Guys and Tolls - on wheels

Picture of ride is here: http://www.numbbums.org.uk/index.php/rides/97-guys-and-tolls Meet at Guys Thatched Hamlet, Bilsborrow – just off the A6 between Preston and Garstang about 1m south of Brock, and 2m north of Broughton. Head West along St Michael’s Road for 400m, then South (left) down Moss Lane for about 650m and road turns to the left onto Bensons Lane. South along Bensons Lane for 1km, then sharp right onto Eaves Lane. Food and drink stop – the Plough at Eaves. Excellent home cooked food (good beer, though a little early). Coffee is good too and their puddings are legendary, if a little expensive (I had one last Thursday – ok, 2!). Head right out of the Plough at Eaves up Eaves Lane, and follow the road round to the right until you go over a small hump bridge, and then turn right down Cinder Lane. At the end turn right onto the main Elswick Road, keeping going until you hit the Derby Arms at Elswick (tractor on roof). Keep to the right here – go through Inskip and then turn right after about 200m after you’ve been through Inskip, down Pinfold Lane. Keep going down Pinfold Lane and the road turns sharply to the right, through Long Wood. It turns into St Michaels Road, and you turn left when it hits the main road, and follow this road for just over 1m to the main Garstang Road. Go right, and then left on the bend in St Michaels, down Rawcliffe Road. Keep going until you see the Toll Bridge. If you want to cross the bridge and have a coffee/stop it’ll cost you 20p or so on a bike (and the same to get back!). Right from here up Lancaster Road, which is a very straight road – up to Skronkey, and when you hit the main road, do a right up Garstang Road opposite the Ellotson Arms (another pint stop). Garstang Road turns into Black Lane, which brings you through Nateby, down Kilcrash Lane (all the same road), then left at Longmoor Lane for about 400m to the main A6 again. From there, it’s about a 7km cycle down the main road, A6, or a cut-through Garstang to avoid the main roads (a little hiller though!). Overall this route is 26.27 miles (if you head straight down the A6 rather than stopping in Garstang) but unlike some others it’s pretty flat. If you’re doing this in one go at steady pace it should be less than 2 hours. If it’s at slow/er pace with two stops, set aside 4.5 hours for the ride.