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Cowpe loop   Long moorland valley mix


A very good moorland mountain bike mini epic, this time
we head out from Accrington taking in Hamleden, Clow bridge res,
 Comptons cross, Lumb valley, Waterfoot, Cowpe Lowe,
Edenfield, Helmshore, and back home via the Kings highway,

 "approx 20 odd miles".

Follow the route with your mouse for extra info....
Cowpe res
    
  Whittakers arms

Your starting point.

As ever The Whittakers arms.
A good plate of nosh to replenish your fuel
reserves after the ride. There's a Beer garden
at the back and safe docking for your Mountain irons!



Image produced from the Ordnance Survey
Get-a-map service.
Image reproduced with kind permission of
Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.		    

       




Whittakers Arms and the start of your epic Bike wash at petrol station Coppice climb through pine trees Go under the bypass. Do not go up to the farm, instead go across the cattle grid and take the faint path right that faces the oncoming traffic of the bypass Gate After climbing metal gate go straight up quarry rd for 200 meters, don't turn left into quarry, instead go striaght on past big boulder. Then make your way to wall line above Michell house resGate at start of climb Gate at begining of field Climb up to Gate Gate at track juction Radio mats Going down is fun but on the way back this climb is hell! Turn right down main rd for 50 meters tun left into Clowbridge res car park Ride up and out of car park and through gate. After 100 meters take obvious track up the hill Good piece of fast cross country Go straight through gate at Comptons cross Nice wide track with gate Turn right and go down rd to juction Go across cattle grid onto grassy track Climb over fence the other side of old grassy quarry Enjoy fury cup single track Climb over barbed wire fence at old quarry site Gate Climb up Flower scar rd track Enjoy brilliant views and very fast downhill Join moorland rd Pub Turn down fast tarmac downhill Hit the Gauxholme descent at speed (enjoy) Take tuning up track next old mill Head towards farm in the distance Go in between farm buildings See if you can climb this steep little number out of valley Go straight up steep track with electricity pylon on your right Enjoy steady long causway climb gate Dont lose any height tun right and stay high up on moor Straight across at juction Climbing steadily Don't follow track when it bends to the left. Instead push bike very short distance straight up until you see trig point Gate at the back of Hades hill Over stile Finger post with Limers gate on it! Turn right down faint grassy track Join good fast track Gate Head up rd for 300 meters, then take right fork Heald top farm junk yard! Nice climb upto Theivley Pike Theivley Pike summit Enjoy grassy downhill Turn right at rd and retrace your track which you came down earlier until you get Comptons cross Turn sharp left halfway down downhill Maywell singletrack gate Climb the coppice Go under by pass Go through gate and climb up onto Moleside moor Climb over stile 20 meters after gate, turn left over another gate. Follow wall line up past res. Go through second gap in wall when trail levels out Gate at track junction Going down is fast and funTurn left up main rdTurn right down track Go through gate and enjoy your climb up to Comptons cross Comptons cross your gate fest has just begun! Nice fast downhill on wide track At rd juction follow Pennine bridleway sign to Waterfoot Follow this rd up until you run out of tarmac Steep climb up to houses and go through scrap yard. Climb steadily onwards and upwards At the top follow track though Cragg quarry for the adventurous check out the riding lines on offer Cross over stile and enjoy nice downhill Boggy bit! Donhill action Turn down lane next to church Turn right after bypass good downhill to Irwell vale After crossing river Irwel take a left up terraced street and keep going up Take a left up at track junction take a right and right again at pub go down rd to valley bottom After stream take a left up a rd which has a path barring off to left. keeping stream on left hand side follow tarmac path / track on old railway bed Go straight across at main rd juction onto Carrs ind estate Join up with main rd Cruise into Winfields carpark and take path upto derilict farm building just after hamlet of Stone fold take left hand fork in rd Drop into Quarry section of the Kings highway Climb up rutted singletrack to gate from where you were much earlier! Drop down field and over gate Go under bypass on farm track make your way down past Spire farm on good fast downhill At juction take the right fork then left after 50 meters turn right at bottom and go over bridge over stream. turn left after stream At track junction take a right and join up with Coppice path Enjoy good downhill back to Whittakers arms.