Trough of Bowland. Lancashire

BikeyMikey1

Just did a recce of the Trough of Bowland. Some pretty steep climbs (one of them I had to do in 1st gear in the car) and scenery to die for. Has anyone done this route? If so, any tips...apart from use a motorbike

Anonymous

The Tour of Britain went over there on Saturday!

BikeyMikey1

NapoleonD wrote:

The Tour of Britain went over there on Saturday!

i know, that's what got me interested so I looked at it on Google earth....then I watched them ride into Blackpool on the promenade, quick but interesting.:

Radioactiveman

Plenty of great riding through the trough. Just watch out for the sheep on some of the descents they tend to wander around rather stupidly.

The climbs are all rideable but it can be very grinding depending on the distance of your route. The weather can be very changeable and it can be a fair distance between food/water stops so important to plant your route well.

I live pretty close to the trough.

BikeyMikey1

Radioactiveman wrote:

Plenty of great riding through the trough. Just watch out for the sheep on some of the descents they tend to wander around rather stupidly.

The climbs are all rideable but it can be very grinding depending on the distance of your route. The weather can be very changeable and it can be a fair distance between food/water stops so important to plant your route well.

I live pretty close to the trough.

Cheers Radioactiveman. I know what you mean about the sheep.....they're suicidal. Still, they were there before me so I'll give way. Also noticed quite a few pheasants, almost wish I was a poacher A bit concerned about those blind bends though. Do the locals drive like looneys?

pneumatic

Mrs P and I were watching the ToB going up the Trough on the TV.

Me: "Blimey, that's steep!"
She: "How can you tell that from a TV picture?"
Me: "Look at how slowly they're going and how much agony they're in, and they are the professionals!"

BikeyMikey1

pneumatic wrote:

Mrs P and I were watching the ToB going up the Trough on the TV.

Me: "Blimey, that's steep!"
She: "How can you tell that from a TV picture?"
Me: "Look at how slowly they're going and how much agony they're in, and they are the professionals!"

How much will I be grimmacing..........I'm 53

antfly

I was there last week on the bike, I did it the opposite way, it's more fun and an easier climb. I do it regularly, it's great and there`s hardly any traffic during the week. There are some climbs around there over 20% depending on your route and there's a great descent at Nicky Nook if you can avoid the sheep.

BikeyMikey1

antfly wrote:

I was there last week on the bike, I did it the opposite way, it's more fun and an easier climb. I do it regularly, it's great and there`s hardly any traffic during the week. There are some climbs around there over 20% depending on your route and there's a great descent at Nicky Nook if you can avoid the sheep.

Great tip..thanks. I was wondering which way to approach it, now I know. I love the name "Nicky Nook" I want to move there

deptfordmarmoset

Watching the ToB highlights just reminded me how I used to love being up on the moors. I got quite nostalgic and realised that it was about time I had another wander up north. We don't get scenery like that in Deptford.

bugsrabbit

I ride that circuit quite a bit, it does get busy on a sunday though. There's various cafe stops around and always someone to catch up to a have a chat. I ride from Preston through chipping and back through Scorton just incase i 'bonk' and need a sweety stop.

davelakers

The Trough of Bowland and surrounding areas offer some of the best cycling routes in the country. There are routes for everyone on quiet scenic roads.

I prefer to ride over the Trough the way the TOB did it on Saturday, up the steep side and enjoy the long fast descent. As opposed to slogging up a longer climb and having to descend on the brakes due to tight bends slippy roads and sheep.

Like a previous poster mentioned there are numerous nice cafe stops round the area at Scorton, Chipping, Dunsop Bridge and Slaidburn.

I feel privileged living round here.

antfly

There are only 2 or 3 tight bends though, very close together, and after that there is still plenty of good descending up to Dunsop Bridge.
I couldn't agree more about it being a suberb area for cycling.

maddog 2

It's a ride I do a lot. The main climb is called Boundary Fell and is a real test the way they rode it on the ToB.

Riding it the other way, towards Dunsop Bridge, is a quick technical descent, and you can touch 50mph if you're up for it. I stacked my motorbike into the brook at the bottom when I was younger... :oops:

Pross

Can't be that tough, Greipel got through there and won the stage!

Monty Dog

Last time I went for a ride round the Trough, some scrote broke into my car and nicked my suit and wallet - stupid thing there was a laptop and other stuff in the boot. Anyway, 3 months later I get a letter from Lancashire Police informing me they have caught the perp!

D@VE

I did a sportive run by Southport CC up there and said WoW i'm coming back.
Just beautiful!

