8, whose two loops meet at Whalley in the Ribble Valley. The Northern Loop is approximately 208km (130 miles) in length, the Southern a fraction longer at 217km (135 miles). There are similarities between the two, with both being flat in the west and hilly in the east, but there are also distinct differences in character. The Northern Loop is almost entirely rural, while the Southern Loop, clever as it is, cannot entirely avoid some urban sections. None of these, however, are too long and, this being Lancashire, you generally soon escape back into open country.
The Northern Loop is entirely on tarmac. Apart from the (unofficial) Lancaster Link, which exploits a dedicated and well-surfaced cycle track, all of it is on public roads, mostly minor roads and quiet lanes.
The Southern Loop also has a few fairly short sections on surfaced cycle tracks, but otherwise the route again mainly follows quieter roads and lanes. There are a couple of urban sections, through Rawtenstall and Haslingden and also around Adlington. Generally these are not excessively busy, but school run and peak commuting times are best avoided if possible.
This book describes both loops in a clockwise direction, but of course they can be tackled either way and are signed accordingly. At first sight doing the route anti-clockwise would seem to mean more left turns and fewer right turns. Left turns are easier when there’s traffic about, which may be a consideration if you are nervous about tangling with cars. In fact, with such a complex route, there’s little difference between the overall numbers of lefts and rights. Tackling the loops clockwise, however, takes greater advantage of the prevailing south-west wind for the flat sections, and generally means that the biggest climbs are taken from their easier side.
Experienced cycle tourists may tackle either loop in a weekend, or comfortably complete the entire Cycleway in a few days. The less experienced or less ambitious will be glad to know that it’s easy to break it up into shorter sections: perhaps, but not necessarily, the eleven stages described in this guide. There is much to be said for the more leisurely approach, taking time to smell the flowers at the roadside, amble down to a river bank, or visit some of the attractions near the route.
Tackling the route as one (or two) continuous circuit(s) is only one approach. You can also break it up into day rides. The best way to do this is by using the trains (see ‘Making connections’, in Appendix B, for more details). The Southern Loop is criss-crossed by railway lines and the permutations are almost infinite. The northern half of the county has a sparser, but still adequate, rail network. A selection of suggested day rides is briefly outlined after the main route description.
For reasons of space, further information concerning places the day rides pass through is not reproduced from the Lancashire Cycleway stage directions, but cross‐references to the relevant stages are provided in the information boxes at the beginning of each day ride.
As the junction of the Northern and Southern Loops, Whalley is an obvious starting point, and the County Council has consistently promoted it as such. However, it is not particularly convenient for arrival by rail (from most directions). Visitors from outside the region will generally find Lancaster to be the best starting point for the Northern Loop, and therefore the description of the route starts here, but since it’s broken into convenient sections, you can easily start from wherever suits you best.
For the Southern Loop, the choice is less clear cut. The route officially begins from Whalley, but again you can start anywhere that suits you: if you’re arriving by rail the Wigan Link, connecting Wigan North Western station with the Cycleway, may come in handy (see Stage 9a).
If you’re tackling both loops in one continuous ride you will transfer from one to the other at Whalley, but you can still start and finish at Lancaster, or anywhere else that suits you.
Whalley Abbey. Whalley is the hub where the Northern and Southern Loops meet (Stages 4 and 7)
Preparation
Experienced cycle tourists can skip this section, but if your previous cycling experience has been confined to nipping out for a loaf of bread, or riding to school a decade or two ago, there may be several questions that concern you. The most basic, of course, is ‘am I up to it?’ And then there are other questions, like ‘do I need a new bike?’ and ‘what do I need to take with me?’
Am I up to it?
For the majority of people the answer is yes, provided you prepare sensibly. Mind you, there’s only one way to find out for sure! But tackling the Lancashire Cycleway isn’t an all-or-nothing commitment. You can take it in easy stages, and many of them have bail-out options at railway stations. Pro cyclists might cover the Northern or Southern Loop in a few hours and regard it as a good training ride (one-day Classics like Milan–San Remo or the Tour of Flanders are significantly longer). Some experienced cycle tourists will happily tackle either loop in a weekend. But others may get equal or greater enjoyment and satisfaction from spending a week over one of the loops, or indeed doing it in dribs and drabs over a longer period.
Even 20km can seem a long way if you’re not used to it. Like anything, cycling gets easier if you do it regularly, and as it principally uses the leg muscles – which are the largest in the body – it is among the best forms of exercise for all-round fitness. Using a bike to get to work or to the shops is a good way to get into the swing of cycling, as well as saving you money, and very often time as well. If that doesn’t appeal or isn’t practical, regular rides at evenings and weekends will do you good too.
Daffodils near Wolf House Gallery, with Morecambe Bay behind (Stage 1)
Bike choice and setup
Most bikes will serve. Maybe not the one buried in the garden shed, with wobbly wheels and rusty chain, but anything roadworthy will get you started. Of course, if your bike hasn’t been used for a while – or maybe even if it has – it deserves a thorough check. If you’re not sure of your mechanical skills, head to your local bike shop. A professional service will set you back a few quid, but it’s worth it for the difference it can make, both to your safety and to your riding pleasure. If it gets you riding more often, the expense will be repaid many times over in petrol, car parking and other costs.
If you haven’t got a usable bike already, it’s well worth looking around for second-hand bargains. The boom in road cycling since the first edition of this guide means there are fewer road bikes languishing unused in sheds and garages, but bargains are still out there. Even if you have to replace a few components, excellent deals can be found, but be careful: if you aren’t clued up about bikes, take advice from someone who is. Be particularly wary of bikes that appear far cheaper than they should be. Unscrupulous sellers may be keeping quiet about a hard-to-spot issue, like crash damage causing cracks or misalignment. And, of course, stolen bikes surface from time to time.
If you are buying a new bike – whether brand new, or just new to you – there are a few things to think about. A lot of Dutch people have several bikes, but most people in Britain manage with just one. As your new steed may have to serve multiple purposes, take time to consider exactly what you want to do with it before you open your wallet, preferably before you even start shopping around.
Despite the road bike boom, the majority of new bikes sold are hybrids. Hybrids look superficially like mountain bikes, with wide flat bars and fairly chunky wheels and frame. They’re great for light off-road use, like canal towpaths or forest roads. True mountain bikes come into their own on rougher terrain, but if you’re staying on tarmac, fat tyres and suspension will soak up not only the bumps, but also much of the effort you’re expending. ‘Supermarket special’ mountain bikes – sometimes called ‘bicycle-shaped objects’
