I've just looked at the Strava track you gave a link to. I'd keep off the A59, it's a really busy main road and not pleasant.

From Clitheroe just head straight for Chatburn then towards Downham (cafe at the top of the hill ). Just after the cafe turn left to Rimington. Just as you leave Rimington take a right then in a couple of Km turn left (there's a chapel on the corner). This brings you out on the A682. Almost opposite is Howgill Lane, go along this and you'll meet the PBW. Turn right and all's good

There's a cafe in Wycoller. Quite a way after that before the next one.

Nice1 BoB... Your knowledge of these areas is amazing and lovely and appreciated...

redefined_cycles wrote:Nice1 BoB... Your knowledge of these areas is amazing and lovely and appreciated...

Well, they're local roads and tracks so not too hard to work out what's most pleasant.

redefined_cycles wrote:Here is the route me and Johnnie doing. https://strava.app.link/pL17YGkKKU — PBW Clith2Rochdale

Feel free to throw in your thoughts as I know I mighy noy have managed to take account of what was said before about Barnodlswick as it was a quick drawing using the OS map and PBW overlay. Clitheroe to Rochdale but willl play it by ear on the day... maybe someone else might join

Shafiq

Route refined last night to try and comply with all the good advice... if anyone has a chance maybe they might take a peek and see if am on thr right track (literallly )... i think thrre may be a few miles towards the end that needs rejigging.

Thanks again in advance...

Looks fine to me Shafiq. Wouldn't change anything at the end - if you need to get to Castleton station that's as good a way as any.

Thanks IR... Lets hope the weather doesnt become too wierd and we are properly prepared. ...

Most of that route is fairly weatherproof so even with the rain that's just arrived you should be OK. The bit between the A6068 and Wycoller is across fields so might be a bit slippy The other bit that might be getting damp is the climb out of Earby but it's only a couple of Km at most, the Wycoller bit is about 1km.

Thanks BoB... Have put alot of thought into the gear and the packing and MYOG (Just a velcro strap upgrade) so hopefully the lack of mud and bog will be welcomed. I'm amazed how many BBs actually dont like bogs as the BB events info portrayed otherwise...

"Boggy" is just a catch all term for soft ground that's hard to ride through. These aren't so much natural bog as pasture land cut up by cattle so if it's wet you are wading through cow muck at all the gates, if it's dry all the hoof marks are solid and it's shakier than a shaky thing.

Aha.. That sort of boggy... Guess I've waded through as much of that as the next rider as long as theres no bulls with a bunch of cows and my riding buddies is wearing "please bull, come and take me out" red... happened once and we survived by looking down and pretending we didn't see the dirty beggar trying to stare us out

redefined_cycles wrote:

Been away...
I'd take the blue track, otherwise you'll lose a lot of height on the road.
Take the track above where it says 'Castle Street' through the woods.
When you hit 'Matthew Lane' follow that for 20m. Dont follow the road round onto 'Baulk Head Lane' but go straight on down a track. Its obvious on the ground and on google earth.
Follow that until you get to the zig-zags (again its clear on google earth). You may have to walk a small section.
That then drops you down to a carpark next to the main road, about 50m from the bottom of Haigh Lane.

Thanks Chew... will besr that in mind once my packing gear is all set... gonna be ridden another day as yesterdays ride was just a short BAM2019

redefined_cycles wrote:Thanks Chew... will besr that in mind once my packing gear is all set... gonna be ridden another day as yesterdays ride was just a short BAM2019

Currently we've about 50 metre visibility here Sleet/hail showers whipping past on a strong wind. I did a couple of hours this morning, about 1km away from the PBW, and was wet and frozen by the end of that. See the "Today's Ride" thread for pictures.

The sleet/hail just arrived here too (as we speak: Dewsbury)