Practising navigation in Rossendale

Yesterday I headed out to Rawtenstall with Jon, a little later than we had planned due to him being late getting to mine (he is always here early!!!). The weather decided that it would be nice and we had near perfect weather. I had planned a route but I knew I would probably have to cut it short due to a lack of daylight. The main reason for the ride was to ride somewhere new and for me to practise my navigation.

We headed out from Rawtenstall and after a steep climb were on the track behind the ski slope, it doesn't look much different from when I used to be up there most nights. Then after trying to ride into someones house we dropped down the road before heading along another bridleway. I missed the track I meant to take to the right just before the reservoir so we ended up with a little climb.

Photos never show how steep things are, Jon said he practically had to crawl up it!

After that we seemed to have some nice boggy moorland to cross.

Not forgetting the warning of helicopters, didn't see any though.
After that there was some pennine bridleway followed by more boggy stuff. At 2pm the plan was made to head back to the car so we dropped onto the road and spun back through Bacup to Rawtenstall.

A fab day and although I took wrong turns I never got us lost! Made even better when Jon ordered in Pizza for tea.