Day 7 – Motorway Crossings

After a great breakfast of fresh fruit and hot porridge at the Premier Inn, I removed the bike rack from the car and we loaded the bags.  After checking the bike’s tyres, tightening and lubricating chain, it was 10.30am by the time I started riding.

My route passed close to my paternal grandparents’ old house so I spent a few minutes finding the road.  Slightly surprisingly, given it is a short road, I couldn’t actually find the house which I visited numerous times as a kid!  I concluded that either the house had been significantly extended or actually demolished to allow space for new build!  However, the neighbours were friendly and interested to hear of the history I knew of the street.

Crossing the Manchester Ship Canal Bridge

Leaving Hartford, I hit a headwind and it was hard work going north.  I travelled North West and crossed the M56 – the first of several motorways to pass today.  I navigated into Warrington, photographing the Manchester Ship Canal without stopping on the bridge as it was so narrow.  I found my way through the centre of town, giving our business partners Qbase a wave as I passed near their office.  Leaving town along urban dual carriageways, I crossed the M6 and then the M62.

Take care with the soap - how wrong can it go?

I stopped for lunch in Glazebury at the biggest garden centre I have ever seen – think airport terminal rather than a few sheds!  My sister had asked me to stop and look at a garden building on display there, which I successfully found and photographed.  After hot soup and chunky bread I was on the road again heading for Bolton and then Blackburn to meet Rob “Matt” Downs who was joining me for the last 20 miles of the day.

Having already delayed the meeting by an hour, I was due at Blackburn at 4pm, so kept up a steady pace climbing up to and then through Bolton.  As I left the town behind, I climbed for over an hour past Dingle Reservoir to reach the top of Darwen Moor.  It was great to reach the summit and see panoramic views opening up to the north.  I should have been in Blackburn by this time, but knew the descent would be rapid.  I sped down through several small villages, pausing only at the last big motorway crossing of the day as I passed over the M65.

I found my way into Blackburn, noting the Ewood Park football stadium close to the centre and eventually to the railway station surrounded by road works.  Unfortunately, there was no sign of Rob so I did a couple of laps of the station.  After a quick exchange of text messages, he appeared with his Brompton folding bike having been to look at the Cathedral.  Rob had decided to ride on the Brompton to be in keeping with my single speed bike ride.  The Brompton has just two gears, but has small wheels making country touring and potholes more of a challenge!

Rob on his Brompton

We started riding through busy streets with lots of rush hour queuing traffic.  Leaving town there was more descending than we expected but we had to ride single file to avoid fast traffic.  As we reached the smaller roads in the Trough of Bowland, it was quiet enough to ride two abreast and we enjoyed the fabulous countryside.  There were many cyclists out enjoying the sunny weather and great views.  Rob and the Brompton did fine, coping with climbs and descents without any real problem.  Eventually we reach the hamlet of Cow Ark and the one big climb of the afternoon.  For the steepest section, Rob got off and ran alongside the Brompton and I made it to the top with a few zig zags.  We were rewarded with a beautiful vista of the Forest of Bowland – an area of outstanding natural beauty.  It looked like we had reached Scotland already.

We cast long shadows late in the afternoon

The sun was setting as crossed the top and started the steep descent into the valley.  The landlord of the “Parkers Arms” came out to check whether Rob really had just ridden the Brompton over the top and wish us well on the final mile to Slaidburn.  He didn’t tell us about the one final short but steep climb before reaching the village and finding the “Hark to Bounty” pub.  The name dates back to the local land owner exclaiming on hearing his favourite dog “Bounty” barking outside.  We arrived just before dark and stashed the bikes in the laundry room.  After a quick change we had dinner in the pub while the pool team played a match that didn’t sound to be going well.

Arriving at the Hark to Bounty pub for the night

In total the day was 75.4 miles in 9 hours elapsed and 6 hours 20 minutes moving at an average of 11.8mph and a maximum speed of 38mph.  This stop marks the halfway point of the ride – one week gone and one week to go.  Tomorrow brings a day of climbing - the second biggest of the whole route, so we went early to bed in preparation.