01/07/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Provisional details of the camping weekend at Hollingworth Lake are below:

There are two camp sites available, to book the backpackers site (no vechicles allowed, there are toilets, shower and washing up facilities) just give me a ring and I will add your name to the list. cost £2.50 per person per night.

To book the commercial site which takes motorhomes, caravans and tents etc. ring them direct (Hollingworth Lake Caravan Park, 01706 378661). The cost will vary with the type of unit booked and use of electricity etc. The sites are quite close together and near to the information centre.

These rides are not just for campers, turn up for a day ride should you wish.

All rides start from the Hollingworth Lake information centre car park just off Rakewood Road map ref SD940154.

Friday 24th July. Starting at 1-30pm, this first ride will go east along the Pennine Bridleway to Piethorne Reservoir, around Ogden Reservoir on the old water-board road and back to the lake. It will cover about eight undulating, but scenic miles!

Saturday 25th July. Starting at 10.00am, I am hoping to put on two rides, both to Hebden Bridge for lunch. The easy one will simply be along the Rochdale Canal towpath and back, with perhaps an additional refreshment stop in Todmorden. The more hilly ride will be along the bridleway to Blackstone Edge, then along the water-works track and pack horse trail to Stoodley, before dropping down into Cragg Vale and the Sustrans cyclepath to Hebden Bridge. Here we will join up with the easy route riders for the return journey, both rides are about thirty miles.

Sunday 26th July. This is the Lancashire Group Sunday ride (all welcome), and again starts at 10-00am. We will take the Pennine Bridleway West, to climb Chelburn Moor, before dropping down to the village of Summit for a pub lunch (or take a picnic). Joining the Mary Towneley Loop we will ride through Calderbrook to Watergrove Reservoir, returning to the lake via Wardle and Smithy Bridge. This is a moderate route of about 23 miles.

Please phone me (01524 772983) if you require any more information, thanks, Brian.

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22/06/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Unfortunately John the area secretary of the group will unable lead the ride due to family committments and he has been unable to arrange an alternative leader since the other two members who lead rides for the group have family committments.

So he asking members wishing  go on this ride, you need to plan your own route and if any member willing to lead the ride get in touch with John on 01457 852090 as soon as possible.

John apologize to members for unable to find someone to lead the ride and point out this first time its happen in last three years and looks forward to seeing members on the next Northern Peak & South Pennine Group ride on the 15th July starting in Tong at the church  GR: SE 219305 (OS map 104)  at 10.00am.

I must point out to lead RSF ride you must be approved RSF run leader see this link for more  information and if would like your name to be added to list RSF runs leaders please contact Peter the National Secretary on 01524 383593 for information.

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11/06/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Cycling Roadshow

Friday 12th June at the Market Square between 12 to 4pm You can visit the Lancaster City Council pre Bike Week Cycling Roadshow to pick up lots of advice & information and get your bike checked out by Dr Bike.

Sustrans Work Day

Saturday 13th June: Meet on the Greenway by Millennium Bridge at 9.45am Greeting from Sustran’s office for Northwest of England! The spring is here at last and a fine one at that. It is a time of year to be out and about enjoying the good air and light. It is also time to ’sping clean’ the National Cycling & Walking Network and encourage local to people to use it and support our work as a charity.

We would like to invite you to join us on a short workday along the route between Lancaster and Morecambe. If you are interested and would like to attend or would like more information please contact Mike on 0161 923 6050 0r 0787 645 3773 or e-mail rangers-north@sustrans.org.uk

Bike ‘n’ Brunch

Sunday 14th meet at 11am at Millennium Bridge (Lancaster) An easy family friendly ride along one of the district’s prettiest cycle paths to the Crook n’ Lune (and back). Enjoy a tasty egg bun from Woody’s whilst enjoying the view or bring your picnic. Free/ cold drink courtesy of Lancaster City Council’s Celebrating Cycling Team.

