31st August 2017
Journey Length 10.2 ml
Click Here For Route Via Ride with GPS
Now google maps is a wonderful thing, with the weather forecast looking poor , thundery showers I hadn’t looked at an area for our adventure tonight but with a quick look on google maps I found our target, Ainsworth.
Once Graham had arrived at the rendezvous I told him of my plan, he was excited we’d never been there before even though it’s only a mile or so away. Soon we were on our way along long lane until we turned up Blenheim road before missing our turning and eventually going in a horseshoe shape route back to Garstang Rd and up onto Bury Rd. Once on bury Rd we were looking for a small turn off on our left, but once again we missed it, ahh well plan B. We found Ainsworth Lane and up we went passed the site of the now demolished Ainsworth hall. Here we stopped at the small pond to get our bearings, we were heading to the reservoirs I’d seen earlier on google, but being extreme bikers I had not followed the easiest route along the main roads, instead we were heading up country lanes and paths, some not even paths, just a dirt track. aiming for the reservoirs we continued and after a couple more turns we seemed to have come to a dead end. All was not lost Graham noticed a sign on a gate “ village link”, not knowing what this was but surmising it was some kind of path to other places we decided this was the way to go. Now obviously this is a footpath over a stile that is not intended for bikers, but undeterred we lifted our bikes over and rode up across the field. We were now in sight of the reservoir but there was no way of getting down to them , so onward we went. Soon we came across another stile and the same again bike over the top.
After courteously waiting for a man walking his dog to pass we set off down the dirt track heading steeply downward towards where we thought we needed to be. Shortly we found ourselves with a even larger obstacle to cross ,a river (Bradshaw brook to be precise). There was a narrow bridge with a gate at the far end which would have made it very difficult to get through with the bikes. Then “why don’t we just ride through the water its not that deep” Graham thought out loud. So that’s what we did, extreme biking at its limits.
Now safely across the torrent we followed the path to our right and were soon at the side of one of the reservoirs enjoying the view, then crash , id watched Graham cross a small ditch but my bike has slightly smaller wheels and my front wheel got stuck firing me over the handle bars, but luckily I landed on grass and gravel which prevented me from serious injury. The bike and myself checked it was onward and upwards , these little mishaps wont stop us
We stopped at the far sided of the water at another gate and stile I told Graham I thought we needed to go over the gate and up the road, but Graham had noticed a path, but I was adamant we needed to go that way. Now after Graham had one again struggled lifting his bike over another gate I said ” maybe we should see where this path goes ” so Graham lifted his bike back over the gate with a few grunts in my direction. The path led down to the reservoir, we had made it. Once we had taken in the view we headed up to field towards a gate, but the next field was full of cattle, so after a short hesitation we turned around like a couple of girls.
At the opposite side of the water we got to yet another gate not designed to let bike’s through. Now we always help one another unless either of us says they don’t need it, this was one of those occasions, Graham had managed to get his bike wedged between the gate and the wire fence. After what seemed like an eternity and offers of help he managed to get it free but not after giving me great entertainment. The gate next to it had a sign “ANGLERS ONLY NO WALKERS OR DOGS” now as we were neither we ignored it , ironically to be met a 100m further along by a man walking his dog , who gave Graham directions where we needed to go. Upon catching up with Graham and asking where the man had sent us he said ” he lost me after the 3rd or 4th turn”. We continued along the path until we came to another stile which again we had to climb over. Thankfully now we were on a dirt track and moving quite quickly, until we came to a metal gate with a barrier, I managed to get through the gate after a bit of a struggle with Graham slightly behind me. Within 5m there was an identical gate and barrier. As I had stopped to tie my shoe lace Graham barged passed and tried to get through the gate, but he couldn’t hold the gate open and get his bike through at the same time, so he asked ” hold this for us pal,? ” which I did with my foot. Graham struggled through the gate, not seeing I’d held it back with my foot Graham set off without holding it for me ” you didn’t hold it for me ha ha ” he shouted, but karma can happen quickly, as in this instance, the gate was faulty and it opened fully backwards so I just rode on through.
After this we found ourselves at the end of the track and unexpectedly amid some idyllic cottages. Just a short ride to the end of the row saw us on Knowsley Rd, the sign for the path pointed to our right but we needed to head left , the nights are drawing in and it was time to head towards home, so off down the road we went. As we had never been here before we were aghast at the size and beauty of some of the houses up here. At the bottom of the road I realized roughly where we were, near the road where I had seen the sign for a chapel, and as we turned the corner there it was. A quick stop for photos and we’re off again turning right at the bottom onto Church St heading back the way we came, just then I noticed a small church yard, quickly turning around we entered the yard and were greeted by a splendid little church The Parish Church of Christ in Cockey otherwise Ainsworth.
Back on the main road Graham said he thought the road back up the hill and turn right at the white building might take us home, but he wasn’t sure, so I took the lead and set off, nothing to lose I thought and low and behold Graham was right, it took us right down at speed onto Bury New Rd. Crossing this road we headed down Bradley Fold Rd before turning left down Bradley Ln eventually stopping on Tonge Rd for a quick chat before went home. As we stood chatting sat at the side our bikes on the pavement at the junction with Kershaw Ln we were nearly the witnesses of an accident. A car was stopped waiting to turn right another car travelling behind hadn’t noticed and very nearly smashed into the back of it. Now we were in witness mode, what if they’d had crashed ,we were witnesses, what did we see……… well Graham’s scene won hands down, “Yes officer I saw it happen they just ran straight into the back of it, they didn’t see it, I think they were looking at our bottoms ” roars of laughter followed. Once we had calmed down it was time to head home , Graham pointing out one of the many ways he could go home and me pointing out the only way I could go home, so off we set in our different directions with the sound of “text me when you’re home I’ll do same “echoing behind me.
