Lancashire - Some Lanes and Tracks in "Roses" Country
by Alan Rogerson
A small group of senior cyclists venture out at least twice a week in east Lancashire, using quiet lanes and tracks. Three are members of RSF, but have yet to join our local group for an official ride. This is an account of a circular route, on the Lancs/Yorks borders, mainly on Explorer OL41 and OL2.
Starting place is the small car park, toilets and information centre, at Bolton-by-Bowland, SD 786494. Turn right, and take the Hellifield Rd, which branches left opposite the Inn. After a steady climb for a couple of miles, take the first right, Carter's Lane, then after a few hundred yards straight on a track, Loftrans Lane. This joins the Newsholme to Paythorne road, just before the Ribble bridge. Turn left and climb up to Paythorne village, and opposite the Inn, by a red phone box, take the bridleway, Paa Lane, which is ridable most of the way past Paa Hill and England's Head Farm, to Nappa Flats, a light-coloured building.
Now comes the challenging bit – crossing the Ribble on stepping stones – as they used to say on the wireless – "not for those of a nervous disposition". The 25 or so stones are really concrete cylinders, some of which have been forced onto their sides by the river in spate. Risk assessment notice – this traverse should only be attempted after several dry days, as even then, the river is at least two feet deep. On the map it is marked as a ford – removal of shoes and socks, whilst wearing shorts, with bike overhead, could be an option.
Adrenaline levels remain high as we join the A682 for a left turn before quickly turning right up a steep narrow lane over the railway to Swinden Moor, and at the T-junction, left for Bank Newton. This is "drumlin" country; lots of small steep round hills dotted about – evidence of the retreating ice, a few thousand years ago. Fortunately the road manages to go round most of them. At a cross-roads, with Newton Hall on the left, turn right and climb a cowpat/mud covered lane to cross the Leeds-Liverpool canal, and pass Newton Grange.
A ridable track returns to the sinuous canal, where you share route with the Pennine Way for a while. Over another canal bridge, on the right is your probable lunch stop, Abbot's Harbour (closed Thursdays). This is a 12th century building, used as a B&B by monks travelling between monasteries in the east and Sawley and Whalley Abbeys in the west. I use east and west as I can't say Yorks and Lancs because they didn/t exist way back, or did they?
The original monk's cells are now dining nooks, each named after a brother monk, no Cadfael though. Retrace to the canal, and take the towpath south. (FREE permits are available from British Waterways Customer Services 01923 201120 or download your own permit at www.britishwaterways.co.uk) Handy, if and when any fishermen get stroppy, or walkers for that matter. Note the double-arched bridge, one built on top of the original, to reduce the gradient in the dip of the A59. Initially, when wet, this towpath can be tricky, as it is mostly grassed, but after a mile or so, it becomes much better. Come off at Greenberfield Locks (highest set on the canal), onto the old Roman road, and join the B6251 on the outskirts of Barnoldswick (pron. "Barlick") turn right on a rolling road, through Bracewell, and cross the A59 to Horton.
After Horton community at a sharpish right bend, take a bridleway on the left, for Painley Farm. Pass under the Clitheroe-Hellifield railway line. This line joins the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle at Hellifield. If only passenger trains were using this line regularly, what a gateway to the Dales etc this would be! Off hobby-horse and back to reality.
Cross the A682 – which has been classified as one of the most accident-prone roads in Britain, mainly due to it being a fast and winding road, attractive to motorcyclists, and carrying a lot of large lorries going to-and fro to the quarries at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The bridleway descends through woods, crosses Stock Beck, and through Gisburne(sic) Park, the house is a private hospital, before joining Mill Lane, by Gisburn Bridge, another crossing of the Ribble. A steep little climb, once over the bridge, and keeping to the "main" road, takes us sweeping down into Bolton-by-Bowland, past church and school. Next to the car park, is a cafe and shop, which is, at the time of writing, open most days during the summer months.
An observant map-reader will be able to make this run of about 18 miles, either longer, or shorter, or add it to already known tracks in the area; altogether an interesting and varied route.