onto a bridle path. Follow this to an unclassified road. Continue on the unclassified road for 0.3 miles, passing an outdoor education centre on the left, then turn right at the T-junction and right again shortly after into The Avenue, passing a picnic site (with information boards) on your right. Turn left at the end of The Avenue then left again soon after, into Heys Lane. Turn right at the crossroads into Jinny Lane and up a short, steep hill into Newchurch-in-Pendle. At the junction, turn left and head down the hill, taking the right fork soon after, into Well Head Road. Follow it for about another mile. Bear right on the unclassified road, passing a phone box on your right, towards Lower Lane. As you pass Sabden Fold (on your right), take the left fork, which becomes a bridle path. Continue past the Old House and the Lower Houses. At the end of the bridle path turn right into Haddings Lane, then left into Croft Lane shortly after. Continue through Higher Fencegate, then take the second right, down Harpers Lane. Turn left into Wheatley Lane Road, which will take you back to Barrowford and the start of the route. Route 2 Foulridge in Pendle If you can also manage the next route, another 7.3 miles of cycling, reload your bicycle into/on your motorhome and turn left out of the car park onto Colne Road. At 11.2 miles turn left at the traffic lights along Vivary Way, going straight on at the roundabout soon after and taking the A6068 for Keighley. At 11.7 miles, turn left at the traffic lights on the Skipton Road (A56), then at 12.4 miles turn left down Causeway towards Foulridge Wharf, then right down Warehouse Lane, bearing right as the road veers to the left further on. Park in the car park at 12.6 miles. If the thought of more cycling has your legs protesting, you can opt for a canal cruise, which leaves from the start of the route, at Foulridge Wharf. But continue if you can and you won’t be disappointed. Although it has a tough start, with 2.5 miles of hill-climbing, this is a shorter and more leisurely cycle than the last, and the rest is mainly downhill with a final flat section along the canal towpath. Cycle up Warehouse Lane, going straight on at the first junction, then right at the second. Continue up the hill past Reedymoor Lane, then take a left at the crossroads onto Standing Stone Lane (B6251). You will pass the Whitemoor Reservoir on your right. After just under two miles, turn right onto Gisburn Old Road. At the brow of the hill, take a right through the gate into the field, just after the white house on the left. Follow the wall to another gate, which opens onto Lister Well Road. Follow this road to its end, then turn right into Higher Lane. Take a left down Moor Lane, which leads into Salterforth Lane, and continue over the canal bridge, turning right onto the towpath immediately after you cross it (the Anchor Inn should be ahead as you cross the bridge). This will lead you back to your starting point. Return to Clitheroe Back in the motorhome, head out of the car park along Warehouse Lane and turn right at 12.8 miles onto Skipton New Road (A56). At 13.5 miles, turn right down Windsor Street, then at the roundabout at 13.8 miles, head straight on towards Burnley (A6068). At 14.3 miles, take the second exit at the roundabout for the M65 to Nelson, Burnley and Preston, leaving it at 15 miles via Exit 13 for the A682 towards Nelson. At 15.2 miles take the fourth exit at the roundabout, signed Kendal A682/M65. At 15.7 miles, take the second exit, still for Kendal A682, then at 20 miles turn left onto the A59 for Clitheroe. At 24 miles, turn right onto the A671, turning left at the roundabout at 24.5 miles onto Chatburn Road. At 25 miles, turn right at the roundabout onto Well Terrace, then take the first exit at the next roundabout onto Waddington Road to return the bikes to Pedal Power. HOME PAGE | TOP OF PAGE GREAT TRAILS   Heritage walk  Island surprise  Round in circles  Pedaling Pendle  BACK TO ARCHIVE PLANNING  Distance Driving: up to 41.8 miles (both routes). Cycling: 19 (Route 1), 7.3 (Route 2) or 26.3 miles (both). Time All day. Start/finish Clitheroe C&CC site. Suitable for moderately fit and competent cyclists. Refreshment Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford Tel 01282 661701 The Bay Horse Inn, Roughlee Tel 01282 613683 Ye Old Sparrow Hawk Inn, Wheatley Lane Tel 01282 440950 Foulridge Tea Room and Restaurant, Foulridge Wharf Tel 01282 869159 The Anchor Inn, Slaterforth Tel 01282 813186 Attractions Pendle Heritage Centre Tel 01282 661701 Foulridge Canal Cruises Tel 01282 870241 HOLIDAYS  BUYING  HELPLINE Contact Practical Motorhome Best viewed in screen resolution 800 x 600 using I.E.4 or Netscape 4 or later.