Posted on Mar 14, 2016 at 14:26 PM by andy.geall79
Heading South Side
Route profile coming soon.
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Posted on Mar 14, 2016 at 10:45 AM by andy.geall79
The Trail Mixer Route starts and finishes at the Todmorden Bike Shop the Cycle Factory. This route gets its name for riding over the same ground twice on a certain section and cleverly linking into two different descents that are both first class and a technical challenge. This mountain bike ride also features a mass of packhorse trails and elements of the Pennine Bridleway.
From the off you leave the bike shop and head along the A646 towards Burnley, we recommend breaking off into Centre Vale Park and re-joining the main road at the other side of the park. About ½ a mile up the road up you head to the trails and climb up through heavy woodland track of Jumps Lane until you reach open moorland.
At this point you take a right and continue to climb up a stone walled bridleway to over a 1000ft above sea level. At the junction you enter packhorse world and an offering of over two miles of packhorse trail, tracks and bridleways with a mix of technical and non-technical sections before you reach Todmorden Golf Club.
From here you are on the road for a short section before linking back into the bridleway network, from the farm house take note of your surroundings as this is the first descent of two. When you reach the road you take a left and then right descending on the fast bridleways to the houses, at this point continue straight on and into the woodland bridleway. This section to the bottom is extremely technical with loose rocks and obstacles throughout to roll over; you will either love it or hate it.
Back in the valley and on the main road you follow the A646 for 1 mile towards Hebden Bridge before picking up the Pennine Bridleway that climbs up to Blackshaw Head. The first part of the climb is relatively easy until it gradually ramps up and becomes more of a challenge. As you leave the access tracks to local houses you hit a technical section of off road from a hairpin and clearing this section is more pure luck than skill and power. This climb continues to become more challenging with further technical elements and a final section of ridged paved sets that sit just far enough apart for 29er wheels unable to bridge them, making momentum difficult. Once this section is complete you can steadily tap away till you reach the road at Blackshaw Head.
Heading west the route follows a short tarmac section to the village and gradually climbs to the hill top using the local bridleway network. The route links back to the road network using the sometimes water logged Dukes Cut and connects with a fast road section downhill to familiar surroundings and ground you have already covered. At the road this time you turn right and follow until you pick up a hidden bridleway to the left. This little section is a great bit of single track and varies from being super hard packed to extremely sketchy, both of which put a smile on your face. As this section leaves the woods you link back onto terrain conquered for a short period before heading down a short track to what looks like a farmyard. At this point there is a hidden bridleway to the left that cuts through the houses, its technical and fun from the off as it zig zags down the hillside to the picnic site and car park in the bottom of the
valley.
Getting back to the start is simple, just head west on the A646 back to Cycle Factory.
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Posted on Mar 11, 2016 at 11:58 AM by andy.geall79
The route will leave Cycle Factory and head east on the A646 for riders to spin their legs and warm up before heading to the hills. The first climb of the day heads out the valley floor on the Strava segment known as the ‘Stoodley Lung Buster’. The aim on the day is to climb this fire style road at a steady pace to the top.
From Harvelin Park the route follows a flat section before climbing up to one of the popular climbs in the area ‘London Road’. This bridleway hugs the hillside and the climb is gradual to Swillington. The wind can feature and be in your face but fingers crossed the weather will be kind. On the final section to the farm gate there is a rock garden that can be ridden or bypassed depending upon one’s mood.
From Swillington the route follows a fast farm style road before heading to high ground on Whitaker Road. This part of the ride forms a loop of Erringden Grange and then retraces the steps back to Harvelin Park. On route the descent of London Road is a feature and rides well the majority of the year.
A short section of the bridleways and Pennine Bridleway around Mankinholes and Lumbutts takes you to the Top Brink Inn. There is a steep cobbled descent on offer for the braver riders and those that don’t fancy it can loop around through the car park. The route continues on the road climbing up to the Shepherds Rest Inn before heading off road for the final time descending into the heart of Todmorden. A simple roll on the main road back to Cycle Factory and you are done.
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Posted on Feb 24, 2016 at 14:24 PM by andy.geall79
This route starts in the emerging cycling town of Sowerby Bridge, more businesses in the area have recently become cycle friendly and the opening of Happy Days Cycle Café and Bike Shop will give the town a cycling boost.
