Pendle
road Training rideThis ride will take you on an anticlockwise circumnavigation of Pendle hill.
"It usually takes two and a half hours"
I do the ride on my old mountain bike with 1.95 full knobbleys.
Starting from Accrington make your way to the main traffic lights at Clayton Le Moors.
Turn right and head down Burnley Rd over the canal and down past the Walton arms.
After crossing the River Calder turn next left up by the Philips Factorys towards Read.
At cross rd junction go straight on "School Lane leading to Trapp Lane"
At the next cross rd turn left, now you can catch your breath!
Enjoy nice views and very well kept gardens.
Keep going, approx. 1mile until you come to a "y" junction, with a house in front of you.
Take the right fork, up past Readwood saddlery, "the climb is quite short so give it some stick!"
Now comes one of the best ridge rides I know.
It parallels the full length of Pendle from Read all the way to almost Barley!
On your left you will have Pendle, on your right Views of Hameldon, the Cliveger Gorge,
Gorple, Lad Law, and onwards to the moors above Skipton.
Go straight on at the cross roads and same again 1 mile later.
At "T" junction turn left, then 50 meters later turn right, follow single track road up
then down to "T" junction.
Turn left and continue straight on for final section of the ridge ride.
Enjoy very fast decent down into Thornyhome.
Climb briefly, then continue into Barley.
If the visitors center is open, get your self a hot pie and some tea!
If not, top up your water supplies at the tap.
"Now the climb out of Barley is a good one, its long and never too steep"
Regain your breath at the top and freewheel, taking in the views of the Ribble Valley
and the Three peaks.
Don't take any turns, just follow the downhill with care through Twiston and enjoy.
At the bottom there is a short sharp 100 meter climb, then an undulating
singletrack rd to Downham. Drop down into the Village across the stream
and take the right hand fork towards Worston. After approx.,2 miles
you come into the village of Worston. Now join the A59 for 1 mile heading towards Whalley.
Take the next left turn up to the Nick of Pendle.
"This is the best climb of the day"
The climb comes in three sections,
A59 to the cattle grid.
Cattle grid to the Well Springs.
Wellsprings to the top .
Now enjoy 50 mph downhill into Sabden, be very straight at the next cattle grid,
or you will come off, like I did, ouch!!
Keep going through Sabden, past Pub on your left and across the stream.
Bear right at fork in road and get ready for another good climb.
This one is just as steep as Pendle, just not as long!
At the crossroad at the top turn right and retrace your earlier steps,
back down past Readwood Saddlery,Trapp Lane/ School Lane/ Philips and
the Walton Arms. The final two and a half mile uphill will sap your legs
of any remaining power you thought you had.
If it doesn't, use bigger gears next time!
Its a two and a half mile downhill to the
Philips works complex.
I have just joined Burnley Rd
Clayton Le Moors.
Notice Pendle in the distance,
only 31 miles to go.
The food is not bad here.
No time to stop now.
"Keep going."
The
old Philips complex at Simonstone.
Or a cluster of industrial units!
Turn left at the Tractor!
Now that's better.
Just after the factories we get a bit Rural.
In fact its Rural until you come back to this point
on the way back.
Hopefully you will be warmed up now.
At the next junction go straight on and
join School lane leading to Trapp Lane.
Turn
left here and catch your breath!
Time to relax and
treat yourself to some nice properties with
lovely gardens.
Just as a matter of interest;
the Higher Trapp Hotel is just above this
junction.
Follow its twists and turns for 1 mile.
There are also lovely views of Read to your left.
Can
you see the house in the distance?
Turn right at Y junction and go past Readwood Saddlery.
Climb briefly through the Trees, and start one of
the best ridge rides I know.
"Go
straight on."
To the left Sabden, to the right Read and
the Higher Trapp.
You will come past here on the way back.
Out
of the trees, and look at that view,
There's a cross road in 300 meters time,
You can just see the tops of the two sign posts.
"Go straight again."
The cluster of trees on the far hill
is where we are heading.
turn left.
At this point I am sandwiched between
two nice houses.
go right up here. "Croft Top Road"
sign posted Roughlee.
Climb up past another
nice property to the clump of trees
I promised you!
From the trees "be careful", its downhill
narrow and fast.
At
the bottom of Croft top Rd,
turn left, go straight on and continue
through Roughlee to the end of the ridge ride.
With Pendle in the distance and
Barley only a mile or so away,
we drop down into Thornyhome and
its time to think of something to eat.
Hope the visitors centre is open,
or maybe the Barley Mow cafe.
This
is The Pendle Inn Barley.
Never been in this one,
but it looks inviting.
This would be a good option if you
do the ride with a few friends
and make a day of it.
From here, its all up for a mile or so
never too steep but quite sapping.
Made it!
Bet your warm now!
"Welcome to the Ribble Valley"
Can you see Pen Y Ghent?
"In fact you can see all the Three Peaks
when you get to this point."
You have earned this downhill,
its long and sometimes very fast.
It finishes with a short but stiff uphill climb.
This is the view just before you
finish the downhill, be very careful at
the blind left hander at the bottom.
Oh and select a very low gear before the next
uphill catches you out!
you are treated to this view of
Downham.
"We are now at the Northern edge of
Pendle Hill"
Go down the main street and
take the right hand fork after the bridge.
Just
time to look back.
The classic Downham picture.
"Off you go now next is Worston."
Enjoy this next road section its a
cracker!
Worston take the left hand fork
"The one with the Concrete Sheep
in the middle of the road"
which brings you out here.
Take the cycle lane until it meets the road,
Now you have a chance to mix it
with those Lorries until you reach
the next left turn or go across the dual
carrageway and rejoin the cycleway.
Pendle comes in three sections.
1 The bypass, to cattle grid,"here"
2 From here, to the Wellsprings,
3 Wellsprings, to the summit.
"Good luck."
Looking back at the Wellsprings.
Well
done!
Now get zipped up and let it go,
see how many cars you can overtake!
At the bottom go straight on and
climb out of the other side into
those trees you can see in the
middle distance.
In the far distance you can see
Hamledon and the Coppice.
The
last proper climb of the day.
As you climb out of Sabden, you
go past this nice farmhouse.
At the top, turn right at the cross roads,
and retrace your earlier steps,
down past Readwood Saddlery,
Read,
Trapp lane,
Simonstone,
Walton Arms,
and the long steady uphill back up to
the Clayton traffic lights
should just about be enough!
