pennine trail

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steveoo

Active Member
I'am looking to do this ride with the kids,As i live in Bradford (west yorks) where is the best place to start from.I would prefer to do any uphill gradients first so if the kids tired it would be an easier ride back.
cheers:bicycle:
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
There's a handy carpark at Dunford Bridge just outside Holmfirth. You can cycle eastwards from there for miles before you hit any gradient at all.
 

RhythMick

Über Member
Location
Barnsley
Which section are you looking to do ? How far ? Do you want to do a "there and back" ride, or find a circular route, or perhaps get a train back ?

I'm planning to do the whole route west to east at end of August (if my knee recovers in time) and I've already done Leeds to Chesterfield. The latter is about 65 miles, some of which can be fairly rough trails.

Dunford Bridge is a good starting point as Cubist says. Going east from there it's all downhill, well basically all the way to the coast at Hornsea! Couple of minor inclines maybe. But you can certainly do a good long ride before you turn back - the return journey would be uphill though. It's only a slight incline but at Dunford Bridge you're very close to the highest point on the route. Also the track to Penistone can be a bit muddy and rough. DEFINITELY not for road bikes.

Alternatively, the path between Sheffield and Penistone is very well surfaced, flat and with good car parks at either end. How about starting at Meadowhall, heading up towards Penistone and turning round when you've had enough. Starting at Penistone would work well too.

Old Moor RSPB (SE of Barnsley) has good car parking, a great cafe and of course other things to do than biking. From there the paths are good in either direction. You can head E towards Doncaster, or W towards Penistone - you can also branch off North or South. Lots of choices.
 
<SNIP>
Alternatively, the path between Sheffield and Penistone is very well surfaced, flat and with good car parks at either end. How about starting at Meadowhall, heading up towards Penistone and turning round when you've had enough. Starting at Penistone would work well too.

Old Moor RSPB (SE of Barnsley) has good car parking, a great cafe and of course other things to do than biking. From there the paths are good in either direction. You can head E towards Doncaster, or W towards Penistone - you can also branch off North or South. Lots of choices.

Just so there's no mistakes, you do mean the transpennine trail don't you and not the recently opened pennine bridleway?

I've cycled most of it now just need to fill in the gap of Southport>Aintree, its not roadie territory, I've had no problems on 700*32c CX tyres though.

Anyway, I'd agree with rythmick and suggest sticking to the 'central' section, if you look at the map here: http://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/images/MapLarge.jpg you can see between the triangle of Penistone/Barnsely/Sheffield offers a good out and back loop if you start at either the foot of the pennines west of penistone or at the Old Moor RSPB east of Barnsley. Doing that gives a fairly flat ride around, theres a few hills if you venture into Barnsley/Sheffield but the middle is mostly flat.

Also, you get to go throught the Thurgoland Tunnel if you plan it right.^_^

 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Anyone done the new spur from Penistone to Kirkburton? It starts just outside my office so I might bring my XC bike to work and explore one lunchtime.
 
Anyone done the new spur from Penistone to Kirkburton? It starts just outside my office so I might bring my XC bike to work and explore one lunchtime.
not yet ... Is there a map for it ? I'd need to get my knee recovered first though of course

TPT includes a map: http://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/template.asp?ID=859&parentID=630

Interesting spur and one i'll try.

If you look at the map for the Calder Valley Cycleway/Birkby Bradley Greenway http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/leaflets/calder_valley.pdf there is a planned link from those into Kirkburton which opens up the TPT to a lot of towns and villlages it otherwise would go nowhere near.

Found this list of maps, some seem a little old but could be useful for Yorkshire: http://beta.ctc.org.uk/sites/default/files/cawyorkshirewest.pdf
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
TPT includes a map: http://www.transpenninetrail.org.uk/template.asp?ID=859&parentID=630

Interesting spur and one i'll try.

If you look at the map for the Calder Valley Cycleway/Birkby Bradley Greenway http://www.sustrans.org.uk/assets/files/leaflets/calder_valley.pdf there is a planned link from those into Kirkburton which opens up the TPT to a lot of towns and villlages it otherwise would go nowhere near.

Found this list of maps, some seem a little old but could be useful for Yorkshire: http://beta.ctc.org.uk/sites/default/files/cawyorkshirewest.pdf
Excellent, but the map only shows part of the route. It looks very well waymarked in any case. The offroad horse and mtb route is signed as 11.5 miles from Kirkburton to Millhouse Green, and appears to be on decent bridleways. The co tours on this side of Huddersfield are pretty kind too, so would.make a decent stretch for a wounded knee and an arthritic hip!!!!!
 

Cubist

Still wavin'
Location
Ovver 'thill
Whereabouts are you Wiggydiggy, are you near this end of the world?
 
Excellent, but the map only shows part of the route. It looks very well waymarked in any case. The offroad horse and mtb route is signed as 11.5 miles from Kirkburton to Millhouse Green, and appears to be on decent bridleways. The co tours on this side of Huddersfield are pretty kind too, so would.make a decent stretch for a wounded knee and an arthritic hip!!!!!

Oh yeah didnt notice it only shows as far as Denby Dale... Shouldnt be too hard to follow the rest though?

I'd say its a perfect leisure ride, this is what I love about trail rides, just go at your own pace and enjoy the views^_^
 
Whereabouts are you Wiggydiggy, are you near this end of the world?

West Yorks :thumbsup:

I was in that neck of the woods on Sat - I cycled Brighouse > Hebden Bridge (was supposed to go all the way to Manc but mechanical difficulties in the morning scuppered that) and its just as nice in reverse although was very muddy with the recent flooding in that area.
 
Was that on the towpath? Looks lovely for a leisure ride. Calderdale have done some good work round the canals.

Oh yes definitely, from Brighouse to Sowerby Bridge its a nice smooth surface and then from Sowerby Bridge to Todmorden can be bumpy/muddy but by no means unpleasent. Then its a mixture again of gravel and good surfaces all the way to Manchester. I'd describe the Manc>Brighouse as a classic cycling canal in that as long as you've prepared to get a little muddy it goes through some great scenery, is mostly sheltered and has lots of little engineering feats and features.

Indeed its planned to form part of NCN66 which in itself will serve as an alternative Mancehester > Hull route to the TPT itself.

NCN66.gif
 

RhythMick

Über Member
Location
Barnsley
Once I'm back up and about I plan to take my Yeti to Cubists for some experienced oversight of my amateur maintenance. Parts and tools all lined up when I went and bust my knee.

Be nice to do a ride out there too if time allows.
 
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OP
steveoo

steveoo

Active Member
Oh yes definitely, from Brighouse to Sowerby Bridge its a nice smooth surface and then from Sowerby Bridge to Todmorden can be bumpy/muddy but by no means unpleasent. Then its a mixture again of gravel and good surfaces all the way to Manchester. I'd describe the Manc>Brighouse as a classic cycling canal in that as long as you've prepared to get a little muddy it goes through some great scenery, is mostly sheltered and has lots of little engineering feats and features.

Indeed its planned to form part of NCN66 which in itself will serve as an alternative Mancehester > Hull route to the TPT itself.

NCN66.gif
Yea did this last year bradford to brighouse over to manchester and back.Good days ride not very nice in manchester though drunks,druggies and the likes would never let the wife do it on her own.but the rest is a nice ride.
 
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