Easy trails near Lancashire

BenChaffer

Hi there

I started biking a few months ago. At the moment I have mostly been riding on the road/canal towpath, and I've gotten pretty good at handling it. In a couple of weeks I am getting a Carrera Fury (:D) and I feel with a more advanced bike I should start tackling more advanced stuff.

I don't know of any local trails at the moment, would any of you be able to point me in the right direction?

Any help greatly appreciated

JaySmitt

Where exactly in lancashire?? I'm from near Ashton-Under-Lyne and I know if you go east about 20KM there's some woodlands I think it's called Hope woodlands huge area you can't miss it.

BenChaffer

Thanks

I live in Burnley, a bit away but maybe I will consider it if there isn't anything more local. Have you been there before?

dave_hill

BenChaffer wrote:

Thanks

I live in Burnley, a bit away but maybe I will consider it if there isn't anything more local. Have you been there before?

A few good places for you to cut your teeth -

1. Head up to Hurstwood. If you go up the access road to the dam, and turn right when you get there (follow the Pennine Bridleway signs) then you'll be out on Worsthorne Moor. Plenty of easy trails to play about on up there (plus some more difficult ones to practice your technique). You can eventually follow your nose out onto the Long Causeway at Coal Clough near the wind farm.

2. Believe it or not, there's some good easy rides within spitting distance of the town centre - I can actually put a 14 mile loop in round town without hitting any major roads (and including some off-road stuff too) which is great for a wet Sunday morning when a trip out onto the moors is going to be a chore. Timber Hill, Rowley, Towneley Holmes/Brunshaw, and the Netherfield Road area are all fair game (if not 100% legal, but in town nobody bothers...)

3. If you head up to Crown Point then get onto the moors between Crown Point Road and Clowbridge Reservoir, there loads of easy tracks up there - just keep to the ones with a horse on the marker post.

4. Once you get more profficient, there's an absolute ton of riding to be had heading through Cliviger and down towards Todmorden and Hebden Bridge.

I'm in Burnley myself so if there's anything you need to know just ask. I've been mountain biking round here for nearly 22 years so I'd like to think I know the area pretty well...!!

BenChaffer

dave_hill, you are a legend! Cheers!

stumpyjon

dave_hill wrote:

- just keep to the ones with a horse on the marker post.

I don't, never had any problems up here (I'm about 1.5 miles from Crown Point), just stay away from the strange men sitting alone in their cars in the laybys at night :shock:

Another place fairly local to go is Gisburn Forest near Clitheroe, probably about 30 mins in the car for you. It's beginning to shape up into a proper trail centre and there's a pretty wide range trails for fireroad through blue graded stuff (great for practicing on, we spent a whole day up there yesterday on a skills course, mainly on the blue stuff to improve technique), quite a bit of techincal red and some fairly tough black graded stuff. There's even some downhill stuff but that's for people who like to fly.

When you're getting a bit more proficient there's Lee Quarry in Bacup as well. Another fledging trail centre although it is a bit small at the moment, quite physically demanding and very technical. Got some skills areas to play on though. It is very exposed and can get quite windy. They've just secured £ 500k of funding for Lee Quarry for more trails and skills stuff along with more trails in Cragg Quarry a couple of miles along the ridge and a bridleway link. They're even working on a off road link between Lee Quarry and Gisburn Forest.

compo

+1 for Gisburn and Lee Quarry but asstumpyjon said - Lee is more technical

The fierroad at Gisburn is good fro beginners and can be done as a loop but the singlrack could be difficult first time round, although walk it to try it out if its quiet and ride the bits you can - it will certainly boost your confidence

dave_hill

stumpyjon wrote:

I don't, never had any problems up here (I'm about 1.5 miles from Crown Point), just stay away from the strange men sitting alone in their cars in the laybys at night :shock:

It was quite innocent, I was watching for badgers!!! :shock:

BenChaffer

Ok, I've got a free day tomorrow so I've decided I'm going to head to Bacup and have a go round Lee Quarry Whereabouts is it? Is the trail clearly marked?

