A few years ago, I decided to put together a bikepacking route linking Manchester with some of my favourite countryside in the Northwest.
I grew up in Blackburn, on the edge of the Ribble Valley, before settling in Manchester in my mid-twenties. The hills were familiar, but I wanted to join them together into a journey: something that would take a rider from the middle of the city, through Lancashire and into the Yorkshire Dales, using as much off-road riding as possible.
The result is The Wool Divide.
Following sections of the Pennine Bridleway and Great North Trail, this route exchanges busy city streets for quieter riverside paths before giving way to wild moorland tracks and deeply rural countryside, dominated by sheep. See where the name came from?
At 157km with around 2,700m of climbing and finishing on the upland approach south of Hawes, this is a substantial ride, especially with camping equipment. Though completing it in two days is possible, taking longer and riding it as a slow adventure gives you more time to enjoy the places along the way.
Here’s how my ride went.
Leaving Manchester behind
My (and the) journey begins at Manchester Victoria station, making it easy to arrive by train and start riding straight from the city.
Following the River Irwell north, the harsher surroundings of “The Rainy City” melt away surprisingly quickly. The old cotton mills of this area, give way to trees and open water, with birds making their homes along the riverbanks - keep your eyes peeled for a Kingfisher or Dipper. Around Kersal Wetlands, cormorants can be seen perched on rocks, drying their wings.
Image: Pete Skelton medusa-cycles.com
On an early summer morning, with mist sitting low over the wetlands, it can feel a long way from the cottonopolis of central Manchester.
The route continues through Drinkwater Park, along the Outwood Trail and past Elton Reservoir, picking up sections of the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal. It’s an easy-going introduction, with a few short climbs to warm the legs. Enjoy it because the moors have something rather different in store!
The climb onto Rooley Moor
At around 33km, the ascent towards Rooley Moor begins. I’ve ridden this section several times, and it always deserves respect. Rooley Moor Road, also known as the Cotton Famine Road (so called because of the impact of a blockade during the American Civil War) looks reassuringly wide, but its surface makes progress harder than you might expect.
Great northern singletrack. Image: Pete Skelton
Loose gravel gives way to weathered cobbles and raised stone slabs. With a loaded bike, it’s a matter of finding a rhythm, choosing a line, and accepting that this part of th ride definitely won’t be quick.
This time, mild temperatures and a more measured pace made the climb manageable, but on a hot day, it can be a different story.
The road also makes you think about the people who built it. Riding over those stones is hard enough; laying them across the moor must have been another undertaking altogether.
By the time the route drops towards Waterfoot, I’m usually ready for a break. Fifteen minutes and something to eat can make a considerable difference to the next section.
One lesson from this trip: a generous tub of fruit salad travels rather better than a bag of loose pears. Ask me how I know!
Two Camper Longflaps and room for a tent
I’ve tried the route with different luggage arrangements, but on this occasion two Camper Longflaps have proved a particularly useful setup.
Together, they gave me 48 litres of carrying space: enough for a one-person tent, sleeping equipment, a lightweight stove, food and spare clothing. Carrying the load at the front and rear also kept the main triangle of my frame clear for water bottles.
BAAW. Stone wall edition. Image: Pete Skelton
These particular bags were specially made for the Bespoked Bicycle Show. It was great to see them out in the Yorkshire Dales, carrying camping equipment and being used for the kind of journey they were built to handle.
For this route, having enough space to pack comfortably was more useful than trying to squeeze everything into the smallest possible arrangement. I even carried a water filter too, reducing the need to leave the route in search of somewhere to refill.
Back onto the Pennine Bridleway
From Waterfoot, Burnley Road East provides a tarmac climb back towards the Mary Towneley Loop. There is an off-road alternative running roughly alongside it, but I tend to choose the road here. After Rooley Moor, a predictable surface is welcome, and the gates on the alternative can make progress slow.
At the top, the route rejoins the trail before dropping towards Holme Chapel. The Ram Inn offers an opportunity for food or a cold drink before the climbing resumes towards Worsthorne Moor.
Plenty of squish required. Image: Pete Skelton
Crossing the Long Causeway, the trail descends towards a ford, a brook and an old stone bridge. Beyond it, the riding continues past Cant Clough and Hurstwood reservoirs, then climbs again on the Pennine Bridleway.
Across the fells
Leaving the Mary Towneley Loop behind, the route opens into a succession of tracks, switchbacks and stretches of singletrack.
This is the riding I had in mind when I first began joining the route together. There’s a sense of moving through the landscape, with the next climb or descent seamlessly moving to the next.
The old tracks invite you to wonder who travelled them before, and what they were carrying and on a clear day, the views reward the effort.
A loaded bike naturally slows things down here. That is part of the appeal, although it’s worth allowing extra time if you’re riding a gravel or touring bike over the rougher sections.
Time for a brew in Wycoller
Wycoller makes a lovely place to stop. The hamlet sits among old bridges, stone buildings and the ruins of Wycoller Hall. After the exposed tracks, its sheltered greenery feels especially welcoming.
For me, this is a good moment to get the stove out. There’s something satisfying about making a drink from the kit you’ve carried, settling down for a few minutes and letting the ride wait.
You could spend the stop studying a map or calculating how far remains. I’d recommend looking around first.
Into the Yorkshire Dales
From Wycoller, the journey continues through Lancashire towards the Ribble Valley, then onwards past Gisburn and Long Preston.
The change in landscape becomes noticeable in the walls. The darker gritstone gives way to pale limestone, bringing the familiar character of the Yorkshire Dales into view.
Camper Longflaps in their natural environment. Image: Pete Skelton
The route continues north on the Pennine Bridleway, passing viewpoints towards Moughton and Austwick, stretches of limestone pavement and open tracks bordered by drystone walls.
This final part extends the journey well beyond the Lancashire moors. Cam Road carries the route into the uplands south of Hawes, where the route comes close to the end. If you want to end the trip in Hawes itself, you’ll need to plan the onward connection rather than rely on this GPX to take you into town.
A route worth taking slowly
The Wool Divide was intended to connect places that mattered to me, while showing how much varied countryside can be reached from busy Manchester by bike.
It has plenty of climbing, and add in the surface, means the distance alone doesn’t tell the whole story. There are, of course, much easier ways to travel north, but they wouldn’t offer the same escape. Pack a tent and some food, and there’s room to let the journey unfold.
Ride The Wool Divide
Distance: 157km / 97 miles Approx.
Elevation: 2,700m / 8858ft Approx.
Start: Manchester Victoria Station
Finish: The upland approach south of Hawes
Terrain: riverside and canal paths, quiet roads, gravel, cobbles and rough moorland tracks
Suggested Time: Two to three days, with longer allowing a more relaxed journey
Further Advice: Allow time for the rougher ground, particularly with a loaded gravel or touring bike, and plan your overnight stops and onward travel before setting off.
Download .GPX: here
