Despite having a signature suite at the Mercure Hotel Dunkenhalgh I left early. Still dark early. Dark enough to turn on the Exposure lights, front and rear.

Stiff climb over Whalley Knab before dropping into a gloomy Clitheroe. Too gloomy for photography but I’ve visited the town many times so have enough sunny weather pix for the book.

And talking about the book the ride to Clitheroe was the reach the start of a 60-mile book loop around the Trough of Bowland, ending back at Clitheroe railway station. (Almost all of the rides in the book start and end at stations.)

The loop segment is book only. Part two of today’s upload starts in Clitheroe after the 60+ miles and is a hilly ride to Skipton.