MCR-Morecambe 2026

Ride leader: Andrew

Apologies for the change of date from the “timetable”. I’ve managed to double book myself…

Here we go for 2026 then.

The Manchester-Morecambe FNRttC 2026 is on 22 May 2026.

Not much has changed from last year’s ride info…

As far as I’m aware, this is the hilliest (by some margin) of all the FNRttC: we go up to 339m/1110ft above sea level so please bring your climbing legs ! Having said that, we’ll all take the climbs at our own speed and we’ll regroup at intervals. I’ll make appropriate H&S warnings en-route. There’s just the one…

In summary, the ride is about 126km/78 miles long and we head out of Manchester from the meeting point at Victoria Station through Prestwich Forest Park (off-road, very dark) to Radcliffe, Bury and then Tottington. Apart from the flat trail, this part of the ride is mostly up long, gradual climbs on urban roads albeit there is a descent to Bury.

After Tottington we climb onto the moors above Edgeworth. There is one short, steep ramp but, after that, the gradients are relatively benign although they do go on for quite a while. The roads are, usually, very quiet.

Once we’ve reached the top, there is a long, long descent to Blackburn and the (not quite) half-way stop at the Euro Garage on Whitebirk Services. It will seem halfway though: the climbing before the stop makes the food (and the coffee) very, very welcome.

Suitably refreshed, there is then a further brief spell of suburbia, before another epic descent to Ribchester. This is followed by the last significant climb of the ride, the drag up to Longridge. This doesn’t seem to get any easier or shorter. Sorry about that….

The rest of the route is best described as "rolling" and we tend to ride this as a fairly compact group.

We'll skirt Lancaster by using the coastal path and head to Morecambe by the bike route built on an old railway line.

After pictures with Eric, we'll have breakfast in the Wetherspoons.

Victoria Station is on the North side of MCR centre near the Cathedral. If you're riding across town from Piccadilly Station, please be aware of the tram tracks and cross them at right angles.

It's probably best to book trains back to home from Lancaster; there's much more choice and it's a short, flat ride from Morecambe. As far as I'm aware, all the trains from Morecambe go through Lancaster anyway and you'll probably have to change.

Only Northern Trains don’t need bike reservations (although whether an advertised service is running is anybody’s guess); with all of the others you’ll need to book a space for your bike unless you’re on a folder.

Please be aware that, apart from being the hilliest of the FNRttC, we also go through some remote countryside so please check your bike over carefully, especially the tyres.

For the more adventurous amongst you, I’m planning to ride on to Blackpool to get the train home from there and you’ll be welcome to join me. I say “planning” because, if it’s been wet all night or I’m knackered, I’ll be getting the train home from Lancaster. 

If you’re travelling from “a far” and you might want to join me, it’s probably best to book trains to home from Preston to make sure that you’ve got a bike space.

Registration will open soon.