Bike 2 Work Day on Wednesday 17th June

A district wide event encouraging all employees to cycle to work. Today is definitely the day to try cycling to work. Why not try riding in with family member or colleague to get you started. Breakfast on the Bridge: Come and pick up some free breakfast at the Millennium Bridge in Lancaster from 7am to 9am, available to all cycle commuters. While you eat your breakfast why not talk to us about the range of information and advice available to cycle commuters in the district.

Plus one Commuter Challenge

Want to win a brand new bike worth £300 or maybe £200 in cycle voucher? All you need to do is enter our 2009 Plus One Commuter Challenge which runs throughout National Bike Week June 13th to 21st. We are looking to regular cycle commuters to encourage one other person to cycle work during Bike Week with both the regular and new commuter being entered into a fantastic prize draw. Entry is now open and takes less than 2 minutes via www.celebratingcycling.org/challenge In addition to the main prizes there is also the opportunity to win a corporate Bike to Work Day for your organisation, a spots or relaxation massage, cinema tickets and every cyclists first love.. cake!

Twenty Club!

Thursday 18th June Meet at 6pm at Millennium Bridge for the inaugural ride of Lancaster’s new informal bike club. This is an informal meeting of cyclists who want to go on a slightly more challenging ride locally (approx twenty miles). First route tbc shortly. Subsequent routes to be determined and led by the group. All welcome. Please note that these are not led rides - cyclists ride at their own risk.

After Work Bike Ride

Friday 19th June Meet at 6pm at Millennium Bridge (Lancaster) Join Celebrating Cycle Team for a fun evening bike ride to try out the local cycle network and one or two local hostelries.

Women’s Bike Maintence Day 

Saturday 20th June at Pedal Power, Ridge Square, Lancaster. Basic Bike Maintence Course in the morning followed by a ‘hotbench’ fix your own bike session in the afternoon. Come along with your mothers, daughters, friends and colleagues to share your skills and learn new ones. Call Pedal Power on 01524 65328 to book.

Biking in Bowland

Sunday 21st June Meet at 11am at Millennium Bridge (Lancaster). A circular ride through the lanes and byways of the district, calling at Conder Green, Galgate and Caton. This ride involves both on and off road riding (as well as some hills). Approx 20 miles Please bring water & lunch.

Half Price Bike Hire in Bike Week

Half price bike hire for all the family at Sunshine Cycle Hire - Morecambe - 01524 414709 - www.sunshinecyclehire.co.uk Tandems trailers and tag-alongs available. Leisure Lakes Bikes - Penny Street, Lancaster - 01524 844389 - www.leisurelakesbikes.com Patty’s Farm Barn - Cockerham - 01524 751285 - www.pattysbarn.co.uk

For more information on all local events in Lancaster checkout www.celebratingcycling.org/bikeweek09

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28/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Due to the Area Secretary stepping down and moving to England in the next few months, under Rough-Stuff Fellowship rules the North Wales Group now no longer exists, the group website will be left up running until I have time to remove it from the web and delete links to it from other websites I run!

You should also note that reference to Cheshire Group has been remove from May/June issue of the Rough-Stuff Journal due being in active over past year or so!

So if anybody interest in setting up a local RSF Area Group  in North Wales or Cheshire or any where else in the world please contact Peter the National Club Secretary on 01524-383593 for more information.

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21/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Saturday 6th June - 9.45am Martindale, Askham and Lakeland Voices: Joining the Sustains cycle convention at Newton Rigg near Penrith (over 100 cyclists) we will ride with the Singing Cyclists via Pooley Bridge and the Ullswater Steamer to Howtown, over the fell to the hidden valley of Martindale and Old Martindale church where the18th century choir sang (and whose songs our choir sings) and to meet the Martindale Singers - then back via Howtown along the lakeside lane to Pooley Bridge, the quiet lane to Askham (where we will meet Lakeland Voices at Askham village hall at 3pm. Then via Lowther Castle and estate and back to Newton Rigg and the teashops of Penrith. We will learn short songs to sing en route (and some sent in advance) and meet singers to join in with along the way. Evening meal and camp fires.

