Tuesday 8 July 2008

Drying out

Headed out this morning thinking I wanted to do about 50km (30miles). So I headed over towards Rivington where I went down Jon's 200yards and then started climbing up the commonwealth down. I'm daydreaming as I'm climbing (which will mean I was probably going very slowly) when this voice pipes up from behind me, its Amy isn't it? A quick glance at the bike and I realise it's matt, another local blogger. We continued climbing together and at the top we split. I headed up the pike and then down the ICR. Having a look on my way I wondered if the alternative ICR starts at the gate just after pigeon tower. If so is it as steep as it looks??? I guess there is one way to find out - walk down it ;).

After that it was back up through Chinese Gardens and along Belmont Old Road. I then headed out over the Darwen Moors towards the A666. Just at the end I met this lot!I had fun getting through them as they were not planning on moving, there was a nice mix of cows, bulls and calves. I was glad to get to the other side of a fence. After that I headed past the Strawbury Duck and then on to Ramsbottom, crossing the stream from the other night.
It was back to normal levels so you could just ride across it. After Ramsbottom I just headed home. I was out of the house for 4.5hours in total.

55.6 km @ 14.3 km/h
34.6miles @ 8.9mph
1200m climbed
Average HR 139bpm

4 comments:

  1. naaa AICR is just the one people normally ride up. no point in riding the one you looked at as it's just a steep gravelly footpath.

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  2. So I still don't know where the AICR is then.

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  3. Hi just started reading your blog, wow, you really get the miles in.
    The cheeky path down into Belmont you mentioned, is it the one from hordern stoops that goes past hoar stones? (I'm looking at an OS map) Is it worth a trip out there or do you just use it as a shortcut to somewhere else?
    BTW The AICR (I think) is the track that goes from georges lane to the upper car park, take a left at the top of school climb where you saw matt then the 1st, 2nd or 3rd bridleway on the left will get you onto it. Not sure where it 'offically' starts cos all those tracks merge into 1 after the china Gardens. That steep track by the pigeon tower meets the AICR near the bottom.

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  4. Yes this
    is the path. Think that is where you are looking. It is only any good in the dry though, otherwise stick to the road. I use it to get to Belmont and then head over towards the moors and Darwen, or sometimes climb back up it after doing the Belmont Descent.

    I think then I call the AICR chinese gardens, I climb up there! I just thought it was some secret track I didn't know about!

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