Prepare for stunning views and some serious leg work! We embarked on a glorious 50-mile circular cycling tour of the picturesque Ribble Valley in Lancashire, and it wasn’t all flat! Join Paul, a determined 51-year-old, and his father in law Ken, an amazing 80-year-old from Stockport Clarion cycling club, as we conquer over 4000 feet of challenging climbs. Expect beautiful landscapes, inspiring resilience, and plenty of smiles along the way.
#RibbleValleyCycle #RibbleValley Cycling #LancashireCycling #UKBikeRide #HillClimbing #CyclingLife #Inspiration #OutdoorAdventure #adventurecycling #HillyRide #OldAgeCycling #stockportclarion
[Music] [Music] right Hello everyone We’re in uh up near Cole near Burnley Um it’s uh don’t know where we’re going We’re just going to follow the uh program in the in the GB We’ve got about 50 miles planned I’ve just had a look though We just started off from the car and we come quite a big climb there about 130 ft or something No warm up No no warm up So I’ve let Ken get his breath back before we come on Um so I think we’ve got looking at this we got about 18 climbs today So more orax training but this is more hills training Shorter distance more hills Um so we’ll see how we get on Um I don’t know if there’s any shortcut with this one So uh yeah So if we uh if we’re struggling I think one of us is coming back getting in the car but we’ll see how we get on Um it’s a bit nippy at the minute is it it’s about what time is it about half 9 or something Yeah Yeah But the sun’s trying to break through so hopefully it’ll warm up But we’ll um planning circling around like near um Pendle around the side of Pendle like anticlockwise from Colum up through the villages around there and back towards Clether and then back around the bottom end um heading east around the bottom end of Pendle if possible But uh it depends on the legs So we’ll see how we get on We’ve had loads of technical problems with the camera before we started I’ been messing with that for 10 minutes So um yeah that’s not a good start But hopefully it goes a bit smoother from now on So um we’ll see you in a bit See you in a bit Yeah I was a bit worried then we’re going to have to swim across the brook across the ford Luckily we got this thing here That was a stroke of luck Arnold’s wick Little climb there coming up I think that’s climb number two out of 17 This is going to be fun Just entering Bracewell somewhere in Lanasher or maybe Yorkshire We’re right on the leg border here So I don’t really know where I am but we’re in Brace Well look at this poor thing here I think that was a look like possibly a chicken but I think probably a feeasant I think Climb number three of 17 It’s just going into the uh red on me Garmin 7% It’s only a short little one I think but it’s enough to get you get your breath going and changing down gear Beautiful around here though Very nice Very quiet I think we’re nearly there Yeah Climb number three of 17 you’re done Thank God Another climb I think it’s climb number four of 17 I think I’m losing count but I think we’re nearly there This is a proper fitness workout This is There you go Cracked it Yes Rolls out Look at this Beautiful over the river The only trouble is it told us this road’s closed So I don’t know where it’s closed but hopefully we can get over here We’ll soon see Hopefully not Oh that’s a council truck Oh nightmare Just I don’t fancy uh I don’t fancy riding back up that we just come down number five This looks a little steep one and I’m totally in the wrong gear What a numpy That’s better Right I’ll concentrate on me pedaling Hopefully it’s not too long But having said that on the G it looks a lot longer than what I can see in front of me Flipping heck I’ll switch this off and get pedaling That’s climb number five done Just came up towards the camera there Just want to stop here while I’m waiting to ken There they are This year’s newborn lambs Beautiful There’s a load of them there looking at me thinking “What’s he doing?” And he probably got a point So hopefully can come up there in a minute That’s a little steep one That was Go and get some milk Climb number five done That was a sneak booger Yeah clear So this is signposting us towards a settle I think we’re kind of heading up the Ribble Valley really Uh I think that’s where we’re going and kind of looping back around in a big circle at the Rebel Valley But these roads are beautiful aren’t they yeah This is as good as anywhere to cycle around here It’s gorgeous isn’t it Ribble Valley quiet lanes sun’s out newly born lambs Yeah The only thing spoiling it is I’m new here I’m only joking Looking over there towards kind of Yorkshire that direction Ken’s up there in front It’s just absolutely glorious Again the weather the last few weeks has been absolutely fantastic I’ve had to undo me top I’m sweating Oh yeah Ribble Valley days like this Nice quiet roads nice smooth roads actually Really nice Yeah Beautiful Climb number six Ken 6 or 17 I think it’s 125 ft It looks like it’s got a little bit of a