Sunday 7th June - 10am - Cycle with the choir to a concert at Glasson Dock: Cycle along the cycle way converted from an old railway line from the Crook of Lune to Lancaster via the river and woods and then join the Gladly Solemn Sound west gallery choir at the Millenium foot bridge to follow the converted railway line to Glasson Dock for a concert in the church. Then back  via the Lancaster canal path - and back to the Crook of Lune (all traffic free and bedecked with wild flowers)

For more information about the weekend contact David Burbridge at davidburbidge@hotmail or visit the Lakeland Voice Website

Posted in Forecoming Events | Print | 1 Comment »

19/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

A Longridge GP is riding the End-to-End for a bone sarcoma charity as his 10 year old daughter has the cancer. One of our new riders has offered to be a reserve in the (very) unlikely possibility that a back-up team member pulls out. Now our new rider is finding it difficult to be available  the first week of July and wonders if anyone could be called upon in the unlikely case of being needed. If so please contact Tony Lee, our new rider on 01254-826347

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16/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

Below was forward to me by Mike Hutchinson the secretary  of Lancaster 

& South Lakes CTC Group:

Dear Volunteers,
Since I was last in touch with you I have spoken with Rachel Scott of

Lancaster City Council.

 We are proposing to hold a Task Day on June 13th on the section of the
 Morecambe Greenway between the Millennium bridge and Carlisle bridge.
 This is about 400 yards in length I understand, most of which is
 suffering overgrowth and encroachment by grass and shrubs. We plan to
 have a workparty to assist the clearing back of this overgrowth. Rachel
 explained that this work would not otherwise get done and our help is
 therefore most welcome and gratefully appreciated by the council.

 The date marks the start of Bike Week and represents a great opportunity
 for Sustrans to get necessary work carried out and also gain
 some promotion/recruitment too. We hope to encourage local people to
 come and help and Rachel will send out an ebulletin to this effect and
 also alert the local press.

 On behalf of Sustrans I would like to invite you as our local Volunteers
 to come and help. We will also contact all our local Supporters too.
 Would you be free for an hour or so between 09:45 and 13:45 on that day?

 Sustrans and Lancaster City will coordinate provision of refreshments,
 tools, first aid kits and a risk assessment and I will be there to help
 run the day.

 Hope you can help. Please let me know either way. Thanks.

 Best Wishes
 Mike

 Mike Dagley
 Volunteer Ranger Co-ordinator
 Sustrans North
 Fourways House
 57, Hilton Street
 Manchester M1 2EJ
 0161 923 6053 or 0787 645 3773

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14/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

You might like to support this No 10 petition to reopen the railway line between Colne in Lancashire to Skipton.

If this line was reopened there would be direct link to Manchester and Preston, there by potentially removing hundreds of cars from the roads.

This 11.5 mile line was closed in 1970s.

Please read comments below before deciding to support the petition as a cheaper option for this route is bridleway/cycle track

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14/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

On the 1st June Rob Burrow will doing his annual Wayfarer Memorial Ride, this will be 52 years to the day that the original plaque was placed by Lancashire Group Members so if would like to join him on the ride you can contact on 01704-570625 after 27th May. Or meet him on the 1st June at SJ150428 Maesy Glyn, Glyndyfrdwy. Just off the A5 Llangollen to Corwen road. Park by the level crossing in the village Maesy Glyn 11am. The ride is a new route and includes the memorial and Wayfarer’s original route over the Berwyn’s. It could be a late finish so bring plenty of food, althrough there will of course be a few cafe stops on the way.

Posted in Forecoming Events | Print | 2 Comments »

07/05/2009 by Simeon Orme.

The next meeting of the Kendal Cycle Fest is on Thursday May 14th at 7.30pm at the Castle Street Centre in Kendal. This is the last meeting before the Kendal Cycle Fest and they will be looking at final logistics, publicity, and volunteer roles, so if you can help go along to the meeting and volunteer.

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