Sun 14th, 50-60 hilly miles from Hebden Bridge/Todmorden

[Calum]

I'd be up for riding down to HB from Halifax and leaving the group a little earlier to head back there. But as I said, I may not be around at all if saturday's a late one! Bokonon, fancy joining me if I make it?! Looks like it'd be the 8:21 train if we do it.

 

[Bokonon]

Yeah, I'd be up for riding from Halifax if you're going Calum. I'm still not convinced about riding through Halifax though. I'll want my money back if it is not as easy as Colin says it is!

 

[trio25]

AJ sent you a message. Colin have found park on map!

Are you plotting the route Colin as a GPX? If so can I have a copy?

Definetly ride out Calum!

 

[ColinJ]

(I tried posting a reply a while back but I think I must have clicked Preview Post instead of Submit Reply!)

Trio - I've plotted the Littleborough-Littleborough loop and posted it here on Bikely. To get the route file, click Share/Download .GPX.

 

[Amanda P]

Mrs Uncle Phil and I may be interested. Can we see you if we see you?

Colin, I'll PM you for a phone number if I may in case we're coming but a couple of minutes behind or whatever.

 

[ColinJ]

Yeah, I'd be up for riding from Halifax if you're going Calum. I'm still not convinced about riding through Halifax though. I'll want my money back if it is not as easy as Colin says it is!

I've plotted the 'escape route' for you! Here it is on Bikely.

It takes a very simple back road route up to Aachen way (A58). A short stretch on that takes you to a big complicated junction with the A646. Just make sure you get in lane for the A646 as you approach it. As soon as you are through the traffic lights you are on the A646 and that takes you all the way to Hebden Bridge. It's a quick run down to Luddenden Foot and then a pretty flat 4 mile ride through Mytholmroyd to here.

As for getting getting back to Halifax...

We'll get you to the A58 at Baitings Reservoir. It's a quick descent to the traffic lights at Ripponden from there. Continue on down the Ryburn valley to Sowerby Bridge. Stay on the A58 through town as it climbs back up to that big junction with A646.

You could then just do the outward route in reverse but this is better (no right turns across traffic):

Follow signs and markings for TOWN CENTRE. After 800 metres bear L off the A58 sp. TOWN CENTRE before flyover. After 500 metres R at BULL GREEN ROUNDABOUT sp. Huddersfield A629. After 140 metres, turn L down hill to the station (Ward's End and Horton Street).

Here it is on Bikely from Sowerby Bridge to Halifax station.

If you view the routes in Hybrid mode you can see how straightforward they are.

 

[ColinJ]

Mrs Uncle Phil and I may be interested. Can we see you if we see you?

Colin, I'll PM you for a phone number if I may in case we're coming but a couple of minutes behind or whatever.

Hi Uncle Phil.

You'd be welcome to join us, just let me know if you are coming in case you get held up and we need to wait for you.

Start time is 09:30 Sunday (14th March 2010!) from Market Place car park, Hebden Bridge. To get to the car park from the Halifax direction - turn right up Commercial Street as you come into Hebden Bridge. Turn second left by the old White Lion pub after about 125 metres. Follow that road round over the bridge and we will be in the car park on the right immediately afterwards.

It's a long stay car park and is only about 30p/hour. I'd suggest paying until 18:00 just to be on the safe side (wardens patrol here and issue £60 fines!)

We will be meeting trio25 and aJohnson at Centre Vale park gates Todmorden at 10:00.

We will have a cafe stop at Scar Top after about 60 km (37 miles). Please note that they will be hard miles so carry enough food/drink for about 4 hours just in case. If we get desperate, we can call in at Coldwell Activity Centre cafe earlier on but I quite fancy checking out the tearooms at Scar Top. I've been riding past the furniture store for 20 years and never realised the the tearooms were there!

I'd imagine that the bikes would be safe because it is a quiet rural location but we will be on the top floor of the building well away from them so it might be an idea to carry locks just in case?

PS Phil - your second PM came in while I was writing this.

There are two very straightforward bailout points that don't require maps.

We will be starting the climb of the A6033 at Oxenhope but turning off (up a horribly steep climb!) almost immediately. If you want to bail out there you could just go straight on up over the moors instead for 2.5 km and have a great 7 km descent back into the heart of Hebden Bridge.

The other bailout point is at Luddenden Foot. You could go straight back 6 or 7 km along the busy A646 or I could put you on the Calder Valley Cycleway instead - we will be going past it.

 

[zacklaws]

I'm out for this one, working Sat and Sun.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm out for this one, working Sat and Sun.

Yikes - hard luck!

See you, Svendo and colly et al for another one some time.

 

[Bokonon]

Thanks Colin. I've printed off the map and directions though I'll probably either forget to take them home or will lose them in the pub after work!

 

[aJohnson]

Will I be needing lights?

 

[ColinJ]

Trio/aJ - Calum has just sent me a PM to say that he will be riding over with Bokonon from Halifax on Sunday. I reckon that if their train is on time, they will probably arrive in HB between 09:35 and 09:40 so we should be able to get to Todmorden at 10:00 or shortly afterwards, but we won't arrive before 10:00. Don't make a big effort to get to Tod early. 10:00 or thereabouts will be fine. If for any reason we are going to be significantly late, I'll txt you an update of our ETA.

This has the makings of a good ride!

Er, apologies in advance for the severity of a few of the hills...

 

[ColinJ]

Will I be needing lights?

Being realistic about the low average speeds of my hilly rides, especially those with decent length cafe stops, I'd say that you and trio might be borderline lights-wise if either of you got a puncture on the run home. You'd probably be okay without lights but maybe not?

I reckon Calum and Bokonon might need lights when they get back to Leeds if they have to wait 30 minutes to catch their train. The rest of us should easily be back in HB before dark but I have a rear light on my bike and I'll carry my head torch as an emergency front light.

 

[aJohnson]

Okie, I may have to pick up some lights tomorrow then.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

i click the ride link and it just comes up blank. anyone else have this problem?