Route Name:  Waddington and the Ribble Valley Loop

Ride distance: 30 miles

Height gain: 1596ft

Start and finish: Waddington Arms, Waddington, Clitheroe, BB7 3HP.  Meet for a 10.00am start

Parking in the village should be reasonable at this time on Sunday morning with limited parking close to the front of the Waddington Arms and on-street parking along Belle Vue Lane (alongside the church), on Beechthorpe Ave and Edisford Rd.

Route description: A 30-mile route all on tarmac and passing through many picturesque Ribble Valley villages.  The route has some moderate climbing but equally there are many stretches of very pleasant undulating quiet roads.

It starts in the centre of Waddington and makes its way out through Bashall Town, Withgill, Hurst Green and then onto Ribchester.  The route then turns and heads back towards Whalley passing through Dinckley, Old Langho and Billington.  It is planned to have a refreshment stop in Whalley as the village is well served with cafés and tea-shops.

It’s a bit of a climb out of Whalley on towards Wiswell but levels out for the ride through Pendleton, Worston and into Downham.  A short sharp climb is needed to leave Downham but that is pretty much it for serious climbing as the route passes through Chatburn, Grindleton, West Bradford and back to Waddington.

The route is all on good quality tarmac roads and is therefore suitable for most types of bike.

Refreshment: There are numerous pubs and restaurants in many of the villages we pass through but it is planned to have refreshment stop in Whalley.  Waddington village is equally well served with pubs, if a post-ride drink and lunch is found to be necessary.