Cheers

mac_man

BenChaffer wrote:

Ok, I've got a free day tomorrow so I've decided I'm going to head to Bacup and have a go round Lee Quarry Whereabouts is it? Is the trail clearly marked?

Cheers

The centre is not that obviously signposted,,,

From Burnley go through bacup centre and then head towards rawtenstall.

After about a mile you'll see a brand new office building on he left... this is the kingfisher centre.

It's behind there. Th etrails aren't dead obvious but its no problem as you can criss cross around the place to your hearts content. Just be wary that parts of it are really rocky.

Google map here

http://tinyurl.com/yhn9atj

BenChaffer

Eh, gonna give it a miss today cause of the shoddy weather!
I'm beginning to think maybe I should get my new bike before tackling this. There's no hope of me hauling my 17 kilo BSO around

dave_hill

BenChaffer wrote:

Eh, gonna give it a miss today cause of the shoddy weather!
I'm beginning to think maybe I should get my new bike before tackling this.

Probably not one of your worst decisions! Have a look at my video HERE with annoying Prodigy soundtrack to get a flavour of the place.

compo

mac man
please use a tinyurl as i now can't read the most part of this thread
Cheers

mac_man

compo wrote:

mac man
please use a tinyurl as i now can't read the most part of this thread
Cheers

Oops...


fixed now

stumpyjon

I'd definitely work up to Lee Quarry, get up to Gisburn first, there are easy sections and it's way more sheltered and there's the pub at Tosside for a fantastic bite to eat / wash your bike post ride.

compo

mac man wrote:

compo wrote:

mac man
please use a tinyurl as i now can't read the most part of this thread
Cheers

Oops...


fixed now

Cheers

liveforever1982

hi,i'm also in burnley,moved here from cumbria 6 months ago,only just brought my bike down (giant terrago disc) to get it nicked before even getting a chance to ride around here,sob sob

dave_hill

liveforever1982 wrote:

hi,i'm also in burnley,moved here from cumbria 6 months ago,only just brought my bike down (giant terrago disc) to get it nicked before even getting a chance to ride around here,sob sob

Welcome to Burnley...

What on earth made you come here of all places?

liveforever1982

i'm from accy originally, but moved back down here for work and to be cloer to the family,,didn't expect to lose me bike tho,lol was bit annoyed as i know what it' like around here so i'm security aware,just pity my partner isn't,she forgot to lock garage one night.oops

bwfc4eva868

I'm from Bolton and would be up for going to Lee Quarry with some of You East Lancs lot. Maybe a meet up is int order after Christmas?

cloudynights

im from barrowford, but cycle to worsthorne and set off up gorple track nip across to thursden then over to wycoller on to laneshaw bridge then back home following the river its a good route has a bit of everything

andy

liveforever1982

think i'm gonna have to dig deep and buy another bike,any sugestions,for a fairly novice rider my last bike was a giant terrago disc,which i loved,before it got niceked the other week.

mac_man

liveforever1982 wrote:

think i'm gonna have to dig deep and buy another bike,any sugestions,for a fairly novice rider my last bike was a giant terrago disc,which i loved,before it got niceked the other week.

Budget?

There's plenty of threads in the buying advice.


But for what it's worth, and to save you the trouble, most seem to recommend a Carrera from Halfords, as long as you can get a discount.

The Vulcan (£280), Kraken (£379.99) and the Fury (about £479.99) are worth a look. The Fury won a recent £500 hard tail test in What MTB.

Or 2nd hand if budget is tight... and you know what to look for problemwise. I got a mint 08 Rockhopper for £340 which is great considering the '10 model is £700.

liveforever1982

yeah cheers for the advice,think i'm actualy gonna look for another giant terrago disc,second hand off the 'bay,as i really loved that bike,and should be able to get one bit cheaper now.