Matt the Tester

D@VE wrote:

I did a sportive run by Southport CC up there and said WoW i'm coming back.
Just beautiful!

i was probs riding with you :P

if i think it's you anyway!? whre you riding with someone with a Dawes?


ya Trough is wonderful! fantastic climbs and something i wish was abit closer to home,

BikeyMikey1

Well, my wife said ,"if you can't get a bike rack, put the bike in the car "(bearing in mind it's a Toyota IQ 2 , the size of a washing machine) So again she was right and I'm off to ride it on Tuesday or Wednesday!
I do have to take the wheels off the bike but it's saved me at least £40 for the cost of a bike rack.
So looking forward

rolf_f

Did the next one to the right last week - the Cross of Greet. Starts from Slaidburn a few miles East of the Trough. Actually a nice climb - tougher than the Trough I think (though I've only been down the Eastern side of that one so far so can't really tell for sure). The Cross of Greet is a visually bit like a flatter version of Newlands from the North. A bit more exposed than the Trough too.

D@VE

steady rider wrote:

D@VE wrote:

I did a sportive run by Southport CC up there and said WoW i'm coming back.
Just beautiful!

i was probs riding with you :P

if i think it's you anyway!? whre you riding with someone with a Dawes?


ya Trough is wonderful! fantastic climbs and something i wish was abit closer to home,

A red Dawes i believe yes(same one?)

I think he was going to do the Ken Hill charity swim (yesterday) hope he had good time.

I couldn't go because of injury but then i haven't gone any water wings .

Tim Farr

Yes quite nostalgic seeing the ToB go through th Trough. First went through about 1958 on my green Royal Enfield - sturmey archer, sit up and beg, rod brakes and full chain case. I would be 13 going on 14. From Blackpool we used to go over Shard Bridge (one old penny toll) across Pilling Sands and on to the cafe at the bus station at Lancaster. Then up the steep hill in Lancaster - always had to walk some of it, even when I got my Falcon racer. Then up to Westfield Tower - more walking -and on to the Trough. Back to Garstang via Chipping. Later went over those climbs from the Trough to Ingleton - Tatham Fell and Bowland. Also - again with Cleveleys RC Sunday run - climbed the 'rough stuff track of Salters Fell to the Lune valley.

Great cycling country if you like a bit of a challenge.

BikeyMikey1

Well....I did it. Cycled a 30k round route through the Trough and whilst I had to stop four times up the big one, I never got off the bike, so I'm pleased with myself. Well worth the effort. Now I appreciate those guys that did the TOB......superhuman me thinks. On three occasions I'm sure I well exceeded my Max heart rate, my lungs were on the handle bars

bigjim

Did a circular 60miler a couple of weeks ago in that area. Agree with the sheep thing. Cattle grids can catch you out. Some hard cruel climbs but worth it for the views. Stay off the A roads if poss. deathtraps populated by nutters. The lanes are great but the weekend warriers on motorbikes can be a bit of a nightmare.

Clarion

Trough of Bowland is a great hill. Well, two hills, as someone upthread noted that it has a differenct character each side.

Small correction, mind. Trough of Bowland, Lancashire? No. Bowland is in Yorkshire. The 1974 administrative boundary changes may deceive a few, but, if you get to the top of the climb, you'll see the boundary stone. The geographical borders have not changed.

ColinJ

Clarion wrote:

Small correction, mind. Trough of Bowland, Lancashire? No. Bowland is in Yorkshire. The 1974 administrative boundary changes may deceive a few, but, if you get to the top of the climb, you'll see the boundary stone. The geographical borders have not changed.

I was amazed to spot that boundary stone on a ride over 'The Trough' a couple of years ago - I'd never have imagined that Yorkshire extended that far to the north-west.

bigjim

Those and other boundary stones may have been replaced or removed over the years by people opposed to the changes. When I worked for Pendle council the council got fed up of it and left them where they were.

Clarion

Yorkshire comes within about eight miles of being coast to coast near Bentham.

davelakers

I Cycled the trough on Sunday in horrendous weather, as part of the Fleet Moss Audax. Lamb and Tatham Fell, the other side of Slaidburn, offer more of a challenge and Tatham Fell in particular is much more scenic.

They all pale into nothing compared to the climb out of Dentdale and the climb of Fleet Moss that we had to do later that day!! That route by the way is something else, take a look at the link below.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/49713064

jthef

I enjoy the ride though there as well, one morning after a night shift went there at 6 am forget the sheep the rabbits are suicidal, run one way then the other Loads of road kill lucky not me. I ended up whistling all the way down so they knew I was coming and not run out on me.
Watched TOB there as well and one guy went up pulling a trailer on his road bike with his kid in the back :shock:
I think he was showing off though
I also enjoy the road from Bentham towards there.

AndyRubio

My fave playground, way better than the Peak District - also very few cars.