Thursday Ride 9 September – Boot and Shoe to Chipping

Nine members met for a sociable start to Thursday’s ride. Three had sensibly decided to do something a bit easier in the day’s hot forecast weather.

The main ride set out up Hala Hill to cross the Conder then take a pleasant contour ride on Long Lane to Quernmore. It was still cloudy; the sun was not yet heating the day, thankfully, for now was the toughest stretch of the day up Quernmore Brow. On the final stretch of the first climb, yours truly, while coping with gradient, failed to overcome the strong associated headwind, therefore I pushed the bike the last 200yards to take a breather with the party.

Reaching  the Jubilee Tower,  we waited for the last one; he’d suffered from the effort and decided to leave us to continue down across the Tarnbrook Wyre and up past  Abbeystead church. We continued on the bumpy –surfaced road to summit at the Trough of Bowland. By now, light rain was falling, a blessing now we were warming up. The sky was brighter east of the summit but, perversely, the road was wet, so we descended carefully, meeting two huge wide timber trucks, which warmed us with the wash from their huge travailing engines as they passed us, climbing the serpentine road and leaving little room for us.

After this we rocketed down past Sykes farm and Langden Intake, taking a run at the next ascent to pass the cattle grid by the mountain rescue hut. We arrived at Puddleducks cafe at about 11:10 and settled outside for coffee and cakes seated under a large brolly. We were met there by another member, who stayed with us to share the company of the wasps.

After coffee, we continued, going past King Charles III’s Duchy of Lancaster Whitewell Inn; It seemed strange having the king for our duke after so many years with our queen.

Shortly after crossing the Hodder, we turned right to take the highland route to Chipping, arriving near the war memorial. Crossing the R. Loud we parked up at the cafe  and ordered lunch and drinks.

We set out on the road towards Garstang, passing the turning for the glider field and taking the next (with a bit less descent and climb) and we the descended past the old Bleasdale Post Office (now a house) and the roller-coaster dip in the road and past the end of Delph Lane (We’d had enough hills by then!). turning across country, we descended to cross the Calder and continued on Route 6 to Scorton.

No-one wanted tea, so we crossed the A6 went through Forton village and Potter’s Brook, crossed the A6 again and went under the railway line to ascend Whams Lane and cross country to turn left, back onto Route 6 through Galgate and the Uni. We split at the Boot & Shoe lights for our home run.

45 miles and 3200 feet. 

 Mike Codd