Hebden Bridge ride, advice needed

[DiddlyDodds]

The route via Blackshaw Head, The Long Causeway, Worsthorne and Widdop is a nice one but I prefer my 'Trauma of Trawden' loop, or some variation of it. That is Hebden Bridge, Keighley Road, Oxenhope, Penistone Hill, Stanbury, Scar Top, Laneshaw Bridge, Trawden, Clarion House, Coldwell, Thursden, Widdop, Heptonstall (or via Lee Wood to avoid the village and its cobbles), turning circle, Hebden Bridge. That's a very scenic and hilly 29 miler.

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I went out this morning at 6am and rode the Trauma of Trawden loop , bye ek there are some hills on that, got round alright and some fantastic views (when it go light that is) , well worth doing and one i will do more often especialy in summer, next time though i will use my bike with the triple chain rings , as some of the hills were a tad hard slog on the double ring.

 

[ColinJ]

I went out this morning at 6am and rode the Trauma of Trawden loop , bye ek there are some hills on that, got round alright and some fantastic views (when it go light that is) , well worth doing and one i will do more often especialy in summer, next time though i will use my bike with the triple chain rings , as some of the hills were a tad hard slog on the double ring.

6 am - I've heard of that! I might consider riding the ToT route in mid-summer at that time of day, but not in early January.

It's a lovely route for tootling round in 3 or 4 hours but also can provide a big challenge if you try and ride it quickly. My record is 2 hours 13 minutes but I wasn't super-fit at the time. I know that a sub-2 hour ToT is within my capabilities and that is something I intend to do if/when I get my full health back.

 

[DavidM]

I'm impressed by the Mytholm Steeps start! Most people opt for the easier route of Heptonstall Road, Lee Wood, Slack, Colden and Jack Bridge.

Yeah Colin every time I ride up Heptonstall Road I always think its easy - sheeesh

 

[ColinJ]

Yeah Colin every time I ride up Heptonstall Road I always think its easy - sheeesh

Easier is not the same thing as easy!

I've only managed to ride all the way up Mytholm Steeps about 3 times out of 6 whereas I could always manage to get up the Heptonstall Road, even though it often involved a degree of grovelling.

 

[tubbycyclist]

Agreed - when the front wheel is lifting because of the gradient you remember that some of these roads were designed for pack horses!