DAY 2: Newton in Bowland to Austwick Day two starts with a sharp climb out of Newton followed by a leisurely roll along the Hodder Valley to Slaidburn – a pretty stone village popular with cyclists.
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nother steep climb brings you up onto the high road to Tosside, where the Old Vicarage Tearoom is another popular cyclists’ rest stop. On a sunny day, the views from the garden terrace stretch from Pendle Hill to Pen-y-gent in the Yorkshire Dales. From Tosside, it’s a long descent to the floor of the Ribble Valley and across the border into Yorkshire and the pretty Dales village of Settle, where there are ample pubs and eateries to stop off for lunch. From Settle, follow the left bank of the Ribble © Jon Sparks upstream to Little Stainforth, where the spectacular waterfalls are worth a short detour, then up into the stunning landscapes of limestone country before descending into Austwick.
This bustling little village is a tourist hub and the ideal base for exploring both the Yorkshire Dales and the Forest of Bowland. The two lively country inns are at the heart of this thriving Dales community and both offer excellent food showcasing the best of local produce. Courtyard Dairy, just a mile along the A65, specialises in local cheeses made by artisan producers in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria and is well worth a visit. For cyclists in search of more of a challenge, there’s an alternative high-level route from Slaidburn that takes in some steep climbs through Gisburn Forest on quiet country lanes, topping out at Bowland Knotts and then rolling down a long steady descent on deserted roads into Yorkshire via Keasden and Clapham with breath-taking views ahead of you. 91
