Dunsop Bridge, Forest of Bowland

Distance 27.2km (16.9 miles) Climbing 1,160m (5,446ft) Time 3hrs to 6hrs

Route summary With its big hills, tough navigation and grassy tracks that get waterlogged when wet, this route doesn’t sound particularly appealing, but when it’s dry the riding is epic and the rocky trails are great fun

Start/ inish Dunsop Bridge car park (grid ref SD 661/502, postcode BB7 3BB) 1

Cross the bridge and go left at the T-junction. After 2km, by another bridge, turn right (‘Wild Boar Park’). Climb for 1.7km then go right, on a (tarmac) bridleway. Keep right at the fork. 2

When the tarmac bears left, go right, on the bridleway, through a gate and into the trees. Continue, mostly downhill, until you hit a climb out of the trees. Go through a gate and keep left, uphill, through a grassy field.

3

Keep to the left of a red container and Mellor Knoll. Pick your own line on the grassy descent to the farm. Turn right by the house, then left on the main road. After 2.5km, go right on a good bridleway (by a barn), uphill.

4

At the field entrance, bear left. Pass through a gate and go left at the top, alongside a fence. Continue through another gate and keep ahead as the trail bears left and heads down some narrow, rocky singletrack with a big drop to the right. Follow a faint grassy trail at the bottom to Brennand Farm.

5

Turn left on the good track, over a bridge, to a junction. Bear right, then immediately fork right. Keep left at the next fork to join a bridleway, uphill. Go through the gate and keep right (wall on your right). Follow this faint, often boggy trail over a rough field and up a gradual ascent.

6

Go through the gate, over the bridge and up the slightly more obvious track to the left. Bear left at the wall, go through a small gate and down a steep hill. Cross the footbridge and keep ahead past the farm and through some gates. Bear right up a rocky zig-zag climb (walking parts).

7

Fork right onto a faint bridleway near the top, with occasional waymarkers and a short boardwalk section. At the top, go through a gate in a wall and bear right beside it. Shortly after, veer left, on what becomes a ridgetop trail.

8

Stay on this trail as it gets steeper, rougher and narrows. Go through a gate at the bottom and look for a faint, rough track to the farm. Pass through the gates and go left on the tarmac. Turn right on the road. After 2km, go right on the North Lancashire bridleway. Follow the signs to the bottom (stream). 9

Head diagonally right, uphill across the grassy field, to a barn. Join a good track, which bears right, down to a farm, and joins some tarmac leading back to Dunsop Bridge.

LOCATION DETAILS

The Forest of Bowland, which lies mostly within Lancashire but partly within Yorkshire, has no trees but does have some wonderful, remote riding. It gets busy around Dunsop Bridge but is much quieter out on the hills.

GETTING THERE

Exit the M6 at junction 31a and head east on the B6243, joining the B6244 after four miles. Pass through Longridge and Whitewell. When you reach Dunsop Bridge, the car park is just past the Puddleducks tea room, on the left.

MAPS & BOOKS

Ordnance Survey Landranger 103: Blackburn & Burnley. Mountain Bike Guide: South Pennines of Lancashire and West Yorkshire by Stephen Hall (Ernest Press).

FACILITIES

Stay at Wood End Farm B&B in Dunsop Bridge (01200 448223, www.visitwoodendfarm.co.uk) or YHA Slaidburn Hostel (0870 770 6034, www.yha.org.uk). Puddleduck tea rooms in Dunsop is very nice. Nearby bike shops include Leisure Lakes in Preston (0870 800 4487, www.leisurelakesbikes.com) and The Edge Cycleworks in Lancaster (01524 840800, www.theedgecycleworks.com).