England : West Yorkshire Forum ride from Hebden Bridge, Sat 3rd Oct [**DATE CHANGE**]

[ColinJ]

NOTE - RIDE BROUGHT FORWARD TO SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER, 2015!

This ride is my October entry for the metric century a month challenge so the total distance over 2 loops will be just over 100 km or 62 miles.

We'll be aiming to set off at 10:00 so let's meet at Market Place car park, Hebden Bridge, at 09:45 on Saturday, 3rd October, 2015. (Map showing car parks)

The centre of Hebden Bridge is now pedestrianised and there is a one-way system. To get to the car park turn right up Commercial Street as you come into HB from the Halifax direction, second left after about 100 yards by the White Lion. Follow that road round over the river. The car park is then on your right.

If you are coming from the Todmorden direction, turn left down Old Gate (one way street) at the end of Market Street, just after the pub on your left. Follow the road round past the (boarded up) Hole in t'Wall. The car park is straight ahead on the right just beyond the new council buildings.

If anybody decides to turn up announced (it has happened before) make sure that you get to Market Place car park by 09:45 because we won't be hanging about once all those officially riding have gathered!

I reckon we might get back at about 17:00, maybe even a bit later. (Told you it would be slow!) The local parking wardens nab people all the time, so pay for a full day in the car park - it is a lot cheaper than paying a hefty fine!

The pace will be leisurely. We will start at 10:00 and sunset is at about 18:30 that day so we will have plenty of time to get round, enjoy a mid-ride cafe stop, and still get back in daylight.

I split the last metric century from Hebden Bridge into 2 loops so people with less time/energy/inclination to do the full distance were still able to take part - they just said goodbye to the others after the cafe stop. I have designed a similar 2-loop route this time with another Hebden Bridge stop.

Loop 1 is 69 km in length (43 miles) and does another undulating tour of the local hills. The route meanders up and down some steep hills to bulk up the distance and show you some of the roads that I have not done on forum rides before. (It is getting more and more difficult to find such roads now without resorting to doing more urban riding, which I prefer not to.) The steep descents need treating with respect so make sure that your brakes are working properly and let me go ahead and lead you down safely!

Loop 1 route: Hebden Bridge, turning circle, Heptonstall Rd, Lee Wood Rd, Draper Ln, Slack, Colden, Jack Bridge, Blackshaw Head, Great Rock, Cross Stone Rd, Hey Head Ln, Eastwood Rd, Kebs Rd, New Rd, Long Causeway, Mereclough, (A646), Walk Mill, Cliviger, Holme Chapel, Portsmouth, Carr Rd, Sourhall, Sourhall Rd, Bacup Rd (A681), Shade, Hollins Rd, Walsden, Rochdale Rd (A6033), Calderbrook Rd [closed to traffic due to landslip, but passable with care by bike], Hare Hill Rd, Littleborough, Halfax Rd (A58), Blackstone Edge Old Rd, A58, Blackstone Edge, A58, Ripponden Old Ln, Cross Wells Rd, Lane Head Rd, Mill Bank, Birks Ln to ... Dean Ln Sowerby, Pinfold Ln, Shield Hall Ln, Steep Ln, (Another!) Long Causeway, Hathershelf Ln, Scout Rd, Mytholmroyd, Caldene Avenue, Calder Valley Greenway, Hebden Bridge.

Loop 1 map (route ridden anticlockwise):

Loop 1 profile:

Loop 2: is 31 km in length (19 miles). More hills!

Loop 2 route: A few hundred metres of backstreet meandering in Hebden Bridge to try and get our legs working again after the cafe stop before tackling MORE steep hills ..., Keighley Rd (A6033), Eiffel Buildings, Birchcliffe Rd, Chiserley, Midgley, Jerusalem Ln, Booth, Solomon Hill, Luddenden, Stocks Ln (used as National Hill Climb course in the past!), Wainstalls, Cold Edge, Ovenden Moor, Oxenhope Moor, Upper Town (Oxenhope), Keighley Rd (A6033) Hebden Bridge.

Loop 2 map (route ridden anticlockwise):

Loop 2 profile:

I have also attached GPX files for the 2 loops (see below).

If you are interested, post below to let me know that you want to do the ride.

 

[Buck]

Colin

Sounds good - October's a busy month for me but if I can get the diary to work, I'd love to join you again.

 

[busdennis]

Hi Colin. are you up for the season of mist this year? think its the following Sunday

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

I will be doing the season of mists ride again this year. One of my favourite audax rides.

 

[ColinJ]

Hi Colin. are you up for the season of mist this year? think its the following Sunday

I will be doing the season of mists ride again this year. One of my favourite audax rides.

