ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
It seems as though Spring has finally sprung so I'll have another go at organising a ride! Other recent rides have been cancelled due to foul weather but it is currently looking ok for Saturday. @Littgull & I had been planning to get together and we thought that some of you might fancy joining us.
I have worked out a route which will take us round to a new cafe that I have been planning to check out - Craggies (LINK). It is on one of my favourite local loops. I noticed it a while back but have not yet called in. If any of you like carrying chunks of dead animal with you on bike rides, you could buy some from their butchery department while we are there. Being veggie, I'll stick to buying tins of chick peas and kidney beans from Lidl!
My route is about 50 miles but you could cut 8 miles and a lot of extra climbing off that if you are exhausted by the time we get to Hebden Bridge. The plan is to climb up the hill at the back of Heptonstall and take a scenic route back to Todmorden but you'd have the option of an easy 4 mile dash back along the valley road (A646) instead and also miss a hilly 2 mile loop in Todmorden at the very finish.
I plan to set off from Todmorden at 09:30 on Saturday morning and will meet Littgull in Littleborough at about 10:00 so you could start from either location.
Being fairly long and hilly, this is probably not a ride for beginners, but we will be riding at an easy pace so you don't have to worry about getting left behind - we ride at the speed of the slowest rider. I imagine that we will take 5 or 6 hours to do the ride, including stops.
Map:
Profile:
GPX route file attached below.
Route: Todmorden, Littleborough, Hollingworth Lake, Milnrow, Newhey, climb and descend to Denshaw, climb to Buckstones, descend over M62, Ringstone Edge, very undulating roads ... Booth Wood reservoir, Pike End, Baitings reservoir, Blue Ball, Hubberton Green, Steep Ln, Craggies cafe stop, Cragg Road descent to Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge then either ...
Steep climb of Heptonstall Road, Lee Wood Rd, Draper Lane, Slack, Colden, Jack Bridge, Blackshaw Head, Bride Stones Moor, Great Rock, Cross Stone Rd, Todmorden
OR
Valley road (A646) to Todmorden
And THEN an optional 2 mile loop - left turn off A646 after the park in Todmorden to do a steep climb up through the woods behind the sports centre, then a steep descent back to Todmorden station.
Those going back to Littleborough will then take the main road back which the rest of us went out on in the morning.
If you are riding from Todmorden, meet me at the free Dalton St car park at 09:25 and we will leave at 09:30. The car park should have plenty of space at that time on a Saturday morning, but if not it will be easy to find a place to park on one of the nearby backstreets - most of them have no parking restrictions.
If you want to start from Littleborough, make sure you are at the bend by The Wine Press at Hollingworth Lake at about 09:50. Littgull and Pennine-Paul should be there. Those of us riding over from Todmorden should arrive at about 09:55. We will leave as soon as we have all got together so let us know if you are coming!
If you like the sound of this ride, sign up below. ALL WELCOME!
I have worked out a route which will take us round to a new cafe that I have been planning to check out - Craggies (LINK). It is on one of my favourite local loops. I noticed it a while back but have not yet called in. If any of you like carrying chunks of dead animal with you on bike rides, you could buy some from their butchery department while we are there. Being veggie, I'll stick to buying tins of chick peas and kidney beans from Lidl!
My route is about 50 miles but you could cut 8 miles and a lot of extra climbing off that if you are exhausted by the time we get to Hebden Bridge. The plan is to climb up the hill at the back of Heptonstall and take a scenic route back to Todmorden but you'd have the option of an easy 4 mile dash back along the valley road (A646) instead and also miss a hilly 2 mile loop in Todmorden at the very finish.
I plan to set off from Todmorden at 09:30 on Saturday morning and will meet Littgull in Littleborough at about 10:00 so you could start from either location.
Being fairly long and hilly, this is probably not a ride for beginners, but we will be riding at an easy pace so you don't have to worry about getting left behind - we ride at the speed of the slowest rider. I imagine that we will take 5 or 6 hours to do the ride, including stops.
Map:
Profile:
GPX route file attached below.
Route: Todmorden, Littleborough, Hollingworth Lake, Milnrow, Newhey, climb and descend to Denshaw, climb to Buckstones, descend over M62, Ringstone Edge, very undulating roads ... Booth Wood reservoir, Pike End, Baitings reservoir, Blue Ball, Hubberton Green, Steep Ln, Craggies cafe stop, Cragg Road descent to Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge then either ...
Steep climb of Heptonstall Road, Lee Wood Rd, Draper Lane, Slack, Colden, Jack Bridge, Blackshaw Head, Bride Stones Moor, Great Rock, Cross Stone Rd, Todmorden
OR
Valley road (A646) to Todmorden
And THEN an optional 2 mile loop - left turn off A646 after the park in Todmorden to do a steep climb up through the woods behind the sports centre, then a steep descent back to Todmorden station.
Those going back to Littleborough will then take the main road back which the rest of us went out on in the morning.
If you are riding from Todmorden, meet me at the free Dalton St car park at 09:25 and we will leave at 09:30. The car park should have plenty of space at that time on a Saturday morning, but if not it will be easy to find a place to park on one of the nearby backstreets - most of them have no parking restrictions.
If you want to start from Littleborough, make sure you are at the bend by The Wine Press at Hollingworth Lake at about 09:50. Littgull and Pennine-Paul should be there. Those of us riding over from Todmorden should arrive at about 09:55. We will leave as soon as we have all got together so let us know if you are coming!
If you like the sound of this ride, sign up below. ALL WELCOME!
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