Burypilgrim

As someone who has always enjoyed cycling and valued it’s importance as a contributor to both the health of individuals and the climate, I have kept my eyes open to positive signs of cycling in Bury whilst on pilgrimage.

And it doesn’t come much more impressive than the Ramsbottom Rake. Starting by Ramsbottom library and climbing up to Emmanuel Church Holcombe, it is a remarkable cycling challenge. So, it was good to encounter the annual time trial on pilgrimage and be reminded of it’s special place in Bury sport.

It will have many stories to tell of human achievement over the years. Indeed, I am writing this post on the day that Simon Yates won the first mountain stage of the 2025 Tour de France. No doubt the Rake will have played a formative role in both Simon and his brother Adam’s development as world class mountain climbers.

And it was also the site of a stunning charity endeavour back in 2020. I was delighted to be part of the support team for my son, Matthew, as he successfully attempted to complete 15 ascents of The Rake in one afternoon, raising money for the Ronald MacDonald House at Manchester Children’s hospital.

But cycling, is not just about the extremes; it should be for everybody, so anything that encourages more people to feel confident to “get on yer bike” is to be welcomed. That takes time, but it has been good to see more effort in the town to develop safe routes for people.

Perhaps Bury could yet become famous not just for its world class cyclists, but also its cycling public.