ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
If you fancy tackling a scenic/hilly half century forum ride, why not join us for this one on Saturday, 28th April?
I have designed the route to try and tempt people who don't fancy my metric century (or longer) rides. This one would be ideal for the 'Half Century A Month Challenge' riders - 50 miles from Todmorden incorporating a 50 kms ride from Hebden Bridge.
We will have one cafe official stop and it is in a very scenic location (Craggies) towards the end of the 50 km loop (about halfway through the 50 miler).
If you want to have breakfast in Tod before the ride (or something after the 50 miler), there is a Wetherspoons (bottom of Ridge Road on the map below) not far from the start, and also plenty of cafes dotted about.
Hebden Bridge has numerous cafes less than 50 metres from the start so you will not have any problem buying a pre/post-ride coffee/snack there.
If you start from Todmorden but have had enough by the time we return to Hebden Bridge you can avoid a longish hilly return leg and take the short flat route back along the A646 down in the valley, though you would then only have done about 65 km (40-41 miles) in total.
We will maintain a steady, chatty pace, probably only averaging about 15 kph (9 mph) including stops. No riders abandoned, and no complaining about slow speeds will tolerated - if you want to ride fast, sorry, this ride is not for you***!
There are lots of hills, some quite steep, so bring climbing legs and/or very low gears.
The riders doing 50 miles will start from 'Tod Chippy' in Todmorden, opposite the free car park in Dalton Street. (If you are coming in by train, follow the green arrow.)
Meet at 09:25, set off at 09:30. (30 minutes earlier than original time!!)
We will then ride down the A646 to Hebden Bridge where we meet the 50 km riders by the sundial sculpture in the pedestrianised area of the town centre. Some suggested parking spots are shown on this Google map. The meeting place is near the White Lion shown on that map, across the road and 50 metres to the south in the pedestrianised town square.
Meet at 09:55, set off at 10:00. (30 minutes earlier than original time!!)
I have attached GPX files for the Tod-HB leg (the A646, Halifax Road), the main 50 km loop, and the hilly return leg from Hebden Bridge that the 50-milers will undertake.
A simple map of the 50 km loop:
We climb the Keighley Road to Pecket Well and then turn left to head through Old Town and down Height Road to Midgley. We will ride round to the top of Jerusalem Lane and then descend to Booth. From there to Solomon Hill and then descend to Luddenden Foot. We will cross the A646 and head up a steep climb. Right at the top and then head down Scout Road to Mytholmroyd. That gives us the chance to do the famous Cragg Vale climb, "England's longest continuous uphill gradient"! It is not steep, apart from a short, steepish section halfway up. We will turn left at the junction with the A58 and do a rapid descent as far as a left turn onto quiet lanes starting with Blue Ball Road. Those lanes take us round to Steep Lane, which is, er, steep! We head up that and on to our cafe stop. After that we head back over to the road that we had climbed earlier, but now descend to Mytholmroyd. I would prefer us to return to Hebden Bridge on the Calder Valley Cycleway to avoid traffic, but the A646 is an option. We will say goodbye to the 50 km riders there.
After that, any 41-milers can go back to Tod on the main road. I will ride the scenic route back with @Littgull and any other 50 milers. We will turn at the turning circle, and head back towards HB, turning left up the Heptonstall Road. We will take the easier option of Lee Wood Road rather than continuing up to the village. From Slack we continue through Colden, Jack Bridge and Blackshaw Head on our way up to the summit on the Long Causeway. It is quite a climb to get up there, but from there we get a really easy ride back to Tod. Of the 18 km, 15.5 are downhill or flat and the other 2.5 km are only a slight uphill drag at 2.0-2.5%.
A simple map of the last leg:
Sign up below!
*** speed limits do not apply on descents - muhaha!
I have designed the route to try and tempt people who don't fancy my metric century (or longer) rides. This one would be ideal for the 'Half Century A Month Challenge' riders - 50 miles from Todmorden incorporating a 50 kms ride from Hebden Bridge.
We will have one cafe official stop and it is in a very scenic location (Craggies) towards the end of the 50 km loop (about halfway through the 50 miler).
If you want to have breakfast in Tod before the ride (or something after the 50 miler), there is a Wetherspoons (bottom of Ridge Road on the map below) not far from the start, and also plenty of cafes dotted about.
Hebden Bridge has numerous cafes less than 50 metres from the start so you will not have any problem buying a pre/post-ride coffee/snack there.
If you start from Todmorden but have had enough by the time we return to Hebden Bridge you can avoid a longish hilly return leg and take the short flat route back along the A646 down in the valley, though you would then only have done about 65 km (40-41 miles) in total.
We will maintain a steady, chatty pace, probably only averaging about 15 kph (9 mph) including stops. No riders abandoned, and no complaining about slow speeds will tolerated - if you want to ride fast, sorry, this ride is not for you***!
There are lots of hills, some quite steep, so bring climbing legs and/or very low gears.
The riders doing 50 miles will start from 'Tod Chippy' in Todmorden, opposite the free car park in Dalton Street. (If you are coming in by train, follow the green arrow.)
Meet at 09:25, set off at 09:30. (30 minutes earlier than original time!!)
We will then ride down the A646 to Hebden Bridge where we meet the 50 km riders by the sundial sculpture in the pedestrianised area of the town centre. Some suggested parking spots are shown on this Google map. The meeting place is near the White Lion shown on that map, across the road and 50 metres to the south in the pedestrianised town square.
Meet at 09:55, set off at 10:00. (30 minutes earlier than original time!!)
I have attached GPX files for the Tod-HB leg (the A646, Halifax Road), the main 50 km loop, and the hilly return leg from Hebden Bridge that the 50-milers will undertake.
A simple map of the 50 km loop:
We climb the Keighley Road to Pecket Well and then turn left to head through Old Town and down Height Road to Midgley. We will ride round to the top of Jerusalem Lane and then descend to Booth. From there to Solomon Hill and then descend to Luddenden Foot. We will cross the A646 and head up a steep climb. Right at the top and then head down Scout Road to Mytholmroyd. That gives us the chance to do the famous Cragg Vale climb, "England's longest continuous uphill gradient"! It is not steep, apart from a short, steepish section halfway up. We will turn left at the junction with the A58 and do a rapid descent as far as a left turn onto quiet lanes starting with Blue Ball Road. Those lanes take us round to Steep Lane, which is, er, steep! We head up that and on to our cafe stop. After that we head back over to the road that we had climbed earlier, but now descend to Mytholmroyd. I would prefer us to return to Hebden Bridge on the Calder Valley Cycleway to avoid traffic, but the A646 is an option. We will say goodbye to the 50 km riders there.
After that, any 41-milers can go back to Tod on the main road. I will ride the scenic route back with @Littgull and any other 50 milers. We will turn at the turning circle, and head back towards HB, turning left up the Heptonstall Road. We will take the easier option of Lee Wood Road rather than continuing up to the village. From Slack we continue through Colden, Jack Bridge and Blackshaw Head on our way up to the summit on the Long Causeway. It is quite a climb to get up there, but from there we get a really easy ride back to Tod. Of the 18 km, 15.5 are downhill or flat and the other 2.5 km are only a slight uphill drag at 2.0-2.5%.
A simple map of the last leg:
Sign up below!
*** speed limits do not apply on descents - muhaha!
Last edited:
