Heaven is Rough Stuff from North Lancashire
by Steve Gregson
I suppose most of us home in on our RSF local section's 'Forthcoming Events' rides, but in an idle moment in May, a closer look revealed 9 continuous days of rough-stuffing from north Lancashire meeting points in early June.
What? you may exclaim, Lancashire? It used to be that not too long ago, Blackburn's 100 mill chimneys were belching out black smoke. Today it's different and topping the hill to Mellor, 3 miles due north of the town, there opens up a view of Pendle Hill, the 3 Peaks, and in the evenings a setting sun over Morecambe Bay whilst a glance backwards to the south, hardly a sign that one of the world's first industrial landscapes lies to the south.
Ahead, daily rides in the steep hills but if the weather forecast was to be correct, the type of damp conditions that made Lancashire rich i.e. prevented cotton from breaking. In the end, although mostly cool, any rain was short lived and quickly forgotten. There were interludes for cuppas outdoors in the June sun.
Some highlights: the overpowering sight of Pendle Hill when leaving Downham church, where Queen Victoria is reputed to have declared it the best view in England. Just below the church, the Gents toilets are sure to amuse even the ladies as they are a slightly modified shippon complete with separating milking slabs. Downham has no TV aerials so is used for period filming. Not far away, the Clarion Club hut at Roughlee has books to read, pints of tea, socialists scheming revolutions and a road-sign inviting you in with your own food.
West of Slaidburn, the track over Dunsop Fell is stony and not easily ridden but the wild Bowland Fells do impress but not so much as the thrilling descent of Marl Hill where generations of local cyclists have tried to freewheel the 3 big-dipper like downhill without pedalling the interim rises. It was here that a surprised grouse flew up and almost caused the demise of 2 RSF officers, also trying to freewheel as far as possible.
Salter Fell is a classic rough-stuff crossing and a round trip is easily organised, firstly by heading north via the Cross of Greet on a quiet road used by many CTC end-to-enders then a cafe stop in Wray and a warm-up on the pedal propelled mini-roundabout. Fellow Ribble Valley cyclists talk of crossing Salter Fell in the dark en-route to Christmas youth hostel dinners. To the side of the Salter Road, newly surfaced accessways to shooting butts are in evidence, perhaps V.I.P.s now aware of the Bowland Forest potential?. It's a 30 mile day that certainly leads to a satisfactory sleep at night.
Clitheroe is a jewel of a market town and Pendle Hill presides over it majestically like a resting lion. After passing through a couple of picturesque villages, its a rising lane past Eaves Hall to a little used bridleway, and then challenging steep bankings leading eastwards to Grindleton Fell and eastwards. To the north is Guisburn Forest's popular MTB area which has enabled the re-opening of Tosside's pub.
Hornby is a good meeting place, its historic buildings soon left behind in a foray across to Clapham with its tunnels leading first towards Ingleborough Cave and then to Sulber Nick. The limestone outcrops are unique but shelter was needed for a picnic lunch as the wind blew and the rains finally came. Many small groups of MTB ers rode past sometimes twice in different directions as they struggled with GPS and route books. After Sulber Nick's magnificence, what a thrill to be amongst the first cyclists to use the new, as yet unsigned, section of the Pennine Bridleway south of Selside over to Cam Fell and including the magnificent massive wood Ribble bridge.
So all in all, a grand part of the country, lots of Rough-Stuff with the icing on the cake being able to ride with 3 Sections, Home Counties, Lancashire and the South Lakes. An average of only 13 miles was driven to the starts. The weather was nowhere near as dire as the forecasts predicted, after all weather is time related and not geographically. As they say on the BBC, 'Its rough up north’. Thankfully for RSF members, that is true.