midweek jaunt?

I was due in the office Thursday but after checking the weather for several potential riding spots everywhere seems to have lots of rain and strong winds on Wednesday and Friday So I may switch my days around and have Thursday off.

Where are you thinking of Glynn?

The pen y gent would be good. If we make it in reasonable time and not to worn out I know how to link it with some of the best bits of the clapham route.

I'm a definite glynn.

I've got a printed route for it. I will try and plot a route that also takes in the best bits of clapham in case we have time.

m.yelp.co.uk/biz_photos/clapham-junction-railway-station-london?select=mqrLd185TWd-tL2rTX1yOA

That looks a bit too technical for me

I've done both red legs as the second part of two separate rides ..some great riding there ...
The ride over and drop into Helwith Bridge was done in the winter darkness with lights accompanied by Ian Bell and Stevie Clark ..who has gone completely over to the dark side ( roadie ) ...we finished the ride and went into a pub where upon entering the whole place went quiet ..the clock stopped ticking and I wouldn't have been surprised if someone went for their gun ...funny as fuck !
If it hadn't been winter I might have joined you ..but that will be a tough one if its wet underfoot / wheel ...

looks like alot of rain for tuesday and wednesday.does that route hold up well if thats the case?

iv never been to gisburn john, its impossible to make a decision about possible conditions for anywhere round there as iv no idea so its your shout mate. i honestly dont mind riding anywhere as it would be all new to me, which is good. journey time for me up to around horton in ribblesdale is about 2 hours so around a minimum of a 4 hour ride would be worth while for me.is gisburn and clapham a continuous ride or does it mean traveling by car? im not keen on getting in the car with wet muddy clothes to do another loop.as you say, meeting at hayfield could be another option? what do you reckon?

cat & fiddle starts at ....wait for it! the cat & fiddle pub on the buxton to macclesfield road. its mostly rocky trails. i avnt ridden in macc forest for years but i remember it as being mostly forest tracks. it should be good as a winter ride. do a bit of asking around and we'll decide on a route by tomorrow night

Glynn after further research h the suggestion was even though the problem is only really one area to leave it or do the variation below.

www.pedalnorth.com/content/heart-dales

Doesn't have to be the full 36 mile loop as if you cut across from Beckermonds farm via Deepdale and continue down, cuts off the top third and leaves a 24 miler with the best descents horsehead to fox up southerly and into Horton. It's all mainly hard pack tracks. No singletrack as such and only a couple of gnarly descents so a bit more of an cx ride I think, maybe a good one for the hard tails.

I'm easy Glynn happy with this or the cat and fiddle or hayfield, just bitter memories of that car park after a 4 month wrangle it ended up costing me £50 in the end.

Rightio Glynn I've bitten the bullit and plotted this ride out of Clapham, so it takes in some of the good stuff from there but heads over to Selfside and joins up with the PenyGhent route (the short cut version of the pedalnorth route I posted earlier). It takes in the best descent from horsehead to Foxup, unfortunately that comes with the Steepest climb.

ridewithgps.com/routes/11946622

If we could meet at 9.45/10am in Clapham (not junction thanks hodgy), if you head for the NT car park but just before theres normally lots of free parking on the left of the road with the wall and park to your right. Theres toilets there and coffee shops etc.

I've plotted the full length version but when we get back to after descending to Horton we can opt to climb back up to Crummock scar to descend all the way back or opt for an easier bridle way option that leads to the famous tunnel descent back to the cars. I know this would be more varied and better than either of the options on their own and well worth thjourney for.

I know all of the Clapham, selfside parts very well but not so much the climb to meet the Ribbleway as it climbs towards Beckermonds through the forest, and thats the bit im plotting rather than taking from an existing route but should be fine it looks like bridle way and lane to join the main route. If you can manage to get the route file onto your GPS device that would be great.

OH POO, ive just rechecked the weather and its giving 40/45mph winds for Clapham and Horton sure to be stronger on the tops, most of the ride is high and exposed. Sorry to cock you around but something from Hayfield may be more sensible. Unless of course it changes again but if I had to make a call I would go with Hayfield.