Читать книгу The Lancashire Cycleway. The tour and 17 day rides онлайн

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Further north, the population is concentrated close to the coast. Apart from Lancaster, which is not on the official route but is invaluable for access by rail, there are no large towns on the Northern Loop at all. Instead there is the gentle loveliness of the Ribble and Lune Valleys, flanking the high heathery ridges of the Bowland Fells. The county has sole claim on one Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Forest of Bowland) and a half-share in another (Arnside and Silverdale). The Northern Loop gives you a thorough look at both areas, while the Southern Loop makes brief acquaintance with the Forest of Bowland.

If you don’t know Lancashire, it will surprise you. Even if you do, there are probably some corners you haven’t yet discovered. Either way, cycling is a great way to explore the county.

Descending from Cross O’Greet, Pendle Hill in the distance (Stage 2)

The Lancashire Cycleway

On a map the Lancashire Cycleway resembles a rather squashed figure 8, whose two loops meet at Whalley in the Ribble Valley. The Northern Loop is approximately 208km (130 miles) in length, the Southern a fraction longer at 217km (135 miles). There are similarities between the two, with both being flat in the west and hilly in the east, but there are also distinct differences in character. The Northern Loop is almost entirely rural, while the Southern Loop, clever as it is, cannot entirely avoid some urban sections. None of these, however, are too long and, this being Lancashire, you generally soon escape back into open country.