A GREAT ROUTE TO RIDE... THE NORTH’S BEST-KEPT SECRET
The Forest of Bowland is a gloriously under-the-radar 58-mile loop that feels like a secret shared among those who know. Traffic is scarce, the roads are varied and the scenery constantly shifts from river‑lined valleys to bleak, beautiful moorland. You’ll weave between dry‑stone walls, crest open heathland and climb through the Trough of Bowland with barely a car in sight. From nadgery single-track lanes to sweeping, TT‑style B-roads like the B6478, it delivers flow without frenzy. It’s not about big speeds or peg‑down heroics, but about solitude, rhythm and that rare sense of discovery.
When to go
Rideable year‑round, though deep winter demands thermals and caution on exposed moors. Spring and autumn are ideal, and even summer holidays remain surprisingly quiet.
Where to visit
Try Inch-Perfect Trials at Whitewell, explore 12th‑century Clitheroe Castle, or wander Browsholme Hall’s gardens for a slower, more traditional Lancashire interlude.
Take a picture at
Climb Jubilee Tower for sweeping views across Lancashire, or grab a selfie at Dunsop Bridge, the Ordnance Survey’s geographical centre of Great Britain.
Stop for a cuppa at
Puddleducks Tea Room in Dunsop Bridge serves excellent coffee, hearty lunches and smoothies, an ideal refuelling stop before or after the Trough.