Mary Townley loop

ultradog

Hi all, I am thinking about doing the MT loop as part of an organised event in September. Has anyone on here done this route? How does it compare with something like the South Downs Way?

What is it like underfoot(wheel) and what sort of tyre would be a good choice.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Mancunianfightingcat

I've not done it personally, but would be interested too, what's the organised event? My mate rode it as part of a guided ride last year.
I've ridden most of it in parts and it's mostly hard packed so not too muddy although it still gets wet. Any fast rolling, light weight tyre would be best for a 50 mile ride!

ultradog

Hi MFC, the event is organised by Rossendale and Pendle Mountain rescue team. They have taken it over after it was run by the Rossendale fell runners for a couple of years. It is on the 14th September(I think)

Thanks for the tyre advice, if the tracks are rocky and hard I guess puncture resistance would be a high priority as well?

dthom3

I did this challenge last year.

It is mostly gravel and cobbled bridleways.

I ran Kenda Block 8's at a decent pressure and had no problems.

It's a tough day out with 48 miles and about 6500 feet of ascent.

scottgeniusltd2005

hi,
i use this route a lot, it's brilliant when dryish but the last few years has been incredibly wet and deep mud at the burnley end, so you will need a really knobbly trye, i use the schwarble mud shark evolution and it only just copes in places. has anyone on here managed to make it up the hill towards the mary townley remembrance stone?

stumpyjon

scottgeniusltd2005 wrote:

has anyone on here managed to make it up the hill towards the mary townley remembrance stone?

My main riding buddy did it all the way up in October, the trick is to go really wide at the bottom of the grassy section.

The top section around Widdop was an absolute mud fest during last years challenge as were bits south of Heden Bridge. The route does cover nearly every sort of surface, there's even a sandy bit on southern section and a mile or so of cobbles :evil: .

Not sure this years event has a firm date yet, last years was on the 14th of Sept, year before was the 3rd of June when it was bone dry (and alot easier although it took me longer).

I've done the challenge for the last two years and it's been a real sense of achievement, 47 miles 6700ft of climbing. I tend to find people are pretty competitive until they get half way around, after that it becomes quite friendly as people are just wanting to finish regardless of time . I think there were over 200 entrants last year.

I work with one of the mountain rescue volunteers, I'll give him a poke and see if he knows if it's been confirmed yet (I think it will be on again, the mountain rescue made a fair few quid from it last year and in my opinion did a pretty good job of organising the event so it's money to a worthy cause).

If it's wet a good mud tyre on the back will really help, was kicking myself through all the mud for not putting my trailraker back on last year, lesson learned, if it is dry then the whole route is fairly fast rolling.

scottgeniusltd2005

riding buddy....now that is very very impressive. for the guys who haven't seen it...believe me it's a steep grassy technical uphill, technically challenging for a horse, that's why lady townleys' stone was put there. it's bloody knackering pushing a lightweight bike up there...once again...homage

stumpyjon

If you think that's impressive I also occaisionally have the privilige of riding with another mate I used to work with, he did the challenge last year in 4 hrs & 50 minutes and came 8th I believe (last time I saw him was at the start). As for climbing ability, you know the old pack horse trail leading up from Walsden, the bit with big stone slabs, he cleaned that and so did his brother inlaw, I was just left at the bottom with my mouth open :shock: .

As for that grassy bit, my other mate, he didn't just clean the grassy bit, he cleaned right from the bottom by the farm, up the track around the hairpins and then up the grassy bit to the gate by the stone (I managed the grassy bit but lost it on the track below so don't count the enitre hill as ticked off yet, maybe this year.

Luckily both those sections are downhill on the challenge day, we ride the route clockwise.

seataltea

Give me enough time to recover for the ride below and I'd be interested, a couple of people at work liked the idea as well. We're only down the road in CleckHuddersFax.....

http://www.cmbm.org.uk/

singlespeedexplosif

it's a decent enough ride but not particularly technical. Bridlepaths and packhorse trails, that sort of thing. Usually run Panaracer Mach SS tyres.
Section from Waterfoot to Deerplay can be a real sludge-fest in winter, but all still rideable.

Best at night. Midsummer's Eve last year was a blast

dave_hill

Anybody fancy doing it just for a laugh, say about mid-summer? June 20th is a Saturday, start about 8/9am and just trundle it?

Mancunianfightingcat

dave_hill wrote:

Anybody fancy doing it just for a laugh, say about mid-summer? June 20th is a Saturday, start about 8/9am and just trundle it?

i'd be interested, Sundays are better for me though

stumpyjon

I'd seriously think about it, tis easier when dry, need to start nice and early, it's a long way.

Bikerbaboon

Im game for a trundle run at it. SJ talked me out of running it solo. I think i would be good to have people the know the way as you dont want to get lost and lose time back tracking. Can we try to leave it fairly open as i would not want to run it if its hammering it down on the day ( big girl neva )

dave_hill

Yeah, nothing's definite, I'm just thinking it might be an idea for a bit of a marathon run in summer. If we get one this year.

I know where you're coming from regards Sundays, but I'm just thinking if we did it on a Saturday it would give you Sunday to recover a bit before getting back to the grind on Monday.

scottgeniusltd2005

im defo in. any weekend day is good for me. my fitness will be greatly improved by then as ditched my lovely landy, new job, commuting 30 miles a day. i agree that an earlier start would be required, it's easier to start early than blow late on in the day.

Bikerbaboon

or if we did it clockwise sat we could run anti on sunday. :twisted:

Mancunianfightingcat

dave_hill wrote:

.

I know where you're coming from regards Sundays, but I'm just thinking if we did it on a Saturday it would give you Sunday to recover a bit before getting back to the grind on Monday.

unless you're grinding on Saturday!

If we set off early we'll have ALL afternoon to recover

dave_hill

Mancunianfightingcat wrote:

unless you're grinding on Saturday!

Oh come one, you've got five months to organise a day off!! Or think of a decent excuse for a sicky! You could say that you've got perpetual motion sickness and have to keep moving !!

stumpyjon

Dave's right, resting on the Sunday is a very good idea, especially if it's a hot day. First time I did the loop in a day was a Sunday, had the world's worst hangover on the Monday and hadn't had any alcohol.

Good weather's going to be a good idea, no way I'm attempting it for fun in wind, rain, sleet or snow, so we'll have to watch closely for those 3 days in late May, early June when conditions will be optimum