Sowerby Bridge isn’t commonly known for off road trails in Calderdale but there are plenty of hidden gems above the town to explore. The route begins with a steady spin along the valley floor to warm the legs up before the first climb of the day Calderdale off Road Climb 40, ‘Hollas Bridge to Norland Town. To be completely honest this is one tough climb with ever changing features. The bottom section of the climb can often have a stream flowing and beyond that a mix of rock sizes can hinder your progress. To top things off this climb is narrow and brutally steep until you reach the cobbled sets to the quiet country road.
As you continue to climb on the country roads the route reaches the flat lands surrounding Norland Moor. The moor itself popular with mountain bikers has recently been under the spotlight regarding its use and because there is no definitive cycling over the moor our route will be bypassing this unique landscape.
From Norland Moor the route plunges downhill linking back into the bridleway network and the old track bed of Sowerby Bridge to Ripponden Train Line (1878 to 1958). Rumour has it that it was the most expensive railway ever built in the country at the time, today it is popular with mountain bikers and walkers as it cuts through the landscape. The track bed depending on the time of year can be a real muddy hack or fast flowing in sections in the dryer months.
At Kebroyd the route climbs up out the valley to the quiet area of Soyland and beyond. From this point this entire hillside is littered with bridleways and our route picks its path over a multitude of terrain with surrounding views.
At around 20km you hit the descent of Stake Lane (Calderdale off Road Climb 9) in reverse. We think this is one of the best short descents in the area, steep, technical and challenging. This descent takes you into the small village of Mytholmroyd which is a good place to refuel.
The final part of the route follows the valley floor as you simply spin through the flat land of Calderdale back to Sowerby Bridge.
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Posted on Feb 19, 2016 at 09:36 AM by andy.geall79
The Todmorden Packhorse mountain bike ride only ventures 11km away from the town centre at its furthest point, but covers over 25km of terrain packing a punch and stamping its authority as a quality natural route.
The route begins in the town centre of Todmorden which boasts the steepest hills of all the Calderdale towns in our opinion and proves its worth from the off taking on ‘Pexwood Packhorse’ Calderdale off Road Climb 21. The climb is super steep and technical with the elevation gain surprising as you look down into the valley floor and admire the historic railway and canal architecture.
After the first big climb of the day the route picks up quiet country lanes and bridleways before linking into the restoration project of Flower Scar Road. This road hugs the skyline and offers some epic views on a good day down the Calder Valley. Riding through this section of the route is fast rolling and this continues as you descend to the little village of Portsmouth. The final part of the descent will put a smile on the face of those who like it steep with technical features.
The road breaks away from the trail briefly and follows the A646 west before heading off road up a mix of bridleway and track to the huge windmills at the wind farm situated off The Long Causeway. This is one of the areas high points and the views on a clear day can be spectacular from dawn to dusk as the light impacts the land.
The true packhorse adventure begins at this point as the route descends on a short road section before linking into 4.5km of flowing packhorse trail. This part of the route hugs the side of the valley and gradually descends overall although there are a few points where the route kicks up. Depending on the time of year and recent rainfall this part of the route can be fast and flowing or a technical hack, both of which rides extremely well all year round.
The final descent on this ride is one of our personal favourites here at Cycle Calderdale and begins shortly after you leave the golf club and head up the tarmac. The first part features a fast farm track style bridleway to the rural road network, before taking a hard left along some woodland single track to a hidden hamlet. From this point you pick your way through the old stone buildings and descend a technical bridleway that traverses till you reach the car park at the bottom.
Head back to Todmorden on the main road and sample what the town has to offer.
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Posted on Feb 16, 2016 at 15:12 PM by andy.geall79
This ride starts in the Upper Calder Valley town of Todmorden and dips two wheels firmly in the counties of Yorkshire & Lancashire. Featuring 5 challenging climbs of mixed terrain and variety of natural trails this mid distance mountain bike route is superb.
The best time of year to
ride this route is in spring or summer or when there’s a ground frost.The majority of the terrain up to Warland Reservoir is hard packed and traction is good. However from Warland Reservoir to White Holme Reservoir the permissive path is made up of natural peat. This section when firm under the knobbly tyres offers some of the best natural and flat single track in the area, covering over 5km the narrow path will keep you guessing.
Prior to the section above the route features a healthy slice of the Mary Towneley Loop a circular route that makes up part of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail. The Calderdale sections of the MTL follow the cobbled sets of the old packhorse routes and the Lancashire sections offer a challenge of moorland and rocky terrain.
