Cycle Ale Trail

North-EAST Preston loop

If you can catch some good weather this is a great ride out for trying some of our area’s more rural pubs and their cask ales. It is mainly off busy roads and uses the Guild Wheel again and plenty of country lanes in the direction of Beacon Fell, without climbing too high. Mainly foody pubs so you might want to scope their menus out for a return visit.

Obligatory warnings – riding whilst drunk is not big and it’s not clever – know your limits (I ordered half-pints). I did this on a weekend – you will need to check opening times on Whatpub if you go midweek. Again this is a daylight ride - there is no street lighting for most of this trail. There is a little more uphill riding than the previous trail in Ale Cry 129 (another reason to get your bike electrified) but nothing too steep.

Nominal start point is the Ancient Oak at Cottam on Merrytrees Lane which was included in the previous Cycle Ale Trail because it is on the Guild Wheel. You can choose to have an optional beer in here at the start or end of your ride.

A6

M55

PRESTON

M6

Leg 1: Cottam to Broughton

(fairly level and about 2.8 miles) Opposite the Ancient Oak is where we pick up the Guild Wheel (GW) – join it and head east then north on to Tag Lane, Lightfoot Lane and off round Preston Grasshoppers (now mostly all housing). Over the M55, then down and up over the railway line, and round the Broughton School playing field perimeter track (a bit lumpy) out on to the old A6. Leave the GW, turn left and go for 200 yards to the old traffic choke point of Broughton traffic lights. They’ve gone and it’s now a quiet junction.

Choice of two locations here – a pub or a club – the BROUGHTON INN or the BROUGHTON & DISTRICT SOCIAL CLUB (open to nonmembers). The club is only open 12-3 on weekends so your arrival time is important as to whether you actually have a choice. I tried them both (I’ve done the trail twice). The Broughton Inn (formerly Burlingtons/Sylvesters) is on the corner of the crossroads and is a food pub with an outdoor seating area. There were two beers on when I called in – Doom Bar and Wainwright – I had a half of the latter which was nicely-kept and very refreshing. Turning right at the crossroads and 150 yards on your right is Broughton Club – the bar entrance is around the back by the bowling green. There was only one beer on when I called but beers are changed regularly. It was Reedley Hallows Old Laund Bitter on my visit and it was in excellent condition. I drank it sitting in the sun watching the tennis players at the back of the bowling green – very relaxing.

LEG 1: COTTAM TO BROUGHTON

Leg 2: Broughton to Inglewhite

(uphill bits and about 4 miles) Head east and carefully cross the new bypass on to Whittingham Lane. The bypass crossing is possibly the most dangerous spot on the trail. Continue under the M6 and take the next left on to Langley Lane towards Inglewhite. After a sharp right turn a bit further along is an unsignposted left turn to Silk Mill Lane – turn on to it. Half a mile further along is Inglewhite and on your left is The GREEN MAN AT INGLEWHITE. This is another popular food pub with outdoor seating and a pretty wellequipped campsite out the back (I checked it out). It also has bike racks at the front. Only one cask beer on again and this was Bowland’s Boxer Blonde (also in good condition) and I drank this outside in the sun next to a rather large teepee. Unusual but very pleasant!

Leg 3: Inglewhite to Whitechapel

(more uphill bits and about 1.6 miles) Almost opposite the Green Man is a triangular road junction – head straight across and north on to Button Street. Climbing a bit here but not too far, look out for a right turn on to Church Lane and Whitechapel – this is the highest point of the circuit so it’s all downhill from here. Almost.

LEG 3: INGLEWHITE TO WHITECHAPEL

LEG 4: WHITECHAPEL TO YE HORNS

Proceed along this road until you come to the CROSS KEYS INN complex on the right – next to a 40 sign. This is a recently renovated old pub that has been expanded into a restaurant, wedding/function venue and holiday accommodation. Everything looks clean and new, but what about the cask ales? Lancaster Brewery Blonde, and Black Sheep Best Bitter. I chose the Blonde and sat outside in the sun.

Leg 4: Whitechapel to Ye Horns

(mostly downhill / flat and about 2 miles) Exit back on to Church Lane and proceed downhill for a while until you hit a T-junction. Turn left then right a few dozen yards further on, onto Bull Snape Lane. The road bends right a bit then you reach a junction with Inglewhite Road – turn left and YE HORNS INN is about a mile further on, at a crossroads and on the right. Go around the back to get in – there is a sort of hitching post you can attach your bike to. Ye Horns Inn is another renovation project that has recently re-opened – I hadn’t been to Ye Horns for many years – and what an impressive expansion! 4 cask ales on – Bowland’s Hen Harrier, Doom Bar, Wainwright and Timothy Taylors Landlord. I chose the Landlord (in good condition) and sat outside at one of the many tables in the sun to drink it. Enjoying this ride!

Leg 5: Ye Horns to Goosnargh

(about 3 miles mostly downhill) Exit Ye Horns Inn and freewheel down Horns Lane. Keep going when it turns into Eaves Green Lane and then Camforth Hall Lane. You will come to a junction with the B5269 – stop, then bear right onto a slightly busier road now, which becomes Whittingham Lane. Continue for about a quarter mile to the STAGS HEAD on your left. This is another pub that has expanded and changed quite a bit since I last visited. It’s a popular and busy family and food pub with a large outdoor space at the rear. Three handpumps, 2 cask ales on – Wainwright and Ossett Yorkshire Blonde. I chose the latter and went out to sit in the beer garden out back.

Leg 6: Back home

(about 3.5 miles, fairly flat) All good things must come to an end and we sup up and continue down the B5269 to the Broughton bypass and retrace our route to the Broughton Inn, turn left and pick up the Guild Wheel route where we left it earlier. Carry on back around the Guild Wheel until you get to the Ancient Oak. Time for another beer?