Forum ride from Hebden Bridge, Sat 22nd Oct 2022, 52 km (33 miles)

[Julia9054]

Ooh - yes please! Count Al and I in. We're a bit slow at the moment, though, as we have been doing more walking than cycling.

 

[Gwylan]

I have been a bit poorly recently so have not been up to tackling my usual 100 km forum rides. I am on the mend though and now fancy squeezing in a couple more forum rides this year. I thought I'd do a shorter one than usual to give myself an easier ride and attract people who would be okay with half a metric century.

I have chosen Saturday, 22nd October for the ride, but will keep the 29th in reserve just in case disgusting weather ends up forecast for the 22nd. We will start at 10:30, which should mean that you can get over here by train in time for the ride if needs be.

The route I came up with starts and finishes in Hebden Bridge. It covers 52 km (33 miles) and is quite lumpy - around 1,000 m (3,300 ft) of ascent. The climbing is all in the first 42 km to our one cafe stop at the scenic Craggies, above Cragg Vale near Mytholmroyd. There is a very easy 10 km run back to Hebden Bridge from the cafe with a nice descent to Mytholmroyd, and then using the flat Calder Valley Cycleway which avoids using the A646.

We will take in the Cragg Vale climb, which claims to be the longest continuous climb in England. You can choose to ride it at a steady pace, or attack it and wait for me at the top! It is mostly a very easy gradient (about 2-4%), although there is a short steeper section halfway up, maxing out at around 9-10%. It averages 3.4% for around 9 km (5.5 miles). There is often a cross-headwind on the exposed moorland section higher up and that can be harder work than the climb itself.

I'll take you round some nice lanes with views of Calderdale. If you don't know it round here, you should get a good feel for the area.

I'll update the thread later, but for now here is a map showing the roads covered by the ride...
View attachment 664149

The route profile...
View attachment 664150

A GPX file is attached.

Sign up below...

GPX viewer

What a thoroughly excellent idea. But, the journey that far north at this time of the year is fraught.
A d I'm lazy also the battery on my bike will only do 50km on the flat.

Do enjoy it

 

[ColinJ]

Ooh - yes please! Count Al and I in. We're a bit slow at the moment, though, as we have been doing more walking than cycling.

Super! I won't be breaking any speed records either so don't worry about it - it is a shorter ride than usual so we don't need to hurry. As long as @Jameshow can leave the cafe in time to get home by 3 pm, that will be fast enough.

 

[ColinJ]

Provisional list of riders:

• ColinJ
• Domus
• colly
• GuyBoden
• Vantage
• Jameshow
• Julia9054 + Al

I heard back from my pal Carrie - unfortunately she is booked up that weekend so she can't make the ride. Still - it is looking like a good turnout.

 

[Soltydog]

Sorry Colin, I can't make either date, working both weekends

 

[neil_merseyside]

I can't do either date sadly, shame a Hebden Bridge is a cycle friendly Northern service from Chester (and cheap).

 

[EasyPeez]

One of my favourite parts of the world. We’re on holiday that week though, so I’ll have to pass. Have fun.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm sorry that y'all can't make it this time. Let's try to get together in the spring. For the Garforth ride, perhaps?

I heard back from my pal Carrie - unfortunately she is booked up that weekend so she can't make the ride.

We are doing a shorter version of the ride tomorrow. Or should I say - later today... It is now gone 01:30 and I am meeting her in 9.5 hours time so I had better get some sleep!

 

[Domus]

Nothing concrete as yet but I may have to go up to Grange next week. Caravan stuff may need sorting out, fingers crossed.

 

[ColinJ]

Nothing concrete as yet but I may have to go up to Grange next week. Caravan stuff may need sorting out, fingers crossed.

Fingers crossed that you can re-a-Grange it!

 

[Vantage]

Fingers crossed that you can re-a-Grange it!

I'm gonna report this as there's no need for jokes that bad.

 

[ColinJ]

I rode up to Craggies today with my friend Carrie. We decided not to follow the route planned for this ride because @Littgull was cycling up from Littleborough to meet us and we would have been very late if we had. We did do some of the route though. I hope that we get conditions like today's on the 22nd. It was cool at times, but we had lovely blue sky. We were fine sitting outside with the bikes.

 

[ColinJ]

I have made a slight change to the route... The original route took us right down Blue Ball Road towards the turn for Mill Bank. That is okay but having made the effort to get up there I think it would be nice to do a little detour which is more interesting and has great views. It only adds 3 km (just under 2 miles) to the total distance, and about 75 metres (250 ft) of ascent. I have attached an updated GPX file below... (If the weather is looking iffy we can just ignore the detour and take the original route - the detour rejoins Blue Ball Rd lower down.)

Original route shown by the dashed red line:

GPX viewer

 

[ColinJ]

(Prompted by a current 'for sale' thread...)

Would one of you like a free San Marco Rolls saddle? First dibs to @colly, who gave me a pair of tyres a while back.

If colly doesn't want it, the first one of you to post below can have it.

The saddle has a small scuff on one side at the back, from being scraped on a wall. Apart from that it is in very good condition.

Free if you keep it for your own use. If you eventually sell it on, please make a donation of half of your profit to Parkinsons Research!

As for the ride... Meet in St George's Square, Hebden Bridge at around 10:20 with a view to setting off at 10:30. (The square is a small pedestrianised area which has a coffee/snacks shop on the corner plus at least one cafe with a customer toilet.)

Do you all carry smartphones with mobile internet access? If so, then post below on Saturday if there is a problem getting to the start.

If anybody will not have mobile internet access, we can exchange numbers before the ride.

If you don't have a phone and turn up half an hour late... Chase us to Craggies!

 

[Domus]

Will confirm one way or another on Wednesday morning. Fingers crossed.