West Lancashire/Ormskirk area

Steve2308

Hi,

Anyone know anywhere you can do a bit of off-roading in the west lancs area? Somewhere handy that you don't have to drive to?

Cheers,

Steve

omegas

Cheshire Lines route 62

stubs

Legally you can ride the Cheshire lines, the Leeds Liverpool canal and Formby pinewoods thats it. Illegaly you can find some tracks at Ashurst Beacon, Parbold Hill and Mawdsley quarries. If you get caught and get your arse kicked by the police dont say I didnt warn you. The Sefton coastal path isnt legal but it gets a lot of cycle traffic. Thats it you live in one of the most mountain bike unfriendly areas in England bridleways are in very short supply and usually blocked by farmers.

Best bet is cycle to Burscough station and get a return to Westhoughton station, Rivington Pike is about 5 miles and Healey Nab about 6 miles ride from Westy.

compo

If you're coming to westhoughton, give me a shout, I'm from there and regularly ride rivvy, and would be happy to show you around

antfly

I don't know if the Sefton coastal path isn't legal, I ride bits of it all the time. Also, if you go into the pine woods you are supposed to stick to the fireroad but there are lots of good tracks in the woods to explore.

Steve2308

Cheers guys, thats given me some ideas.

I wasn't expecting much, to be honest. Spend a lot of time riding up round ashurst beacon/dalton/parbold hill way on the roads, hoping to get a bit of off-road practise in before going out and about...

Hadn't really considered the cheshire lines, and didn't realise about about the pine woods at formby - could combine the 2 with a stop at formby cycles on the way home

did go to rivvy last year on the train with a mate, we weren't really sure where we were going. hopefully be getting up there again soon, will give you a shout compo if/when we do - thanks for the offer.

John Moore

We have and ride loads of routes local to you.

http://www.thewoollybacks.co.uk/content.php

There's Parbold, Billinge, Carr Mill, Cheshire Lines, Ashurst Beacon, Formby Coast, Sankey Valley, Leeds Liverpool canal to link them all together.

stubs

Sefton coastal path isnt legal for cycling between Woodvale and Hightown. Lots of people cycle it including myself but its not permitted. A lot of it is narrow, sandy or runs through a nature reserve. Be sensible get off your bike to allow walkers (especially the miserable gobby ones) through and everyone will be happy.

Unfortunately in the last year or so too many koks have been abusing the route particulary alongside the army base between Hightown station and Formby Power station. Please dont spoil it for us locals there are a lot of cycle haters already on Sefton Council that blocked a new cycle route through Ainsdale dunes.

antfly

I'm a local too. I never go that far, I ride the bit between Woodvale and Southport and rarely see another person.

wheelygood

If you get the local 1:25000 OS Map (Explorer No 285)you will see that there a good number of bridleways and rough tracks in the area that you can explore. It just requires a bit of imagination and application to the task - it isn't there on a plate for you. There are some good tracks up and across the north side of Parbold Hill from the Hilldale end and there are loads of tracks criss-crossing the plains/mosslands out Burscough, Ormskirk way and by using the canal you can join a lot up. Ignore the people who say the farmers block the paths - that is rare. It's quite nice to work your won route out and when you are rding it it is good practice naviagting across the countryside. Some lovely quiet spots. Remember you are not restricted to using the paths marked on long green dashes look out for the tracks in white too. From Burscough you can even fettle a way all the way through to Rivington and the tracks there by suing a combination of bridlepaths, tracks, and quiet lanes and canal.