Route: Chorley to Church (and back)
Distance: 46.5 Miles
Time: 4h:40min

This started out as a run to Withnell Fold, but turned into my longest trek on the canal somehow!

I've already posted some pictures of my run to Blackburn, so I wont bore you with the same ones and it got a bit non-photogenic in places after that.

This was the first time I can remember ever cycling "over" a motorway while on the canal:

Aqueduct over the M65

The scenery got better towards Rishton and I had a quiet chuckle when I came upon a sign that read "Welcome to Church". There are some coke ovens around Church which would make handy shelters if it were to rain.

Just after Church I came across the canal's half way marker. I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting to see here, but it seemed a bit of an anti climax as it was just there... with a row of houses behind it.

Half way marker

I got about 5 miles past this point and thought I'd better start heading back before it got dark!

25 Miles! Time to head back

Cycling back turned out to be quite difficult as the wind was blowing quite badly in my face all (nearly all) the way back. Now if you notice the mileage on the computer above you'll see I got to 25 miles, but the distance at the top of the page is 46.5. Needless to say I never made it back.

I got as far as Withnell fold when my right leg started to ache... quite a lot, and I made it as far as Bottany bay before I decided to phone the household taxi service!