Fast forward downhill on the road descent to Cragg Vale village and the gateway to Withens Clough. The route climbs steadily compared to some of the ascents in Calderdale and on a clear day the views at the top are excellent with Stoodley Pike in the back drop. The route ends with some fun
descents down the super steep cobbled sets to Mankinholes and then again through the woodland of Height Wood. Just before the river crossing into Height Wood there is a technical rocky section that seems to change as the loose rocks move around on the trail floor, aim to get to the gate without ‘dapping’.
Relax on the towpath back to Todmorden and sample what the town has to offer. You may want to take a short detour at the end of the ride to check out the Cycle Factory Bike Shop.
Route Status: Hard Red
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Posted on Dec 01, 2015 at 11:32 AM by andy.geall79
Starting at the cycle friendly Stubbing Wharf Pub Hebden Bridge this short mountain bike ride features some of the best descents in the area. This route is hilly compared to some of the other popular mountain bike locations in England and effort on the climbs is rewarded on the descents.
This ride features four great descents three of which will put a guaranteed smile on your face and offer experienced mountain bikers a good technical challenge. The first is located in the Ragley area and is a reserve of off road climb No 24. This descent is made up of single track, loose rock and twisting corners and can feature shallow streams in parts. The top of the descent is open to nature before you head into the wooded section and the foot of the descent. Before you take on the first descent of the day it is worth stopping at Mays Farm Shop to enjoy a brew and some cake or simply restock the energy levels from an establishment that sells pretty much everything.
As we mentioned earlier climbs are earned and the ‘Blue Pig’ descent is no different. The first part of the climb up to Hepstonstall village is tricky before you ride over the cobbled streets. The ‘Blue Pig’ begins with some smooth single track that features a few stepped drop offs before heading down a steep fire road. Take care at this point as the route crosses a road before entering the more technical part of this descent that features a number of obstacles including large rocks, sets, mini rock gardens and large stepped drop offs. This descent truly has a bit of everything and keeps you thinking throughout.
At this point you have reached Hardcastle Crags and there is a mini challenge on offer in the form of a very short but technical climb that cuts through the woodland, clear this in one and be proud of your efforts. For those who simply want to roll up at a leisurely pace the road rolls up on a parallel route.
Following a few miles of gradual Calderdale climbing you reach the descent down to Grain Water Bridge. We wouldn’t describe this as a classic but it’s certainly open fast and flowing. This descent is also off road climb No 30 in reverse.
From Grainwater Bridge you can take things easy as you spin along Haworth Old Road before joining the A6033. This section of road rolls quite quickly even on a mountain bike and it’s easy to miss the entrance to ‘Mini Stoodley’ descent which cuts right off the road down a steep packhorse trail into the woodland. There is a slight climb as you cross the river before entering a technical rutted stone bridleway that twists and turns back down to Hardcastle Crags. If we had a £1 for every rider that said that was brilliant we be rich folk at cycle Calderdale.
Completing the ride you simply roll out of the ‘crags’ on the road and merge with the A6033 and descend to the town of Hebden Bridge to enjoy one of the many cafes or pubs. The best way to ride back to the start is to head west on the canal towpath that takes you directly back to the Stubbing Wharf Pub.
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Posted on Aug 18, 2015 at 13:19 PM by andy.geall79
If you want to go out on a big bike ride for the day, and by the day we mean up to 24 hours maybe more; the Calderdale Big Dog provides such a challenge. The route exists after 7 local mountain bikers set out to conquer 50 of the best off road climbs in Calderdale. The route covers a 152 miles and climbs a staggering 23,000ft, big numbers in the world of mountain biking. At this point you are probably thinking why would a group of people attempt this? The simple answer was to raise funds for Bipolar UK and obviously complete the challenge of a lifetime. The team rose over £3K for the charity completing the route in 23 hours.
So how hard is the actual route….honestly pretty brutal, due to the route being based on climbs the route very much follows a up and down spiked profile with very little time spent on the flat lands just spinning away. If you are not familiar with the area Calderdale is made up of steep sided valleys that offer some of the best natural mountain biking in the UK.
