Archive for category: Bike Routes

Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race

September 20, 2020/in Bikecation, Bikecation Locations, Blog Post, Cycle Tourism, European Bikecation Locations, European MTB Routes, Lifestyle, MTB Routes, MTB Stage Races, Spain MTB Routes, Steve Smales /by Pedalnorth Website

Over the last thirty five years of cycle racing, I’ve often considered my peers and their contentment at riding the same disciplines, indeed the same races, year in year out. Each to their own and all that, but it’s not for me. It’s probably a Myers-Briggs personality thing. Firstly, I like new experiences; secondly, as a very average amateur athlete, I have never really found a discipline that has offered fame and fortune. Riding the same races over and over again holds little appeal.

Altos de Letras Colombia

August 21, 2020/in Bike Routes, Bikecation, Bikecation Locations, Blog Post, Colombia Road Cycling, Cycle Tourism, Lifestyle, North and South America Cycling, Road Cycling Routes /by Pedalnorth Website

The longest road climb in the world is in the majestic hills of Colombia. Quite appropriate really, when you consider that this is where the best climbers come from. Let’s take a look at this amazing route and maybe inspire you to take it on.

Philip Platt

Jubilee Tower Lancaster Cycle Route

August 7, 2020/in Bike Routes, Bloggers, Lancashire Road Cycling Routes, Robert Thorpe /by Pedalnorth Website

JUBILEE TOWER, ABBEYSTEAD

A classic Lancashire cycling route

This short but rewarding road cycling route in Lancashire takes you into the hills and open countryside, visiting the climb of Jubilee Tower before descending back to the village of Garstang. It’s a route for an easy evening or to lik in to a longer ride in rural Lancashire.

Distance: 24 miles
Ascent: 1,550 feet

OS Link:

Refreshments: FiG Tree Fairtrade Cafe at Garstang or The Priory at Scorton.

Character: A gently undulating climb to a high and wild moor, topped by a preposterous folly. Sensational views in clear weather, with the Welsh, Manx and Lakeland hills spanning the westward horizon.

Route

1. Head out of Garstang on the Lancaster Road (i.e. pedal North).

2. Turn right at the mini-roundabout into Green Lane East and gain a narrow lane barred to cars.

3. Turn right at the end and meander through the meadows of Wyresdale to the village of Scorton.

4. Turn right at the Priory into Snow Hill Lane and climb over the M6 and into the Forest of Bowland AONB. The sassier lasses round these parts buy tee shirts such that the words “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” undulate across their chests.

5. Turn left at the top and follow a high terrace, dodging jaywalking pheasants as you go.

6. Another left turn at the end (no signage) then pay heed to the Ford sign as it can reach respectable depth and the surface is rather too cobbled for hitting at high speed on skinny tyres.

7. Drop to the main Scorton-Abbeystead road and turn right. Follow this up a series of rises until a steep pull out of narrow gulch where the road runs parallel to a stream.

8. At the top of this climb, turn left (unsigned) to a spectacular, winding descent into Abbeystead.

9. Turn left and then, where the road turns 90 degrees to the left, go straight on, signposted “Quernmore 5”

10. Climb through plover and hare country, turning left at the top to the Tower. Look on the verge on the right for the memorial to cyclist Peter Nowell.

11. Plunge to Quernmore Crossroads, turning left. Try to combine admiring the view with staying in the saddle on the hairpin.

12. Follow the switchback southwards, re-crossing the motorway on Whams Lane

13. Left at the bottom will take you into the hamlet of Hollins Lane, convergence with the A6 and the homeward leg

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Fylde Coast Cycle Route

August 6, 2020/in Bike Routes, Lancashire Road Cycling Routes, Road Cycling Routes /by Pedalnorth Website

FYLDE COAST
A ride around the Lancashire coast

Image by Michael Beckwith,Unsplash

Route Information

Stats: 49 miles of reasonably flat riding

Map Link:

Refreshments & Where to Stay: Preston and Blackpool are nearby, as is historic Lancaster

Character

A great loop around the westernmost lump of Lancashire. Although Blackpool lacks certain finesse, the atmosphere is generally cheery and the views are stunning. On a clear day, the panorama includes Wales, the Isle of Man, the Lakes, The Howgills, The Dales (Ingleborough’s bony crown is pre-eminent), the Bowland Hills, Winter Hill and Ashurst Beacon. The short ferry hop makes this a memorable excursion.

Route

1. Head out of Garstang on Moss Lane, over the humpback bridge. Cross the A6 with care at the Bellflower.

2. Turn right into the ominously-named Kilcrash Lane. Follow this through flat farmland to Pilling and turn left into Head Dyke Lane

3. At Preesall, turn right to Knott End and follow this down to the slipway. Ferries generally run on the hour and half-hour and the trip takes all of five minutes. Expect to pay £1.50 for you and a further 50p for the bike.

4. At the farther shore, take up the promenade and dodge the hordes of strollers, giddy kiddies and unleashed dogs through Bispham and Blackpool.

5. At Squire’s Gate, join the main road heading south (there’s a good continuous cycle lane) but you can duck back onto promenade at St Anne’s if the main road is too busy for your liking.

6. Rejoin the main road, then turn left near Lytham Windmill into Station Road.

7. Meander through to the incongruous picture-postcard village of Wrea Green, its thatched roofs looking ill-suited to Lancashire’s rainfall.

8. Go straight on at the church (village stores on your right) and (easily missed) take a shortcut by a wall (just before the main road) into Kirkham. Cross the dual carriageway with care.

