FNRttC Manchester-Morecambe, 31st May, 2024.

[Andrew Br]

Also posted on CycleChat:-

This is subject to revision after I do the route check which is currently scheduled for 19th May during the day. A few of us are doing it, staying over and riding to Blackpool on the Monday to get the train home. I may do something similar after the FNRttC itself, we'll see.

In summary, the ride is about 105km/65 miles long and we head out of Manchester through Prestwich Forest Park (off-road, very dark,) to Radcliffe, Bury and then Tottington. Apart from the flat trail, this part of the ride is mostly up long, gradual climbs on urban roads.
After Tottington we climb onto the moors above Egerton. There is one short, steep ramp but, after that, the gradients are relatively benign although they do go on for quite a while. The roads are (usually) very quiet.
We reach 350m above sea level before a long, long descent to Blackburn and the (not quite) half-way stop at the Euro Garage on Whitebirk Services.
Suitably refreshed, we have a further brief spell of suburbia, before another epic descent to Ribchester. This is followed by the last significant climb of the ride, the drag up to Longridge.
The rest of the route is best described as "rolling" and we tend to ride this as a fairly compact group.
Weather permitting, we'll skirt Lancaster by using the coastal path and head to Morecambe by the bike route built on an old railway line.
After pictures with Eric, we'll have breakfast (venue TBD).
The ride will start from Victoria Station on the North side of MCR centre near the Cathedral. If you're riding across town from Piccadilly Station, please be aware of the tram tracks and cross them at right angles.
It's probably best to book trains back to home from Lancaster; there's much more choice and it's a short, flat ride from Morecambe. As far as I'm aware, all the trains from Morecambe go through Lancaster anyway and you'll probably have to change.
Please be aware that this is the hilliest of the FNRsttC and it goes through some remote countryside so check your bike over carefully, especially the tyres.

I'll post more info when I've done the route check but feel free to ask any questions about the ride.
Sign up info will appear here:- https://www.fnrttc.org.uk/ride-calendar-2024 and there is useful information on the site for "newbies".

[Andrew Br]

Sign up information has gone live:- https://us11.campaign-archive.com/?e=__test_email__&u=41f3d41b5c6c84c2a857192bc&id=1b34ed0645

[Andrew Br]

The Blackburn-Morecambe route check has been done and what a weekend it was.

Apart from the climb out of Ribchester the route is gently undulating rather than flat until we get to Conder Green when it is flat; we'll be using the old railway line into Lancaster and then the bike path to Morecambe.
I anticipate an arrival around 08.00 and, if that's the case, we'll have breakfast in the Wetherspoon's, The Eric Bartholomew. It's in the pedestrian precinct not far from the sea front.
If the weather has been good and I'm feeling OK, I'll probably ride to Blackpool to get the train home from there. This option means retracing some of the outward route to Conder Green and we'll be passing close to Lancaster Station for those heading straight home.
Sadly, if I/we take the Blackpool option, I/we'll have to use the Shard Bridge rather than the Knott End ferry to get over the Wyre.

Total distance from Morecambe to Blackpool Tower by this route is around 52km/32 miles and, apart from the climb near Glasson Dock (a scenic detour), it's very flat.

I'll also post this on CycleChat.



You're welcome to join me for this "extra" bit although please note, I may just get the train home from Lancaster if I'm too tired or, more likely, too wet !

There's still time to sign up for the ride. So far, it looks like we'll be a very small group although one of the Chorlton(CH) Massive is yet to sign up.