Firstly just buying the 1:25,000
Ordnance Survey map for your area will reveal things you never knew existed and help join up the bits you do know. Hours studying the South Pennines map revealed a fantastic network of routes, most of them old packhorse trails, and gave me some of my best rides when I used to mountain bike. @ColinJ will agree on the richness of the area for walking and cycling.
I moved to Hebden Bridge (in the South Pennines) in 1986. All I did for 3 years was work, work, work, and slob out at home. I knew the town and my route to work, that was it. I got fat, unfit, and depressed. I bought a bike after being inspired by watching Greg Lemond's 8 second victory in the 1989 Tour de France. I also treated myself to all of the OS maps for the area. Over the years I systematically explored everywhere except for built-up areas, which I avoid where possible. Without those maps, I would never have found many of the great places that I now know so well.
Secondly and a bit less practical, a flight over your area in a balloon or a light aircraft is equally revealing; features like quarries that are blank on maps turn out to be unexpectedly big and busy and thanks to the eye's natural tendency to look for patterns, old railway lines and other lost features reveal themselves.
Agreed. Where a flight isn't possible, there's always 'satellite view' that online maps often provide. I find them fascinating and can pore over these (and maps) for hours.
Now there's an interesting coincidence. I had been wondering if I have actually been everywhere that I could round here by bike or on foot...
It turns out that there are quite a few footpaths that I haven't walked yet, since riding normally takes priority over walking. I have friends who walk but don't cycle, so I think we will go and walk some of those paths once the coronavirus crisis is over.
As for cycling... Most of the roads have been ridden, but I found a few offroad routes that looked worth investigating.
One thing caught my eye...
The thick red line shows part of a mixed-terrain ride that I did with
@Littgull a couple of years ago. I was thinking that the woods below Ramsden Clough reservoir looked like they would be good for a local walk. I have never been up there on foot. Then it struck me.... I had no recollection of seeing Ramsden Clough reservoir on the bike ride! I decided to check on Google Maps...
Okay, who's nicked me bleedin' reservoir!
I found this interesting snippet online...
United Utilities spokesman said:
Local knowledge and the feedback we have received from the Calder Valley communities worst affected by flooding means we can target specific locations where the money spent will have the greatest benefit.
Following July’s flood in Walsden locals called for work on defences to “slow down” flood water as it came off the hills.
Walsden councillor Andrew Hartley said he doubted that floods could be prevented entirely but he favoured investigating whether disused reservoirs could be used to store flood water during heavy downpours.
His suggestion that disused Ramsden Clough reservoir could be used was dismissed by owner United Utilities which said “ground conditions” meant it was no longer suitable.
