Ransack Rivington

Sky Ride Local in Manchester

Get out and explore the countryside with the brand new rural off-road routes from Sky Ride Local.  Off-road Ride Well is mostly traffic free rural bike riding for the family and novice cyclist.  There is barely a metre of tarmac in sight on these rides so come and enjoy the scrunch of gravel and the squelch of mud under your tyres with us!

Rivington really is the jewel in the crown of the majestic West Pennine Moors.  The village and its beautiful countryside sits on the lower flanks of Winter Hill.  Unbelievably, the top of Winter Hill was once at sea level covered in lush tropical forest.  At the turn of the century William Hesketh Lever, of Lever Brothers washing powder fame, spent some of his fortune on buying the whole manor and created the 'false' ruin of Liverpool Castle and of course the Terraced Gardens.  Your journey is a double loop along the leafy tree lined trails, making the most of the spectacular scenery and iconic landmarks.

Additional Information

Helmets must be worn by all under 18's regardless of ride level.
The minimum age for these rides is 11, there must be no child trailers or child seats, the child capable of riding within the demands of the off-road specification.
Please bring equipment with you to repair punctures.
Ride Leaders are there to help but are not responsible for your bike.
All rides leave at the time stated you must arrive early Ride Leaders will not wait.

Location and Route

Meet the Ride Leaders

• Jim Taylor Hi,
  I’m Jim Taylor and have been cycling for the past 14 years but 2012 is my first year as a Sky Ride Leader. Cycling has given me immense pleasure over the years and the opportunity to help other to also share that enjoyment is the reason I became a Sky Ride Leader.
  For the past 12 months I have been a Volunteer Bike Leader for Wigan Leisure Services Active Living Team and aims to help people get back cycling. The rides are all off-road and are suitable for beginners and those who are a little more confident.
  I am also a volunteer ranger for the cycling charity Sustrans. This entails promoting the work of Sustrans at various events and helping to maintain, sign and promote cycle routes on the National Cycle Network.
  I look forward to riding with you all to provide plenty of enjoyment and fun on all the rides.
  
• Ian Parkinson
• Simon Reeve Hiya, I am a keen cyclist who loves the thrills of MTB'ing, have ridden a fair few black runs in Wales and Scotland. Even though I ride an MTB I take part in many road cycling events in and around Manchester, the 100, Liverpool, Blackpool and Chester to name a few and also charity events I arrange with a group of cyclists in Wigan. Our last venture was to ride back to Wigan from Edinburgh, 40% of which was off road. I am looking to assist others in enjoying cycling, to help them gain the confidence in riding on and off the road and share our experiences, and leading rides is a great way to achieve this. Hope you enjoy the rides. Si

Rider Comments on the Route

1. marcus wrigley Friday 9th March 2012
   great off road ride, will now go further
2. mark weaver Saturday 3rd March 2012
   A good ride shame it's a double circuit but it's got a stiff uphill on rough terrain to give you a challenge.
3. Nina Whittingham Saturday 3rd March 2012
   Great off road route, Couple of steep but short climbs, muddy and bumpy but really enjoyed it. Leader Yvonne was great as usual, adjusts the pace throughout ride to suit the riders capability who are with her and always makes the rides very enjoyable.
4. Octavia Annand Saturday 3rd March 2012
   This was an enjoyable ride. I found it challenging in parts due to my inexperience of off road biking. We kept up a good pace & the leaders were very nice & tailored the pace to suit our needs. The only way the ride could be improved would be to extend the ride further rather than do the same circuit twice.