ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
POSTPONED FROM EARLY APRIL!
My forum ride from Garforth on Saturday was a success so I am keen to get on with organising the next outing, This is my annual ride from Todmorden/Spring Wood to Conder Green near Glasson Dock, and back.
The ride will now take place on Saturday, 11th May.
This is a 161 km/100 mile ride, but riders preferring a shorter distance can start and finish at Spring Wood picnic site which is situated where Accrington Rd meets the A671 above Whalley. That option cuts the distance down to 107 km and avoids most of the busy roads. It is only £1 for all-day parking, but if you are really tight, you could park on Accrington Rd for nothing and cycle up to Spring Wood!
I will be riding from Todmorden with @Littgull and any other imperial century riders. There is a free car park at Dalton Street, across the side street next to Todmorden Bus station. We will start from there at 08:30.
We will call in at Spring Wood by 10:00 to meet up with anyone doing the shorter route and drop them off there again 107 km later.
107 km route (ridden anticlockwise)
107 km route profile
This 107 km loop will be a slightly different route to other years. There is one long drag up to Cow Ark and then 2 fairly hard climbs (the Trough of Bowland and Abbeystead Fell) on the ride from Spring Wood, followed by a lovely long run down from Jubilee Tower on the Fell towards Conder Green. Conder Green is 50 km from Spring Wood, or 77 km from Todmorden. As usual, we will go to Cafe d'Lune there.
We will come back by our usual route to Longridge but for a change we will go over part of Longridge Fell, before descending to Ribchester Bridge, after Ribchester. After that, our usual route back via Old Langho and Billington to Whalley.
The ride back is much easier than the outward leg. We have to do a moderate climb through Longridge onto the Fell and then a short climb at Salesbury Hall towards Old Langho, with one final drag back up to Spring Wood from Whalley.
I hope that we can get back to Spring Wood by about 18:00. If we do leave Spring Wood at 10:00 and have an hour of stops altogether, that would be 7 hours of riding - requiring roughly 15 km/hr or 9.5 mph average speed while riding. That means that even the longer distance riders should get back in daylight.
Route and profile from Tod to Spring Wood (reverse for evening ride back)
I would describe this route as 'moderately challenging'. It isn't suitable for beginners, but you wouldn't have to be superfit either. If you have previously ridden 80 km/50 miles with 2 or 3 significant hills and felt okay then the 107 km loop should be suitable for you. If you have ridden 120 km/75 miles and 3 or 4 significant hills then you should be able to do the longer route.
GPX files attached below.
Previous ride threads to whet your appetite - 2017, 2018.
The ride will now take place on Saturday, 11th May.
This is a 161 km/100 mile ride, but riders preferring a shorter distance can start and finish at Spring Wood picnic site which is situated where Accrington Rd meets the A671 above Whalley. That option cuts the distance down to 107 km and avoids most of the busy roads. It is only £1 for all-day parking, but if you are really tight, you could park on Accrington Rd for nothing and cycle up to Spring Wood!
I will be riding from Todmorden with @Littgull and any other imperial century riders. There is a free car park at Dalton Street, across the side street next to Todmorden Bus station. We will start from there at 08:30.
We will call in at Spring Wood by 10:00 to meet up with anyone doing the shorter route and drop them off there again 107 km later.
107 km route (ridden anticlockwise)
107 km route profile
This 107 km loop will be a slightly different route to other years. There is one long drag up to Cow Ark and then 2 fairly hard climbs (the Trough of Bowland and Abbeystead Fell) on the ride from Spring Wood, followed by a lovely long run down from Jubilee Tower on the Fell towards Conder Green. Conder Green is 50 km from Spring Wood, or 77 km from Todmorden. As usual, we will go to Cafe d'Lune there.
We will come back by our usual route to Longridge but for a change we will go over part of Longridge Fell, before descending to Ribchester Bridge, after Ribchester. After that, our usual route back via Old Langho and Billington to Whalley.
The ride back is much easier than the outward leg. We have to do a moderate climb through Longridge onto the Fell and then a short climb at Salesbury Hall towards Old Langho, with one final drag back up to Spring Wood from Whalley.
I hope that we can get back to Spring Wood by about 18:00. If we do leave Spring Wood at 10:00 and have an hour of stops altogether, that would be 7 hours of riding - requiring roughly 15 km/hr or 9.5 mph average speed while riding. That means that even the longer distance riders should get back in daylight.
Route and profile from Tod to Spring Wood (reverse for evening ride back)
I would describe this route as 'moderately challenging'. It isn't suitable for beginners, but you wouldn't have to be superfit either. If you have previously ridden 80 km/50 miles with 2 or 3 significant hills and felt okay then the 107 km loop should be suitable for you. If you have ridden 120 km/75 miles and 3 or 4 significant hills then you should be able to do the longer route.
GPX files attached below.
Previous ride threads to whet your appetite - 2017, 2018.
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