As Blackrod was the place that I was brought up I am all too familiar with those hills. Interestingly Charlie describes the steepest of those as Crown Lane but that is not a name that I have ever heard used for it. As far as I know its name has always been Station Road, not least because it leads to Blackrod Railway Station. But to me, and to everyone else living in Blackrod, this hill is known as Tanners Brow !

I would certainly agree with Charlie’s assessment and call it suicidal for cyclists – although whether he intended that to refer to the ascent or descent he doesn’t make quite clear. I know that, thankfully, I could always manage to find an alternative route.

On the other hand the long drag up into Horwich was, and still is, called Crown Lane – because The Crown Hotel is situated at the top.

This is the view looking down Station Road (Tanners Brow) – its quite steep, and in the left upper distance you will see the straight Crown Lane heading towards the Crown Hotel in Horwich.