Artwork: Duncan Astle
Date: Sat 2nd April 2011
Start: Pendle Heritage Centre car park, Barrowford, Nelson, Lancashire, BB9 6JQ
Time: start riding from 10am up to 10.30am with a faster group going out at 10.30am
Photos and cake from Sportsunday....
Route details available on the links over on the right of the page.
What started off as my grump about not being able to go back to Flanders after a riotous Ronde sportive weekend in 2008, morphed into an absorbing and eventful group ride for about 35 of us last April.
Using some beautiful Lancashire lanes, hills and leftover cobbled climbs from a past Industrial era, the Ronde van Oost Lancashire seems to have taken on a momentum of its own now.
Word of the fun day we had last year seems to have spread and I have had fairly frequent requests to hold the ride again. So, book a pass out for April 2nd and come and see what we have here in a tucked away corner of the North West.
The parking opposite the Pendle Heritage Centre can be a bit limited (Honesty box provided) so further parking is available a few hundred metres further down the B6247, just near Barrowford Locks, right over the canal flyover.
Some of the climbs are very steep and I would recommend a minimum gear of 36 x 25 or similar if you have it. Road tires are fine, but the roads are rough and the cobbles rougher so if you have fatter tires then use them. Cross bikes with Landcruisers work well too.
Some of the route is over exposed hill country and I would take a windproof/racing cape. The weather on the route can be lashing down, very blustery or lashing down and blustery......
The winter of 2010/2011 has been a little hard so far and the roads reflect this. There are some spectacular potholes in places, often where you want them least. Please warn others behind you by pointing them out, making sure you have avoided them yourself first of course!
There is a good cafe at the start and finish (in the Heritage Centre) and food stops available at Padiham, Townley Park (Burnley), Hebden Bridge and Coldwell Activity centre near Widdop. There are also bike shops in Padiham (first cobbled section) and Hebden Bridge.
Update:
Regular local cross, sportive and running photographers Sportsunday have offered to come and capture the ride, and just as importantly, or more, are offerering a cake stall mid ride. Mint.
All participants ride this route entirely at their own risk.
16 comments:
Once again this sounds likely to be a brilliant ride, that I was hoping to make the trek north for but unfortunately it clashes with a number of other commitments (mainly my daughter's RAD exam day). Maybe next time.
I'm sure you will get a big Belgian turnout, have fun.
Oh and the 20 questions was great too.
(PS the poster date say 2010 in the small print).
www.sportsunday.co.uk would love to cover this ride and sponsor a cake stop if poss. get back at bradshaws@sportsunday.co.uk Cheers, Laura
Comin back atcha
We're in. See you on the cobbles
Hey up fella, can't make it this year; been talked into doing the real Ronde Van Vlaanderen then watching the race.
Hope it goes well, all the best.
Oliver
Hi there
How far roughly is the ride? Singlespeedable :D ? (to be fair that depends more on the rider!)
Badger Dave - it's 50 miles, but feedback from last year was that it is a surprisingly tough 50.
It was ridden last year on singlespeed, though it is fair to point out that the rider was a 'fit lad' who trains regularly with Ian Wilkinson from Endura....
Put it like this - there are multiple 1 in 5, 1 in 4 climbs and a cobbled 1 in 3 or two as well. You have been warned :-)
it'll be good training for half ironman....:P
just need to find a lift now
How many people crashed on the cobbles last time?
There weren't really any crashes. The rider in the photo, sprawled at the base of the climb was caught out by the steep slope...
Fun was had by all. I think.
Will opt in to the groupetto nearer the time if free. Sounds grim.
Can we just turn up or do we need to register somewhere? It's a 4 hour drive, but looks pretty good, I must admit.
Mikkel, just turn up, find a group to set off with at your leisure. No registering. If you like narrow country lanes, hills and esoteric cobbles it may be worth the drive. Oh, and a laid back social vibe :-)
will it be windy? My hair might lose its shape
Oh my god that climb out of 'ebbers was the hardest thing I've ever done....nearly killed me. Enjoyed it though, and the cakes were brilliant! Thanks
just found this ride accidentally via sport sunday gallery . Loook absolutely brill. gonna get my cross bike out despite it being summer.
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