Meet at Astley Hall Chorley PR7 1XA, at 9.30 a.m. on Sunday 21st December. Route and parking details as below.
Please bring the usual emergency tools and puncture repair equipment. It will be the shortest day of the year, sunset at approximately 3.45 p.m. So please bring lights.
Cash/card if you require lunch. Lunch stop will be at the Old Bakehouse in Southport at 27 miles.
Total distance is 47 miles. NO ONE will be left behind
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 47 miles
- Time 4 h 16 min
- Speed 11 mph
- Min altitude 10 ft
- Peak 240 ft
- Ascend 607 ft
- Descent 617 ft
Leaving from Astley Hall, Chorley PR7 1XA. There is a large adjacent car park on Hallgate (What3Words ///money.duck.pencil). There is now a £3 charge for all day parking every day. On Sundays we recommend parking at the Queens Road car park by the Park gates, PR7 1JU. This will be free. You can cycle through the park to the start, where there are toilets at Astley Hall.
The route is clockwise, through Astley Village to Euxton and via Back Lane to Eccleston. From here to Andertons Mill, Bispham Green, Hoscar and Burscough Bridge. From here you follow route 562 to Southport, entering Southport and crossing Lord Street and the Millennium Bridge to pass a short distance along the Promenade before turning inland to Hesketh Park. Here the route diverts to pass The Old Bakehouse cafe, thence to the Botanic Gardens at Churchtown and through Crossens to follow the main road cycle path to route 91 at Mere brow. The final section is along the cycle path through Sollom to Croston, then Euxton, returning to Astley Park.
This route avoids a couple of rough tracks on the first route.
Total distance is 47 miles and fairly flat
