Holme moss route.

[mick160]

Hi all,
My in laws live in grasscroft and so I was thinking of taking my bike down next time we visit and having a crack at Holme moss. So was thinking of grasscroft to holmfirth, then up Holme moss, down the other side and through to stalybridge and back through to grasscroft. My main query is am I best off avoiding the A628 as much as possible? I've heard it can be quite busy with traffic/hgv's. Any locals able to point out some cycle friendly roads/routes.
Cheers all.

 

[ColinJ]

I would certainly want to avoid most of the A628! Why not get off it onto the B6105 and head towards Glossop? Turn right off that after the Devil's Elbow and go through Hadfield to Woolley Bridge and only do the last bit of the A628 before turning off towards Stalybridge?

 

[Buck]

Yes, the 628 is a busy road and during the week has lots of HGVs travelling on it.

When I went over Holme Moss last year and went up the Woodhead pass towards Dunford Bridge/Langsett, it was very busy but a steady pace and keeping a good line meant that vehicles could get past without any problems. I even had a couple of lorries hold back until safe to pass rather than squeezing past.

Going to Stalybridge, the road is better and as it isn't uphill, it is easier for you to keep your line etc.

As long as you're wearing hi-vis clothes (just my view), you'll be fine.



Another route is to go from the in-laws and head through Greenfield and up past Dovestone towards Holmfirth. You can then turn right past Digley reservoir towards Holme, up Holme Moss. At the top (make sure you go past the car park on the left as the summit is a few metres further on). Turn around and cycle down the Holme side back through Holme, Holmbridge into Holmfirth. Then onto Honley > Meltham > Slaithwaite > Marsden and then down into Diggle/Delph/Saddleworth and home!

 

[Buck]

Here's a link to Strava showing the Slaithwaite loop I rode recently taking in some of the above

https://www.strava.com/activities/504234778

 

[Gatters]

I would certainly want to avoid most of the A628! Why not get off it onto the B6105 and head towards Glossop? Turn right off that after the Devil's Elbow and go through Hadfield to Woolley Bridge and only do the last bit of the A628 before turning off towards Stalybridge?

Yeah and you'd go right past my house
If the weather is nice you could also jump onto the trans pennine trail into Hadfield (disused railway track), it's flatter than the road and really quite pleasant as it travels alongside the longdendale valley and its 5 reservoirs.

 

[kiriyama]

Another route is to go from the in-laws and head through Greenfield and up past Dovestone towards Holmfirth. You can then turn right past Digley reservoir towards Holme, up Holme Moss. At the top (make sure you go past the car park on the left as the summit is a few metres further on). Turn around and cycle down the Holme side back through Holme, Holmbridge into Holmfirth. Then onto Honley > Meltham > Slaithwaite > Marsden and then down into Diggle/Delph/Saddleworth and home!

Agree with this route. Much nicer. Also the climb up sky road from Greenfield is great. And the climb out of Marsden.

 

[nickyboy]

My local roads........

From Grasscroft to get to Holme Moss you have to go up the A635 but the road isn't very busy and it's a nice, long, steady climb (about 6-7%). You can descend all the way into Holmfirth if you want. There is a cut-through to the base of the Holme Moss climb proper as an alternative. Look on the map for Acres Lane. That comes out in Holme which is the base of the "real" Holme Moss climb. Depends on whether you want to do the "full" climb from Holmfirth or not

When you come out on the A628 Woodhead Pass you can either cycle this or turn off left after 1/2 mile onto B6105. Depends on how much time you've got. The A628 is quicker but it's quite busy. The B6105 is a very nice road. The transpennine trail to Hadfield isn't suitable for a road bike

In Stalybridge take the B6175 directly back to Grasscroft. This road is the quietest one from Stalybridge

If you take the B6105 the only busy stretch is about 3 miles from where you rejoin the A628 until you get to Stalybridge

 

[Gatters]

My local roads........

From Grasscroft to get to Holme Moss you have to go up the A635 but the road isn't very busy and it's a nice, long, steady climb (about 6-7%). You can descend all the way into Holmfirth if you want. There is a cut-through to the base of the Holme Moss climb proper as an alternative. Look on the map for Acres Lane. That comes out in Holme which is the base of the "real" Holme Moss climb. Depends on whether you want to do the "full" climb from Holmfirth or not

When you come out on the A628 Woodhead Pass you can either cycle this or turn off left after 1/2 mile onto B6105. Depends on how much time you've got. The A628 is quicker but it's quite busy. The B6105 is a very nice road. The transpennine trail to Hadfield isn't suitable for a road bike

In Stalybridge take the B6175 directly back to Grasscroft. This road is the quietest one from Stalybridge

If you take the B6105 the only busy stretch is about 3 miles from where you rejoin the A628 until you get to Stalybridge

Wouldn't have suggested it if that was the case!...nonesense

 

[kiriyama]

Wouldn't have suggested it if that was the case!...nonesense

I did it last week on my cx bike. Nothing I couldn't tackle on my road bike, especialy if its dry. Couple of muddy bits but nothing major. They are doing some work on the electricity pylons further up (along side woodhead reservoir) and they have put down some gravel/sand for the diggers/cranes which might be a bit tricky on thinner tyres. (Perfect for cx) But if you heading south west after Holme Moss it shouldn't effect you.

 

[nickyboy]

Wouldn't have suggested it if that was the case!...nonesense

Blimey

I was expressing my opinion based on riding the TPT stretch you're talking about c20 times and the B6105 about 100 times but whatever. If I'd managed to ride over Holme Moss I wouldn't even consider the TPT

 

[mick160]

Thanks for all the replies chaps.

I would certainly want to avoid most of the A628! Why not get off it onto the B6105 and head towards Glossop? Turn right off that after the Devil's Elbow and go through Hadfield to Woolley Bridge and only do the last bit of the A628 before turning off towards Stalybridge?

I made a route on strava last night which I think is pretty much this one.
Just need to find out when our next trip down is (and whether I'll be allowed to take the bike). Oh, and then try and find my 'hill' legs!!!!