The wonderful scenery of Lancashire and the Pennines is being showcased by artwork and a new film, highlighting how such hidden gems can be easily accessed by rail.

Images promoting the Pennine Cycleway can now be seen on the cycle shelter situated on the car park of Brierfield Station, and the revised Cycleway map can be found at Dockray Street car park in Colne, Greenfield Road car park near the canal, and at the entrance onto the canal towpath on Clitheroe Road, Brierfield. 

To mark the new information being installed, Connecting East Lancashire, in partnership with Pendle Borough Council and Community Rail Lancashire (CRL), organised a guided bike ride for partners and representatives from Northern and CRL who were involved in the original Brierfield Station project celebration event, held in December 2021.

Brierfield Station is the perfect place to explore Lancashire and is ideally located to access outdoor locations along the Pennine Cycleway, many of which are on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which is just a three-minute walk from the station. It is hoped that more guided rides can be arranged and opened up to the wider public in the future.

Richard Watts, chair of CRL, said: “Brierfield has many hidden gems which have been revealed in the lovely artwork recently unveiled in the cycle shelter at the station. The station is located close to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal which offers plenty of walking and cycling opportunities. CRL is proud to have supported the guided cycle tour and hopes that it introduced participants to the lovely scenery around the town as well as to the local rail service. The station benefits from the care taken of it by the local Friends of Pendle Stations, who look after the flower beds and generally make sure everything is in working order. When visiting the station, do take time to look at the photos in the ‘Connecting Brierfield’ poster case which includes local people in nearby locations.”

CRL has also recently released the latest in a series of films being made by a local creative film company, Huckleberry Films, which are designed to encourage people to ‘Explore Lancashire by Rail.’

The latest offering, the sixth in the series, shows a walk that starts at Entwistle Station on the Clitheroe Line and takes in the two reservoirs close to the station – Turton & Entwistle and Wayoh. The full series of films, which were supported by the Community Rail Development Fund, can be viewed at www.communityraillancashire.co.uk/lancashire-by-rail/