9. In Kirkham, turn left into Carr Lane and zigzag North and East to Inskip.

10. Turn left on the B5269 then right (after the village) into Pinfold Lane.

11. Turn right into St Michael’s Lane at the end and pass Myerscough agricultural college to join the A6 at Guy’s Thatched Hamlet.

12. Pootle north on the A6 then follow signs forking right back into Garstang.

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Cormet de Roselend France

July 21, 2020/in Bike Routes, Bikecation, Bikecation Locations, Blog Post, Cycle Tourism, European Bikecation Locations, European Cycling Routes, Fitness, Forest Centre, France Road Cycling, France Road Cycling, Health and Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Road Cycling Routes /by Pedalnorth Website

Sitting at an altitude of 1968m the Cormet de Roselend connects Beaufort(744m) in the Beaufortain valley in the west and Bourg-Saint-Maurice(840m) in the Tarentaise Valley to the east. The climb has a rich TDF history. It was first featured in the 1979 Tour de France and ten times since. In 2019 the climb was cut from the tour as a mudslide rendered the climb impassable. It returns in 2020 for stage 18 and just happens to follow our preferred route over the Cormet!

Aeropress Coffee

July 19, 2020/in Bikepacking, Blog Post, Bloggers, Health and Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Scott Cornish, Technical Accessories, Travel Kit /by Pedalnorth Website

I used to be a bit of a philistine when it came to coffee, coffee was just coffee and instant tasted okay. That was until I started drinking freshly ground and freshly made coffee. What a revelation and how bad instant now tastes. Far from being any kind of connoisseur, but I can now appreciate the subtle undertones of flavours in different coffees, although this has created a bit of hole for myself, demanding good coffee wherever I travel, even bikepacking.

Magura Town and the Mountains

July 12, 2020/in Bike Routes, European MTB Routes, Larisa Chinces, MTB Routes, Romania MTB Routes /by Pedalnorth Website

Magura town sits beneath the beautiful mountains, surrounded by trails in my home – Transylvania, near to the historic city of Bran. The castles neary and the forests and hills are all magical and the riding is awesome 🙂

Bowland Badass Cycling Route

July 1, 2020/in Bike Routes, Bikecation, Bikecation Locations, Blog Post, Great Road Climbs, Health and Lifestyle, Lifestyle, Road Cycling Routes, Robert Thorpe, South Pennines Road Cycling, UK Road Cycling Routes /by Pedalnorth Website

The Bowland Badass, whilst starting in the quiet village of Garstang, is an epic 167 mile road cycling route in Lancashire and Yorkshire, with a series of epic and tough climbs. It was run as a sportive, and we’ve included the route here, so that you can ride it yourself at any time, either in a one day adventure, or as a cycle tour over a weekend.

Trough of Bowland Cycle Route

June 30, 2020/in Bike Routes, Lake District Road Cycling Routes, Road Cycling Routes /by Pedalnorth Website

Trough of Bowland Cycling Route

Route Information

Stats: 35 miles and 2800 feet of ascent

OS Map:

Refreshments: There are many opportunities to choose from: Cobble Corner at Chipping. Puddleducks at Dunsop Bridge. Snack van (seasonal) at the bottom of Langden Beck. The Priory at Scorton is very cyclist-friendly (they even have their own cycle shop)

Character: A magnificent loop around the Western Bowland fells, with a variety of cleft moorland, estate farmland and coastal plain. This is my staple road ride.
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Route

1. From Garstang, head south towards Catterall. At a mini-roundabout by a vet’s, turn left into Dimples Lane.

2. At the end of the lane, turn left into Bruna Lane and follow that over the canal and the M6.

3. Turn right into Sandholme Lane. Follow this to a stone bridge overhung by trees. Turn left into Butt Hill Lane. Keep climbing for over mile, passing Cobble Hey Farm, where the road becomes Hobbs Lane.

4. Turn left into Bleasedale Lane. Follow this up, then through three successive dips until you join Oakenclough Lane coming in from the right at Wickens Farm.

5. Follow lanes to Chipping. There are several possibilities, all of roughly equal length.

6. Go straight through Chipping and, shortly after the Gibbon Bridge Hotel, turn left, signposted to Whitewell.

7. Pass the Inn at Whitewell and head upriver to Dunsop Bridge. This landscape has a slightly Scottish feel, I always think, as if you could be wending your way up a minor Cairngorm Glen.

8. Take a detour into Dunsop Bridge if hungry or keep going straight up the Trough road. Dig in.

9. Descend past the Marshaw pines (another touch that hints at Rothiemurchus Forest) and look out for a left turn (signposted to Garstang). Take it.

10. Follow the rise and fall of the moorland, heading broadly SSW, with good views out to Morecambe Bay and the southern Lakes. Go straight on at a stop sign.

11. Go straight through the village of Scorton. Just after you cross Gubberford Bridge, there’s a tiny, unsigned left turn. This is a quiet lane leading back into the centre of Garstang.

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Magura Peak Romania MTB

June 29, 2020/in Bike Routes, European MTB Routes, Larisa Chinces, MTB Routes, Romania MTB Routes, Uncategorized /by Pedalnorth Website

Magura Peak is a wonderful mountain bike trail route in my home – Transylvania, near to the historic city of Sibiu. It takes you through magical forests and high into the mountains, with the wild and beautiful Romanian countryside surrounding you. I love exploring and riding in the hills here, and this route is a special one to share with you 🙂

Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race

Altos de Letras Colombia

Jubilee Tower Lancaster Cycle Route

JUBILEE TOWER, ABBEYSTEAD

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Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race

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FYLDE COAST

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Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race

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