Meet at Astley Park Gates, Chorley PR7 1JU at 10 a.m. on Sunday 19th December. Route and Parking details as below. Lunch should be available at the Bridge House Farm Cafe in Rainford. Please bring the usual Emergency tools and puncture repair equipment. Daytime running or emergency lights are recommended.
Advance forecast is moderately cold and hopefully dry.
Total distance is 37 miles.
NO ONE will be left behind
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 37 miles
- Time 3 h 43 min
- Speed 10 mph
- Min altitude 43 ft
- Peak 541 ft
- Ascend 1483 ft
- Descent 1486 ft
Leaving from Astley Park Gates, Chorley PR7 1JU. Car Parking is conveniently located on Queens Road car park, PR7 1JU. (what3words ///rabble.broke.bats). This is next to the park gates. Turn right immediately after the park gates when entering Chorley from the Preston direction or M61 junction 8. Parking should be free after 5 p.m. and all day Sunday. An alternative car park is the main Astley Hall car park on Hallgate, which is on the other side of the park, PR7 1NP. There are toilets here but Car parking is £3 for all day, every day. You can ride through the park to the start of the ride.
The route passes through Chorley to Birkacre then Coppull. From Coppull it goes to Shevington, Gathurst and Orrell Post, then up the Crank Road climb to Crank. It then joins the Rainford Linear Park, a two mile shared path along a disused railway line to Rainford Junction Station and the Bridge Farm Cafe.
The return route is via Crawford, Upholland and over Ashurst Beacon via the gentler side into Newburgh. Thence to Grimshaw, Eccleston and via Back Lane to Euxton to return to the park gates through the park.
Total Distance is 37 miles
