Routes from Garforth or Micklefield?

[ColinJ]

You posted while I was writing my post, gv. I think I'd prefer to do the bridleways on my MTB. and since my friend will be slower than me anyway some big knobbly tyres to slow me down on the road sections wouldn't be a bad thing!

That crossing of the A64 - yikes - that's almost a motorway! I reckon drivers pulling out of Paradise Lane might be on their way to Paradise somewhat quicker than they expected!

My friend works weekends so our ride will probably be during normal mid-week working hours, so hopefully most of the bikers will be at work rather than racing about on Back Newton Lane when we ride down there.

If I am on my MTB, we will probably try and incorporate as much bridleway as possible rather than minimising it so we will probably take the shortcut down past the chapel.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

I don't know how the Rothwell area can possibly be quiet when the M1, M62, A61, A654, A639 and A642 surround it! (It isn't possible to get more than 1 km from a main road or motorway, and in most places you'd be within 500 metres of one).

not for long rides but it's ok for short rides like you requested. it's only 8 miles to the city centre then onto the amazing canal...train? is the vale of york flat? i don't remember any flat bits...it's been a while tho.

 

[ColinJ]

is the Vale of York flat? i don't remember any flat bits...

Put it this way - I just plotted a 145 km loop round York and apart from some small hills near Garforth (which reached the dizzying elevation of 93 metres) about 100 km of it were between 5 metres and 50 metres, mostly 15-30 metres, so yes, it's flat, near as damn it!

If you, Paul and other riders of the single gear could get over there, it would be an ideal place for a forum ride. There could be a problem though if we all tried getting on the same trains there and back!

 

[Pennine-Paul]

I've often thought about getting the train to York then riding home,
67 miles and 3500 feet of climbing,most of thats in the last 20 miles

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

i stand corrected....sounds fixie friendly. i still remember it as hilly in the car, must be on the way up on the a59?

 

[ColinJ]

I've often thought about getting the train to York then riding home,
67 miles and 3500 feet of climbing,most of thats in the last 20 miles

Trouble is - as soon as you go beyond Micklefield, the ticket price shoots up. York from here is £13.70 single, £13.80 return (which is daft!).

The thing that shook me is that the single fare for me to Garforth is £5.90 but the return is only £6.10 so I'm going to let the trains handle getting me there and back. It will enable me to do a long flat ride at a low cost and with only 2.5 hours travel time which I could handle (I'd take a few puzzles to keep me occupied on the trains).

The other thing I might do is to get off at Garforth and then ride home on half of the West Yorkshire Cycle Route. I've done the southern half before so I might do the northern half next. Maybe some of the Leeds CycleChat crew could meet me in Garforth, do the ride with me then catch the train back from Hebden Bridge?

 

[ColinJ]

i stand corrected....sounds fixie friendly. i still remember it as hilly in the car, must be on the way up on the a59?

Yes - that's it. I did a quick plot - about 1,750 m of ascent in the 160 kms from your house to Knaresborough and back. Just 150 m in the 41 kms from Knaresborough to the Park & Ride NW side of York and back!

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Yes - that's it. I did a quick plot - about 1,750 m of ascent in the 160 kms from your house to Knaresborough and back. Just 150 m in the 41 kms from Knaresborough to the Park & Ride NW side of York and back!

aaahhhh that's it then. sounds like we could plan a ride up there if it's so cheap to get there.

 

[Soltydog]

Just looking through old Cycling Active mags for some rides they did round East Yorks & came across a 22.5 mile ride round the area north of Garforth, Aberford, Thorner & Scholes if its of any use to you? (Has a few local points of interest) I can scan & email, or post the complete magazine if you like?

 

[ColinJ]

Just looking through old Cycling Active mags for some rides they did round East Yorks & came across a 22.5 mile ride round the area north of Garforth, Aberford, Thorner & Scholes if its of any use to you? (Has a few local points of interest) I can scan & email, or post the complete magazine if you like?

Nice of you to offer. I think I can see the kind of loop it would be, but if it is easy for you to scan it, it would be interesting to take a look at the article. I'll PM you an email address! Cheers.

 

[ColinJ]

Well, I finally did it yesterday - I caught the train to Garforth to do a flat ride!

