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 Sunday 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 got 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".