sting in its tail at the top Thank you Should be all right I think See what happens Not even enough wind for the wind turbines today So we can’t blame the wind for anything today Absolutely beautiful We got the place to ourselves at the moment Here he is [Music] So going right here towards uh Settle and Wigglesworth It’s a good name isn’t it wigglesworth Oh yeah this Look at this So we’re coming up for 15 miles in We’re about a third of the way just under a third of the way through We’ve done a third of the climbs and third of the total climbing So so we’ve got the same again twice It’s been nice though a stunning around here isn’t it i’ve enjoyed this Yeah Beautiful Hard work as well isn’t it you know Yeah Gorgeous isn’t it Like a pine forest now aren’t we yeah I think this is the end of number six Little steep bit here And I think we’re there Job done Look at that there Amazing Climb seven We just went up the steepest climb we’ve done so far which wasn’t even listed as one Cheers Garmin Anyway this is climb seven I think we’re going up to uh top of the hill where the farm is on the left where the diggers are So from here it doesn’t look too bad Just keep keep spinning I’m absolutely roasting now I’ve got me a winter top on cuz it was nippy this morning when we set off and um now I’m boiling The sun’s come out But uh yeah how good is it around here just see the outline of the hills over there But it’s a little bit misty yet The sun’s breaking through which is good It’s nice and warm now There’s no wind See the hills in the background there Ken’s just coming up climb number seven I think it is So I’m just waiting here for him But he’ll do it He always does I’m so lucky to be doing this today Poland Fell Holiday Park We’re just about to start climb number eight 137 ft So hopefully it’s just another steady one Looks like it is So yeah if they’re all like this all the way this is this is just perfect Getting a bit of a challenge on them but they’re not kind of killing you So yeah just looks like a steady climb up to kind of a white house on the top of the hill in the distance up there So about half a mile away That was vicious That was vicious That was You all right so we’re just coming back into uh God’s own country now Lancaster I think they’re coming out of Yorkshire Actually I’m not too sure Let’s have a look Oh yeah North Yorkshire There you go So we’re right under the border there North Yorkshire and Lanasher So you’re back in Lancaster Kenneth We’re in where laner You’re back in Lancaster now We just got to work out where we’re going that’s all [Music] Uh yeah I think it’s straight on Oh 12% downhill This is going to be fast Oh 35 mph Oh no And here comes the climb Climb number nine I think it is 104 ft I’ll switch this off and get working again Toss side I’m at the top of climb number eight of 17 here Climb number 10 out of 17 This part’s a right booger It looks steep from down there It is Probably doesn’t look steep on the camera but believe me my legs are telling me it is Flipping heck I’ll stop every breathing down here Sound like some sort of pervo Come back in a bit Okay so we’re almost uh 20 mi in We’ve done 1,800 feet of climbing so far Um they’ve been we’ve done 10 out of the 17 recognized climbs on GI but there’s definitely more than what Gin finds I know it has its own classification for climbs but it’s definitely done more than that Uh most of them been pretty steady just a couple of really steep ones Ken’s managed to get up him I’m just waiting for him I’ve just uh I’ve just come up this road here towards the camera up a climb up here But I mean you look at it here Ribble Valley on a day like this you know if you’re into your cycling and stuff your old cycling there just there’s nowhere better Got it to yourself You can hear a pin drop There’s hardly any traffic on these kind of roads And there’s some beautiful scenery It’s just stunning We’re kind of back into a Boland area We got sort of sign for forest of Boland or Forest of Boland if I say it properly Paul But uh yeah what a day No wind lovely and warm It’s tremendous I’ll just wait for Ken to come up this uh this hill It quite a steep one mate It’ll take him a while I think Climb number nine This end of bit’s a killer Flippy Oh man That’s one of the steepest parts we’ve done that today So steep I’ve had to go in the low ring at the front Don’t normally have to do that but definitely had to then done So am I All right so we’re just heading towards uh Bolton by Boland Um done 23 miles I think we’re going to have some dinner there if the uh if the cafe is open I think So we’re just just short of halfway I think But uh I’m ready for something to eat I think Kenneth will be I think he needs a rest with his ills by bowling just tarmac Oh yeah Smooth as silk Yeah So we’re only 23 miles in Uh we just stopped for a bit of quick dinner Quick uh sandwich quick buttery in a Bolton by Boland So I think now we kind of weedle our way back down the Ribble Valley following the Ribble I think basically down towards um