The direct train is only just over an hour each way. I was surprised by how busy the first off-peak train was at 09:50 from Hebden Bridge, and ditto for the 15:35 back from Garforth.

About 1.5 km of quietish roads from Garforth station, then a long gradual descent down 'The Lines' - okay to good surface most of the way. That took me to Allerton Bywater where I had a wind-assisted ride east for about 12 km before heading south through Birkin. I then did a big loop bringing me back to Birkin and returned to Garforth by the reverse of the route I'd taken in the morning.

The loop: south through Birkin, Kellingley, Cridling Stubbs, Stapleton, Little Smeaton, Campsall, then meandered east through Fenwick, then headed north through Topham and Gowdall (including some bits of the Trans Pennine Trail which were okay even on my best road bike) to Carlton where I turned WNW into the nasty headwind from Hell! I followed that road back to Birkin and only got 2 kms worth of respite heading north before turning back into the wind again all the way back to Allerton Bywater, and then back to Garforth on The Lines.

From Carlton, I'd been a man on a mission which was to get back to Garforth in time to catch the direct train to HB at 15:35, thus avoiding having to change trains at Leeds in the rush hour. It was really hard work in that wind and I made it with 2 minutes to spare, and then the train was 10 minutes late - typical!

I thought about stopping off for a coffee at the RSPB's visitor centre at Fairburn Ings but I wanted to catch that train so I didn't. I'll organise a forum ride over the same route some time and we can stop there.

The strong winds made the ride hard work, despite the flatness of it. Over 103 km (64 miles) I averaged 22.3 kph or 14 mph (not the 15 mph that I mentioned to a couple of people yesterday). Just as the downhills of a hilly route never quite make up for the time lost climbing, the tailwind-assisted sections didn't compensate for the headwind slogs, especially since the wind seemed to pick up for the latter!

On the long grind back towards Birkin, I spotted some cyclists about half a mile ahead and gradually caught up with them. The wind was so bad that they had dropped one of their mates despite the fact they were only doing about 10 mph when I overtook them!

It's a pity that there are so many pylons and those 2 big power stations to spoil the views, but hey - we have to put them somewhere! Otherwise, it was pleasant countryside, especially the Ings. Unspectacular, obviously, but most of the roads were quiet and fun to ride on.

I'll be back!

 

[ColinJ]

PS This route is about as fixed-friendly as they come, but try to choose a non-windy day because there is very little to stop any wind blasting straight at you. The only proper hill on the route was at Fairburn, and it wasn't really anything to worry about. Apart from that, the only climbing consisted of a few bridges over motorways and major A-roads, and a very gradual drag back up The Lines to Garforth.

 

[Talc1976]

Hi Colin
Not sure if this is any help, but apparently the route has been sign posted,my mate and me are going to take the train upto hebden bridge and cycle back to Garforth some time.
http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/transport/cycling/routes/westyorks-route.html
Next time you get to Garforth head for Lotherton Hall and then follow the road to Towton then head onto Tadcaster and then go towards ullerskelf and then ryther and into selby these are all nice country roads that are not too busy, go from selby back towards garforth but take in gateforth and hillam and that will give you country roads as opposed to the main A63, there are then many routes you can take back to garforth once you have hit monk fryston.

 

[DiddlyDodds]

Colin , did i see you going over bellflats nr Walsden today on the "Over the Edge" ride, went past three riders and the middle one looked just like you.

 

[ColinJ]

Hi Colin
Not sure if this is any help, but apparently the route has been sign posted,my mate and me are going to take the train upto hebden bridge and cycle back to Garforth some time.
http://www.calderdale.gov.uk/transport/cycling/routes/westyorks-route.html

Thanks - we are already discussing such rides in this thread.

Hi Colin
Next time you get to Garforth head for Lotherton Hall and then follow the road to Towton then head onto Tadcaster and then go towards ullerskelf and then ryther and into selby these are all nice country roads that are not too busy, go from selby back towards garforth but take in gateforth and hillam and that will give you country roads as opposed to the main A63, there are then many routes you can take back to garforth once you have hit monk fryston.

Okay - I'll check those roads out - cheers!

Colin , did i see you going over bellflats nr Walsden today on the "Over the Edge" ride, went past three riders and the middle one looked just like you.

Nope, not me - I was indoors watching today's Giro stage and waiting for the sunshine which is forecast for next week!