Alas, no - It is one of my favourite rides too, but my family are coming up for that weekend and it would be a bit selfish of me to clear off for the day when they are only here until Sunday evening!

That's why I have chosen to organise a forum ride to take place on the preceding weekend. Getting a decent ride in on the 4th will soften the blow of missing SoM this year. I might go out and ride the SoM route after the event itself has taken place if I have a free sunny day, but I wouldn't want to deter people from riding the event, which deserves our support, so I won't encourage anyone to ride with me on that one. Do SoM and enjoy the post-ride spread. NB Event HQ is at Mytholmroyd Community Centre this year so remember not to go to the usual HQ in Hebden Bridge!

 

[Svendo]

I'm off to Hawktoberfest at Manchester Academy that weekend, which is, unfortunately, incompatible with a 100km bike ride. But I recommend the ride to all, the route will be well planned, the scenery stunning and the cycling rewarding.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm off to Hawktoberfest at Manchester Academy that weekend, which is, unfortunately, incompatible with a 100km bike ride. But I recommend the ride to all, the route will be well planned, the scenery stunning and the cycling rewarding.

Svendo is no doubt talking about Season of Mists on Oct 11th ...

My ride on October 4th should ALSO feature a well-planned route, stunning scenery, and rewarding cycling!

Oh - I have just checked and SoM is on the weekend AFTER Hawktoberfest, so either Svendo got his dates wrong or he was talking about my ride after all!

 

[busdennis]

cheers Colin, think I will start a SOM thread later tonight, see if we can get a cyclechat group sorted . have a great ride on the 4th

 

[rusty bearing]

Barring disasters should be good for that one. Providing of course I can find the car park again!

 

[ColinJ]

I have updated the first post with route descriptions, maps, profiles, and GPX files for the 2 loops.

Don't say I am not kind to you!

*** More hill-loving riders wanted!!! Add your names below ... ***

 

[Svendo]

Just seen your route. I'll definitely be in no fit state for that! You've put some interesting little bits in. I notice though you've not gone straight up through Heptonstall which seems a bit of a cop out ;-)
Carr Road is nice and steep. Calderbrook Road is passable, I've ridden it both directions commuting recently. There's a short section, 2 metres or so, that's become muddy gravel and is quite steep but can easily be ridden over on a road bike. It's interesting to see nature gradually reclaiming the road.

 

[ColinJ]

I am going to go out and ride most of loop one. There is one section at Ripponden that I haven't done before so I'll go and see what it is like. I should be able to get a half metric century in to add to my entries in that monthly challenge.

Just seen your route. I'll definitely be in no fit state for that!

Ha, excuses, excuses - you at 50% would beat most of us at 100%.

Come and do at least the first loop ... You know you want to!

I notice though you've not gone straight up through Heptonstall which seems a bit of a cop out ;-)

I always think that the Season of Mists audax event is a bit cruel taking the steeper, cobbled, direct route through the village without a warm-up. I have taken pity on our legs!

Carr Road is nice and steep.

Yes - I have done it a couple of times this past summer. I thought it would be a bit more interesting to go that way rather than just continuing down the valley through Todmorden.

Calderbrook Road is passable, I've ridden it both directions commuting recently. There's a short section, 2 metres or so, that's become muddy gravel and is quite steep but can easily be ridden over on a road bike. It's interesting to see nature gradually reclaiming the road.

I tend to chicken out on that bit and walk it, though my mate Bill rides it!

 

[ColinJ]

I rode some of loop one this afternoon.

The landslip section of Calderbrook Rd definitely is rideable now. The broken slab of tarmac at an alarming angle has now broken up or been broken up - it looked to me that it might not be due to erosion, but rather to the action of a big hammer? There is now a gravelly ramp mentioned by Svendo above. You'd still have to be careful riding down it but it is much easier to ride up than it was before and I managed it easily.

The little detour I put in at Ripponden is a bit mad really! Look on the map above between the names Mill Bank and Ripponden. That loop descends at 20% and then immediately climbs back up at 20% to rejoin the road left behind a few km back! I quite like such nonsense for its athletic challenge, but I wouldn't be offended if requested to just stick on the high road a bit longer!

I encountered another cow traffic jam this afternoon. The last one was with @Littgull on my recent forum ride. Two cow jams in such a short period of time, having not experienced one for at least 10 years ... strange!

 

[Pumpkin the robot]

I would liked to join you, but I already have my name down to do another ride that day.

 

[ColinJ]

I would liked to join you, but I already have my name down to do another ride that day.

Oh well, hopefully another time then.

I will definitely do another forum ride this year after this one, probably some time in early November.

I'll see what kind of winter we have. If it is mild then I might also organise something in December and/or January and/or February. I'm sure that I will start doing regular rides again once we get to March.