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I've seen a ride in the West Yorkshire Mountain Biking South Pennine Trails book by Benjamin Howard round Halifax, just wondering if it's worth the hours drive over.
It starts at the train station, up over to Shibden, descent to ski slope, Shibden dale, over to Shelf, royds Hall, Norwood Green, to Hipperholme then beacon Hill and back to the station
Looks like a fair amount of road in there but quite a few trails too. I've not ridden any of it. Will I be missing some good bits if I follow this route religiously?
Cheers,
Dan.
its an ok ride but theres a lot more fun stuff around that area imo. depends what your after?
Or come over sunday and ride the pennine x mtb challenge 30 mile, nice ride, near Halifax.
If you're driving over then a better ride would be to start in Savile Park (loads of parking and a chippy at the end of the ride). Through town, past Sainsburys, up to Beacon Hill, path to Bank Top and then back road to Southowram, Elland Park Woods (there are some specific trails in here you'll need to find but the BW is ok in itself), up towards Exley, path by the side of the bypass, drop down at the first chance and cross the A629, canal to Copley, up Sh*t Spreader Hill towards Norland, loop of Norland Moor, back down the BW from Norland village to the Lloyds Banking building at Copley, slog up Birdcage Lane back to the car. Thats not a long ride - couple of hours, bit more including stops but its easily extended (either at the start by going past the ski slope and back down Shibden Dale towards Beacon Hill, midway by looping in Cromwell Woods or near the end by going up the Ripponden Valley and a little loop above the M62 at Scammonden).
And thats not even scratching the surface 😉
I've ridden most of the tracks around Todmorden, Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd. Just after something a bit different.
That sounds pretty good DaveyBoyWonder, but not knowing the area it doesn't mean much to me!
I've got the Os maps on my phone which I use as a 'sat nav' - this ride comes out at about 20 miles. You couldn't do me a gpx could you DaveyBoyWonder? It would be much appreciated.
Cheers for the replies!
Dan
Andy Brad - singletrack, good, challenging descents and the like. I like stuff like the blue pig, boulder fest etc but also moorland tracks like Heptonstall Moor.
Jonny rocky mountain - 30 miles might be a bit of a push for some of lads who come with us! Cheers anyway.
Dont do modern technology + bikes. I'll see if I can scribble on a map in paint and mail it over 😉
Any guidebook routes that head down this end of the valley will be pretty dull TBH. We don't have a huge number of BW so all the good stuff is cheeky, some of it very cheeky! That's not to say every BW is crap, you just have to know a lot of the cheeky to link it together.
I'm trying to picture that route on the ground - the descent to ski slope bit is intriguing, seeing as it's at one of the highest points around Halifax!
I'll see if I can come up with something too for you.
Cheers lads. I don't mind cheeky!
Woody 2000. the descent is Pule Hill down to Ploughcroft I think, on widish single/doubletrack. From there down to Shibden Mill is a bit of cobbled road riding, but the woods around Norwood Green have their moments, if only a bit shortlived.
The better riding is the Elland/Stainland/Scapegoat Hill/Scammonden Barkisland/Norland side of the valley. A lot of doubletrack, but entertaining for all that. The singletrack on Norland Moor is criss-crossable for half an hour's diversion in itself, and some of the bridleways down into the valley on the Greetland side are testing.
Off the top of the tip? And then down the cobbles? Man, what a waste of height that is! Could at least go down the bw to the side of the ski slope and cut back to shibby mill from there. We have some good riding down the Brighouse end, we just don't like to share it 😉
How about a bit of both?
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You can pick this up from the Halifax train station and head to the beacon.
Ski slope, elland woods, a bit of climbing and some cheeky dh.
It would be around 20 miles and 2500ft of climbing give or take.
The finish point on the map is firth cycles in Queensbury (or your 3/4 point) runs a great coffee/cake shop Fri/sat/sun
Could you do Sunday instead?
I live 2 mins from the ski slope and ride this area a lot. Don't waste the height going down Lee Lane from the Ski Slope - go about 10 yards down Lee Lane and hang a right in the bridle way. That's 'shibden steps' and is a nice descent.
Will happily show you around for a couple of hours.
Andy Brad (guessing you're Andy Bradberry from Wednesday nights with Calderdale MTB) fancy it as well?
This route should help give you an idea. It includes the full drop from the Ski Slope to the Shibden Mill.
https://www.strava.com/activities/85825046
Modify the route to get into Elland Park Wood south of Southowram and enjoy the trails there.
Bloody hell. That ^ is a road ride, not an MTB ride.
Cheers lads! I'm going to do that route or something like it in a few weeks instead if anyone fancies it? Going to go up to Swinsty res this Saturday instead.
Andy banks I might take you up on that offer in a few weeks. Cheers.
Damascus - what's your strava mate? I'll convert that route to a gpx.