The Ribble Cycle Diaries: May 2008

Sunday, 11 May 2008

Ribble Celebration - Country Park Walk on 18th May

On Sunday 18th May Ribbleside residents will be walking the new South Ribble Country Park to celebrate its new designation.

Starting from the Tram Bridge across the River Ribble at 2pm, we will be walking around the area exploring a number of its fantastic natural habitats, including the River Ribble riverbanks, meadows, ancient woodlands, and Preston Junction Nature Reserve...

Some of the terrain is a little rough, and it does involve a couple of stiles and the occasional mud patch, so this particular walk is unsuitable for wheels - although you could still meet us on the Tram Bridge to join in the celebrations and then set off on your own wheely walk along the Riverside or the Old Tram Road!
Why miss out on a glorious May Day by the Ribble!

Click here for full details of the route etc!

You can contact me at ribblecyclediaries@tiscali.co.uk

Friday, 2 May 2008

River Ribble Pleasantries On Preston Guild Wheel Cycle Route

Ben Robinson, Lancashire Evening Post Reporter, got on his bike to try out the proposed route for the Preston Guild Wheel Cycle Route, due to be launched for the next Preston Guild in 2012.
Ben clearly enjoyed the ride - and said that 'the most pleasant part of the ride is to the south, where it follows the banks of the River Ribble before emerging at Avenham & Miller Parks'.

The Guild Wheel Cycle Route is the idea of Peter Ward, former international cyclist, and it is being developed with the help of former Lancashire County Council cycling officer Mike Atkins (who is also involved with SUSTRANS and is working tirelessly to develop the Guild Wheel and other cycling projects in the Preston and South Ribble area).

Although most of the route already exists, and most of it will be "off-road", new improvements and links will see it forming a 21 mile circle around Preston, with "spoke" routes leading into the City centre too.

It will be great for cycling for pleasure, but also fantastic as a commuter route into and out of Preston.

It will link to numerous other cycle and walking routes, including the Ribble Way, and will link together five National Cycle Network (NCN) routes heading to the centre of Preston from Blackburn, Wigan, Southport, Blackpool, and Lancaster.

These and other cycle routes will form the ‘spokes’ of the Guild Wheel. Along the route, cyclists and walkers can visit the Docks, the Bull Nose, Lea, the Ribble Link, Cottam, Tanterton, Broughton, Haighton Top, Cow Hill, Red Scar, Boilton Wood, Brockholes, Fishwick, Frenchwood, Avenham & Miller Parks, and Broadgate, with a long section running along the north bank of the River Ribble.

As Mike Atkins says 'There are not many cities where you can go along the river without crossing traffic'.

There may also be an ‘inner wheel’, to the north of Preston, staying to the south of the M6 and M55.

We think it's a cracking idea!