The route starts and finishes at the Stubbing Wharf Pub, Hebden Bridge and hits the hills pretty much from the off. Spencer Lane a steep cobbled climb offers an early challenge before the route descends to Mytholmroyd. Leaving the village things get pretty tough in the form of Stake Lane a road climb that merges into some real challenging off road terrain. The route continues up the Luddenden Valley before picking off a few climbs around Wainstalls and Ogden. At this point you have covered 30km and its time to descend to Halifax before you climb up to Southowram. The top of this climb offers some fantastic views over Halifax looking up the Calder Valley. The route continues to some tough climbs around Copley that include Copley Wood and the technical and steep Hollas Lane.
As you head south the route heads through Greetland,Holywell Green and Sowood chalking off a number of climbs in the process. Approaching Scammonden the route becomes complex for the first time looping back and forth around the reservoir before moving onto the tricky Fiddle Lane. In the dry you may clear this one with a boat load of luck but I bet for many you will be off and pushing.
Rishworth and the Ripponden Valley provide the next test with some cheeky steep little digs before you head to the more rural location of Cragg Vale. The climb out of the village is long but the terrain is kind, appreciate this moment as Todmorden provides a true challenge of climbing and mental toughness. The pain begins as you descend the packhorse trail from Withens Gate to simply turn around and head back up the cobbled wall. The pattern of cobbles continues as you pick off a few climbs that feature on the Mary Towneley Loop.
As you leave Todmorden the route heads to its most rural location. Hugging the hills above Walsden along Long Causeway is followed by the climb of Flower Scar Road. Flower Scar Road offers a reward in the form of a long descent to Cornholme before climbing up one of the steepest roads in Calderdale, Pudsey Road. To add disappointment, this climb does not qualify as an off road climb.
At the summit of Pudsey Road 156km have been ridden and there are still plenty of hills on offer. The challenge continues as you begin the climb of Widdop Reservoir to Gorple Gate, referred to by locals with a less affectionate name. Don’t let this climb confuse you the terrain over the dam wall and beyond is easy before the climb ramps up on loose terrain.
Welcome to the Calder Valley between Hebden Bridge and Todmorden, this section of the route is tough climbing one side of the valley and then the other. You eventually escape after doing battle with Duke Street and London Road as you head on to tackle the Ragley Collection. The Ragley Collection is made up of 3 climbs situated North West of Hebden Bridge. The long climb up the woodland is the easy one of the three with the climb to Popples and Hepstonstall having more of a sting in the tail. The Ragley climbs traverse nicely into Hardcastle Crags as the end of this epic mountain bike ride is near. The Calderdale Big Dog ends descending the same climb you and your bike first completed hours, maybe a day before.
Realistically not many people are going to attempt this ride in one go, think that is best left for the extreme and crazy few of the mountain bike community. However the route could be ridden over a number of days or simply pick a section and enjoy what Calderdale has to offer.
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Posted on Feb 25, 2015 at 15:09 PM by andy.geall79
This climb provides a scenic gateway from Forest Hill Road to Marsden Gate. The climb itself has a few flat sections and slight down hills before the terrain becomes more challenging. With an average gradient of 2.5% don’t be fooled by the difficulty of this climb as the steepest sections provide a gradient of 14.2% to test the legs of any cyclist. The terrain throughout is good and mostly made up of farm track. Climb status very hard (Black).
Very Hard – Black
Very Hard climbs will always feature a very steep gradient between 10 and 15% or feature technical terrain that requires a high level of skill to negotiate. This type of climb is a real challenge for anyone and a number of elements come into play on this type of climb. Having a bike that suits you with a good range of gears, health and general cycling fitness are all important to successfully complete a very hard – black climb.
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Posted on Feb 25, 2015 at 14:46 PM by andy.geall79
This is a short and extremely tough climb and clearing it anytime of the year is to be applauded. The climb starts easy on the tarmac before heading into a rock garden with a mix of set and loose terrain, early on there is a pipe that is difficult to negotiate and there are no obviously lines on this super steep climb with an average gradient of 10% and a maximum of 15%. This is possibly the hardest climb in the area to negotiate. Climb status very hard (Black).
Very Hard – Black
Very Hard climbs will always feature a very steep gradient between 10 and 15% or feature technical terrain that requires a high level of skill to negotiate. This type of climb is a real challenge for anyone and a number of elements come into play on this type of climb. Having a bike that suits you with a good range of gears, health and general cycling fitness are all important to successfully complete a very hard – black climb.
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