**UPDATED WITH DETAILS OF WHERE TO MEET AND WHEN** When: 0840 on Saturday 11th October (for a 0900 sharp start as we really need to set off on time)
Where: The car park on the outskirts of Colne outside
Taylor's Off Licence next to the roundabout junction with Keighley Road, Skipton Old Road and Byron Road. See
this map for exact location.
What's the route? See
here. Don't be confused by the start point being Gargrave; we are in fact starting from Colne (with some joining us along the route). We won't be taking the Skipton Old Road route as I think it will take the group too long, and there are enough hills already later on the route. So, be prepared for the ride from Colne to Gargrave to be on a fairly busy - but flat - A road (nothing compared to London roads, though).
People meeting at Colne: Woolly & Peli
The Wows
The Toekneeps
Dave
Sgt Pluck
Alan
Steve GT
Meeting us at Gargrave? We plan to be at the cafe by 10:15/10:30.
Deano
Blackburnrod & Tonycollinet - not sure where you plan to meet us - can you let me know?
Cafe stops: I think it's important that everyone knows what the deal is with stops and eating. Please make sure to bring your own energy snacks as there's limited places to buy these en route. We will plan to have two brief eating stops:
1) (About 10:15/10:30 until 11:30) Dalesman @ Gargrave for tea and cake - fuel up for the hills ahead
2) (About 13:30) lunch stop in Settle - Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe OK for everyone?
If you've not yet let me have your mobile number, please send me a PM and I will send you mine.
Timings I've tried to estimate how long we will take on each stretch of the ride, and it's hard to tell given the size of the group and differing speeds of the riders, so please be prepared with
decent lights in case we are delayed for any reason. Lots of the roads we're taking are wild and unlit.
Route maps I will bring copies for everyone meeting at Colne only (as they're likely to get pretty soggy if I have to carry them to Gargrave
).
ClothingI think this is for the benefit of the softy southerners
- bring warm clothes. It gets nippy in them there 'ills.
Any questions, or if I have missed anything, please tickle me!
And a final plea to please send me your mobile number if you've not already done so!! Peli
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DefinitesWow & Mrs Wow
Toekneep & GillP
Peli & Woolly
Sgt Pluck
Our Dave
Deano
Alan
onb (possible)
Blackburnrod
SteveGT
Tonycollinet
Finally, I am getting around to organising this long-awaited ride on my home turf of East Lancashire - a loop of the mysterious and beautiful Pendle Hill.
Woolly and I have had to plump for one date and one date only, as he works weekends and therefore doesn't have many to choose from. So, if Saturday 11th October suits you, please come and join us.
What? A 50 mile loop of the magificent Pendle Hill, taking in the sweet, sharp Nick O' Pendle and a beautiful stretch of cycle route from Malham to Settle. Does the name 'Pendle' ring a bell? The area is famous for the
Pendle witch trials of 1612, the best known example of alleged witchcraft in English history.
Before you ask whether the ride will be lumpy, remember that Pendle Hill combines the word for 'hill' in three different languages: Pen (Cumbric); hyll (Old English) and hill (Modern English). So you'll be climbing the Nick of Hill-hill-hill.
When?Saturday 11th October.
"October? In the Pennines?" I hear you cry...
An old Colne saying states that "If you can see Pendle then it's about to rain, if you can't then it's already started." But if it rains, we get wet. We can't go to the Pennines and not embrace the lovely Pennine weather.
Why? Do you need to ask? It's a stunningly beautiful and physically challenging ride, taking in vast expanses of moorland, glimpses of limestone cove, and dotted with a few steep bits here and there.
How? Woolly and I will be train-ing it up from London Kings Cross on the late afternoon of Friday 10th October, to Keighley.
Details of our trains:
Outward journey
10 Oct 2008
Departs London Kings Cross 16:35
Arrives Keighley 19:41
Return journey
12 Oct 2008
Departs Keighley 14:28
Arrives London Kings Cross 17:55
We'll then get a taxi (or mini-van, depending on how many we are) "across the Moss" from Keighley to Winewall, to my parents' house. At that time of night, it's not really cycle-able (unless you're Well 'Ard) as the road is fast and the elements can be wild.
We have space for a few at my Mum and Dad's - please PM me if interested. We have a bolshy cat, so perhaps not best if you're allergic... Alternatively, we have friends who run a swish local B&B (approx. £40/night).
We'll head back down to the Smoke about 14:00 on Sunday 12th October.
Eating? As we'll arrive late on Friday night, a late-night Pakistani takeaway will be the order of the day, from my Mum's friend's establishment. During the ride itself, we'll pass the famous cyclists' cafe at Gargrave, and there'll be the chance for pub stops in Settle, Clitheroe and Barrowford. After the ride, we've a choice of eating establishments in Colne, so let's see how we feel.
Is it a hard ride? Let's face it, it's the Pennines, so it's not a walk in Richmond Park.
There Will Be Lumps. But, we'll be setting off relatively early (by Woolly-Peli standards) - say 09:00 - so we'll leave ample time for cake stops, and no one will be left behind.
OK, I'm up for some Pennine pain pleasure. Where do we meet? If you're staying chez Peli's Parents, we'll start from Winewall (Colne) and head in a north-easterly direction through Earby to Gargrave. Anyone can pick us up at any time along the route, with Gargrave perhaps offering the best meeting place for northern-based Yacfers.
One final question... is it fix-able? 
