ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Something different this time folks and potentially one of the best forum rides that I've ever organised! 
Steve H has been kind enough to offer me a lift so I am able to start this ride in Settle, on the western fringes of the Dales. That allows us to do a good ride up there without having to 'use up' a lot of our quota of miles on the roads to and from Hebden Bridge.
Meet in Settle in front of Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe on Sunday, 26th June (2011!) at 09:45 with a view to setting off at 10:00. I think the ride will take us about 8 hours including stops, maybe longer; it definitely won't be quick so if you like to ride fast, it isn't a ride for you!
On Streetview, I can see a car park across the road from the meeting place but I don't know if that is long-stay ...
* Does anybody know the best place in Settle for all-day parking on a Sunday? *
The route that I've planned is 113 km and has a little over 2,000 m of climbing (70 miles and 7,000 ft for the imperialists). Those of you who enjoyed Spring Into The Dales will love this one!
There is no avoiding the fact that the climbs are hard. I repeat - the climbs are hard! If you don't enjoy climbing, you won't enjoy this ride. We will be tackling the tough climb from Dent station over to Garsdale Head, and Fleet Moss from the (harder) Hawes side plus quite a few other smaller beauties.
*IMPORTANT* - there are multiple climbs and descents up to 20%-25% in gradient so make extra sure that your brakes and transmission are in perfect working order!
Unusually for my rides though, we will also have a long, gloriously easy section. From the summit of Fleet Moss we will have about 27 km (17 miles) down Langstrothsdale, Wharfedale and Littondale before the climbing starts again on the run back to Settle via Malham Tarn.
Usual rules - climb at your own pace if you want to, but wait at summits for slower riders like me. Nobody will be left behind. Be aware though, that this is not a ride for inexperienced cyclists. If you are not confident in your ability to ride 50 hilly miles with some tough climbs at 20%, I would suggest that a 70-miler with the odd stretch of 25% is not yet for you!
The route is: Settle, Little Stainforth, Austwick, Clapham, Ingleton, Kingsdale/Deepdale, Dent, Dent Station, Garsdale Head, Hawes (cafe stop), Fleet Moss (!), Langstrothdale, Kettlewell, Arncliffe, Malham Tarn, Langcliffe, Settle.
I have some bailout options planned in case we are unlucky with the weather
I will be update this post later with more details. In the mean time, if you are free on Sun 26th June, can get to Settle and like the sound of this ride, post below and I'll add you to the rider list.
Route map on Bikely
Route profile
Riders
Steve H has been kind enough to offer me a lift so I am able to start this ride in Settle, on the western fringes of the Dales. That allows us to do a good ride up there without having to 'use up' a lot of our quota of miles on the roads to and from Hebden Bridge.
Meet in Settle in front of Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe on Sunday, 26th June (2011!) at 09:45 with a view to setting off at 10:00. I think the ride will take us about 8 hours including stops, maybe longer; it definitely won't be quick so if you like to ride fast, it isn't a ride for you!
On Streetview, I can see a car park across the road from the meeting place but I don't know if that is long-stay ...
* Does anybody know the best place in Settle for all-day parking on a Sunday? *
The route that I've planned is 113 km and has a little over 2,000 m of climbing (70 miles and 7,000 ft for the imperialists). Those of you who enjoyed Spring Into The Dales will love this one!
There is no avoiding the fact that the climbs are hard. I repeat - the climbs are hard! If you don't enjoy climbing, you won't enjoy this ride. We will be tackling the tough climb from Dent station over to Garsdale Head, and Fleet Moss from the (harder) Hawes side plus quite a few other smaller beauties.
*IMPORTANT* - there are multiple climbs and descents up to 20%-25% in gradient so make extra sure that your brakes and transmission are in perfect working order!
Unusually for my rides though, we will also have a long, gloriously easy section. From the summit of Fleet Moss we will have about 27 km (17 miles) down Langstrothsdale, Wharfedale and Littondale before the climbing starts again on the run back to Settle via Malham Tarn.
Usual rules - climb at your own pace if you want to, but wait at summits for slower riders like me. Nobody will be left behind. Be aware though, that this is not a ride for inexperienced cyclists. If you are not confident in your ability to ride 50 hilly miles with some tough climbs at 20%, I would suggest that a 70-miler with the odd stretch of 25% is not yet for you!
The route is: Settle, Little Stainforth, Austwick, Clapham, Ingleton, Kingsdale/Deepdale, Dent, Dent Station, Garsdale Head, Hawes (cafe stop), Fleet Moss (!), Langstrothdale, Kettlewell, Arncliffe, Malham Tarn, Langcliffe, Settle.
I have some bailout options planned in case we are unlucky with the weather
I will be update this post later with more details. In the mean time, if you are free on Sun 26th June, can get to Settle and like the sound of this ride, post below and I'll add you to the rider list.
Route map on Bikely
Route profile
- Steve H + ColinJ
- colly + Calum + Bokonon
- zacklaws
- swarm_catcher
- Kestevan + 1 or 2 mates
- pubrunner (+bromptonfb?)
- tubbycyclist (from Dent to Kettlewell)
- PaulB + Liam
- Fiona N
dan_bo- Pennine-Paul
- evilclive + partner on tandem
The prognosis seems good but I don't think I'll be able to go anywhere near a bike (or a rock) until August at the earliest.