Cleivero and then back towards kind of um Wallally I think then loop our way back round back towards where we started back up towards Cole Uh so we’ll see how it goes Legs are okay so far done quite a lot of climbing but we’ve got about another 1500 ft or so to go yet Um so yeah see how it goes I’m just running out of um superlatives to use That’s a good word isn’t it superlatives You don’t hear that every day but I’m running out of superlatives to use to describe this uh scenery around here I think that’s Pendle Hill over there I think we’re kind of looping round to the bottom of it and round the backside back towards Cole but it just doesn’t get any better than this Amazing Absolutely amazing And a few minutes ago we were down at river level down there and we’ve climbed uh climbed up here and we’ve got these views out of it and it’s been worth it Wow These people have got the right idea here aren’t they not as daff as us Okay so we’re 30 miles in 30 miles in 30 out of 50 2,200 ft climbing I think we’re just getting towards the outskirts of Cleo in a minute Uh but yeah feeling okay but it’s definitely a challenge Undulating is the way I describe this route but beautiful as well Really nice Live number 12 of 17 Hopefully this is a smaller one Some of them been quite tough Yeah I think it’s just to this building here on the left with a bit of luck please Yeah it’s quite a long gradual one but that was the end of it Hallelujah So we’re uh what we 20 27 milesi in We’re heading towards Clethero Doing okay so far Some challenging climbs but it’s been good Good workout I think we’re generally heading towards um Wallally now Back towards Wallally We’re 32 mi in and all is good But I know in the back of my mind we got the two biggest climbs coming up yet which sound quite big on the GI So uh yeah we shall see Move Mr Peasant Move Run Forest Run run Wallally sunny wallally Very nice Big climb out of wall Yes it’s about 250 ft or something It’s a neck Low gain time We’ll get there I hope [Applause] So I’ve just come up the big wall climb towards where Springwood Picnic Site is at the top There’s another big climb on the other side of the road now So I’m just going up that flipping heck I think we’re getting closer to the end though 36 and 12 miles Got about 15 mile left Don’t know what climbing we’ve done Let’s have a look 2,700 ft So we might have about another 600 ft something like that left But we’re getting there It’s been a tough day but a cracking day Let’s hope we can get to the end Come on legs Keep going Just coming down over the ribble now Over the old bridge Right I’m just in sunny Sabden Uh just waiting here a minute of the brook Just waiting of um Ken turning up I think he’s just coming up the road now Here he is He’s just coming up over here There he is Quite a climb that coming into Sabden there Just a long gradual climb There he is He’s done it You okay [Laughter] You a bit done in Yeah No enter in the hills is he this is a bit of a bone shaker I think it’s the start of a climb as well in a minute So I hope it’s not going to be a bit slippy if it is Yeah we got 250 ft 260 ft climb sorry for the next mile So I think we’re on this for about a mile So yeah some comfort I might have to stop filming other comedy shot where I fall off Yeah I’ll turn it off for a bit Hello Lamb Back to your mom Wait for the weirdo on the bike Well this is where it’s brought us This is useful isn’t it uh yeah That ain’t road bike territory is it by any stretch of the imagination I don’t know why on earth it’s brought us this way It’s basically got us going by looks of the map up the side of that hill there and it’s just uh it’s just rocks So I think we’re going to be pushing it up there to be honest if we can get through this gate So yeah that’s a shame cuz I wanted to do all the climbs but you can’t well until we get there Can’t tell but I don’t think we’re going to be riding that It’s going to be pushing it Uh yeah it’s got us going up the side of that hill there can by looks of it So if we can get through here we’ll probably end up pushing it I think It’s not got the right stuff to get up there have we yeah Yeah This is a hiker bike territory This This is a basically an old farm track just made up of rocks and stuff And uh it’s well I don’t know what the gradient is but it’s it’s hard enough pushing a bike up it walking up So I mean it’s stunning views Look at that Look at that there all across the valley there There’s Kenneth But yeah I didn’t know he was going to route us up this I mean it’s fantastic Not complaining about the route but this is the steepest climb of the day and it’s just not It’s not ridable You can’t ride up this Not on the bikes we’ve got Mountain bike maybe These bikes definitely No So I like it up to the top and hopefully there’ll be some tarmac again at some point I mean yeah look at this lovely road it’s given us to ride up Flippy neck And again it won’t come across on the camera but this is it’s more or less vertical this So it’s hard enough just walking up