The Lancashire Cycleway

Map key

Overview map

Route summary tables

Introduction

The Lancashire Cycleway

Preparation

Bike choice and setup

Clothing

Carrying gear

Potholes and pitfalls

Deviations from the route

Signage

Maps, apps and timings

Using this guide

The Northern Loop

Stage 1a The Lancaster Link

Stage 1 Halton to Hornby

Stage 2 Hornby to Slaidburn

Stage 3 Slaidburn to Whalley

Stage 4 Whalley to Bilsborrow

Stage 5 Bilsborrow to Great Eccleston

Stage 6 Great Eccleston to Halton

The Southern Loop

Stage 7 Whalley to Laneshaw Bridge

Stage 8 Laneshaw Bridge to Holcombe Brook

Stage 9 Holcombe Brook to Appley Bridge

Stage 9a The Wigan Link

Stage 10 Appley Bridge to Croston

Stage 11 Croston to Whalley

Day Rides

Day Ride 1 Lancaster–Silverdale one-way

Day Ride 2 Lancaster–Silverdale–Lancaster

Day Ride 3 Lancaster–High Bentham

Day Ride 4 Lancaster–High Bentham–Lancaster

Day Ride 5 High Bentham–Slaidburn–High Bentham

Day Ride 6 High Bentham–Long Preston

Day Ride 7 Clitheroe–Slaidburn–Clitheroe

Day Ride 8 A circuit from Whalley

Day Ride 9 A circuit from Colne

Day Ride 10 Colne–Accrington

Day Ride 11 Entwistle–Haslingden–Ramsbottom–Entwistle

Day Ride 12 A circuit from Leyland

Day Ride 13 A West Lancashire circuit

Day Ride 14 Preston–Whalley

Day Ride 15 Whalley–Longridge–Whalley

Day Ride 16 Preston–Longridge–Woodplumpton–Preston

Day Ride 17 Kirkham–Lancaster

Appendix A Further information

Appendix B Transport

Appendix C Bike shops

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

We are always grateful to readers for information about any discrepancies between a guidebook and the facts on the ground. If you would like to send some information to us then please use our contact form. They will be published here following review by the author(s).

"domiciled in garstang, a few miles north of preston, jon sparks resides pretty much in the centre of his world, ideally situated to be better acquainted with the surrounding roadways than the majority of his readers. which, to place not too fine a point upon it, is precisely the sort of fellow i'd want to be guiding me around the lancashire countryside north west of manchester.

all [routes] are extremely well illustrated with both photographs and clearly defined maps, while sparks' narrative takes the prospective rider from start to finish via every turn in the route.

those northern and southern loops, while suitable for one-day rides by the intrepid cyclist aboard an appropriately speedy machine, are further split into smaller rides that might also occupy a more leisurely approach, festooned with a modest quantity of coffee and cake. each to their own; it's very much to the author's credit that his organisation of the book's contents allows for a very wide interpretation of what constitutes energetic and exploratory cycling.
if you plan on holidaying in the lancashire area for a day or considerably longer, it ill-behoves you to leave home without a copy of this book either in a jersey pocket or ensconced within a bar bag."

Brian Palmer, the Washingmachine Post

The guide makes imaginative use of the rail network. Admirable form a green perspective, this strategy allows a wider variety of day routes to be offered, as well as escapes options. It would be entirely possible to use bike and train to complete most of the routes described.

Overall, this guide can be recommended to get you away from the beaten track and to take you through some well-known beauty spots, as well. I have enjoyed reading it and will now tuck it into my jersey pocket and head for Wigan!

Seven Day Cyclist