it with a bike So impossible to ride up this bit on especially on the bikes we’ve got but it’s not even worth trying it cuz you’re just going to fall off and hurt yourself So please please get us back to tarmac All is forgiven That was fun wasn’t it was that the last set of the clients now i don’t know Good route planning that was it Who did that which idiot sent us up there I know He wants to something wants to go kicking doesn’t he yeah If I find him we’re going to give him a punch Yeah So we just uh just come up that that bit there So we’ve we found Tarmac So we’re back in the promised land Hello We’re over No Look at this Right I don’t know what I’m doing here It’s good job there’s no traffic about but I’m in the wrong gear Climb 15 or 17 and I don’t know what I’m doing but riding like an absolute numpty Well that’s quite steep Yeah don’t worry I knew there was no traffic about or else I wouldn’t have been on that side of the road But yeah we’ve got going now And I think we take a right turn here towards roughly roughly cough top lane Oh this time that looks nice Oh yeah Uh and we just follow this road for a bit I think my front axle I think it is on me stem front stems’s making a funny noise now bit like my knees at this stage we’re only 42 mi in but seems like we’ve been going forever but it’s cuz of all the climbing but it’s been good fun I’ll keep spinning Ha You all right [Music] the hiker bike was worth it Back on the lovely smooth tarmac and just brilliant views all around cracking So there was a reward at the end of it I take it all back So for some reason the Gins’s found an extra climb Started off with 17 Now it’s end Cheers for that This is number 17 It’s about 200 odd feet as well So um this will be quite a toughy but we’re 45 miles in So hopefully another you know 20 minutes or so half an hour tops we should be back at the car Flipping heck I’ll tell you what if you’re watching this Ken I take me off to you mate I’m 51 This is hard work So you’re nearly 81 So I’m going this Still got another 100 ft left Cracky Here he comes The old chap Good effort Ken Well done mate That was a carer Just a bit Well done Great effort Nearly there We got about a mile left two miles something like that Then we’ll back along the canal Right we’ve made it So we’re back at um Al King Coats Park in Col So we’ve done just over 50 miles u just over 4,000 ft I think it’s 4,042 from memory So that’s uh how’s that on your climbing stats for recent can i’ve not done that for about seven years I think Yeah since me cancer No I did all right there Yeah there’s some sharp hills there Yeah there was very very sharp But it’s it’s a I think it’s I think the Ribble Valley It was like a Ribble Valley circular that one I think Ribble Valley for cycling I just think it’s just it’s just absolutely brilliant cuz the roads the villages the scenery and when you got weather like this it’s just honestly unbelievable Beginning of April is it yeah But it’s like summer isn’t it fantastic So yeah I’ve absolutely loved that It’s been great Uh bit of all sorts in there Want to hike a bike Oh yeah And it took us up a farm track that you wouldn’t even get a tractor up Um so we ended up hiking hiking up that Yeah Pushed him up there that But apart from that we we got up everyone They were impossible We couldn’t ride up on them Oh no No way But no so yeah kudos to you mate That’s um Yeah bravo Well done 4,000 ft of climbing Yeah that’s some uh And I tell you what there was some very very steep ones one in tens And that you know the funniest bit was that the guy it started off and he said he said there was 17 climbs and then as we got going it changed its mind and said there was 18 Yeah But then the worst ones the steepest ones were the ones which weren’t even listed in in the climbs There was ones in between which were miles steeper but uh we managed to do it I’m quite um chuff with that to be honest So yeah I am actually Yeah Yeah we should be I’m over the moon about it Yeah So I think I might have broken you I’m going to be in trouble off the rain and all that Yeah but yeah love that It was great What a great what a great area for cycling So yeah if you’ve never been up there um in Ribble Valley get get you get yourself up there and have have a blast around there Fantastic It was Yeah Yeah Great stuff So and the hills were very very tough Yeah So if you’re enjoying the videos and stuff if you click give us a thumbs up give us a like and if you can click on subscribe it’s going to help the channel and stuff And then we’ll uh we’ll keep doing more nonsense like this won’t we so yeah So uh we’ll get oursel home um and then we’ll get some tea and jaw driving Yeah Yeah Yeah So we’ll uh we’ll get some tea and then we’ll we’ll see you next time then Yeah All right Yeah Thanks for watching Cheers Bye now See you later Cheers Bye Heat [Music]
1 Comment
It was a really enjoyable ride this one, apart from me suffering with hay fever! The Ribble Valley is a superb area for cycling. Highly recommended. Cheers folks 👍