[Closed] Mary Towneley Loop – Lap times for the averagely fit?

6 hours I reckon, give or take 30 mins. Very much dependent on conditions though. Avoid like the plague if it's windy, and if wet on the ground and muddy, add an hour or two for the inevitable mechanicals.

Oh and don't start at Waterfoot. Doing Rooley Moor as the last climb with 70k in the legs is an exercise in masochism that I wouldn't recommend. Start at Wardle, go clockwise.

Was hoping to do this when a tad drier, i've set aside 6 hours including a nice lunch.

Clockwise or anticlockwise the most fun?

Was toying with the idea of a dusk to dawn lap in June.

I did the challenge last year (7th sept)and very hard 6500ft of climbing, took me 6 hrs and yes the climb over rooley moor the last bit was a real test!!! but it is a fantastic ride both down and up!

😥
laps?

I'll come with you 🙂

laps?

what's up?

Couple fo mates of mine did it last year, well except they didnt.

They chose a really bad day when the weather was horrendous.

One bike got eaten by the mix of water/sand/mud. Eventually the other mate got fed up and stopped.

terrahawk - Member
laps?
what's up?"

man or mouse i guess

"eak"
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Last time me and mrs did the challenge together it was 6 hours - and that was 2 months after she had a baby.... I'd imagine a bit quicker now 🙂

Could we do it over a weekend with pub stops?

A sensible time?

Allow 8 hours start to finish (not some Garmin/Strava 'moving time') including pit stops, one puncture and gate opening if solo.

YMMV.

Cheers
Paul

I've only ever done the MTL anti-clockwise which to me makes more sense: short steep uphills with long steady downhills. OK, there are one or two steep uphills going A/C but not many. Any reason that I should look at going clockwise?

Anti clockwise is faster but you do have the hill up to Cragg Quarry that way. Id also allow at least 8hrs door to door plus add a bit for less than ideal conditions. Doing it on the challenge days is not the same as doing it unsupported.

How well sign posted is the route? I've wanted to do this route for a long time, what put me off was the thought of having to stop for regular map checks.

8 cold wet winter hours when i did it. from hebbers.
dragged a couple of the sweary northerners round for company.
we vowed never to did it again.

Anybody up for a group ride round this? Really fancy it but the gates and navigation put me off and my
Mates are all summertime only fairies

Signposting is very good. I had a map and had done a bit of research on the route. The map wasn't used on the day(s).

May's (Aladdin's Cave) Farm Shop is a great pit stop. A few 100m off route (on road). All the fuel and spring water that you will need (probably closed at night!).

binners - Member
Could we do it over a weekend with pub stops?

have you seen the film Downhill? corker! be ace to do a bike version..

only one or two places you need to be alert to avoid going the wrong way. One at Summit (where the 'main' PBW joins and heads south towards Holligworth Lake) and another right turn off a road...can't remember where that is. Somewhere in Calderdale.

anyway. stay alert!

and another right turn off a road...can't remember where that is. Somewhere in Calderdale.

[url= http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=396445&y=427540&z=120&sv=396445,427540&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=817&ax=396445&ay=427540&lm=0 ]That'll be here?[/url]

Last time I did it there were no signs here I think.

Oh interested in doign this as well this summer so keep me in the loop [ see what i did there]

Not binners piss up masquerading as a bike ride the one that is somewhere between that and what terrahawk can do.

that's the one. there is a sign, but it's on the junction rather than before it.
the worst that can happen is that you'd end up in Hebden (no big deal really). Get the Summit one wrong though and you could end up in Oldham....

if it's a night ride I'm more than happy to help guide a group round at a friendly pace.

I have been keen to do this for a while so a group ride would be great!

I'd be happy to have a go - day or night, although battery issues would have to be sorted out - or i'd have to ride a lot faster!

Anyone who rides the area regularly, how is the loop at the moment? Bog fest?

Have been told it's best avoided until it's had few weeks of dry weather.

I'm up for it too. Day or night, as long as it's not raining.

I'll pop along for an overnighter.

Is it odd that I like the climb over RM-Road?

I'd be up for a night loop if you don't mind a stranger. Will the pub feature at any stage?

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How about a Friday evening in mid summer? Get away at about 7:00 - 8:00pm so we get a few hours of daylight and minimise the burn time on the batteries. All done before 3:00am then back to our dull old lives on Saturday taking the kids to their swimming lessons etc.

6hours sounds right, add people and the time will increase (unless one of you actually knows the route - lots of map checks for me)

we vowed never to did it again.

<edit>Liking the sound of that Harry, third time's a charm 🙂

Is it odd that I like the climb over RM-Road?

Yes. Very odd. Last time I did the MTL was on the challenge in September and it was like a cloud hanging over everyone. One bloke who didn't know it asked when he would know he was on it, everyone in the group laughed and said 'you'll know!'. A little later I think I heard him swearing a lot 🙂

Good plan Harry. Are there any pubs open at 3am?

Good plan Harry. Are there any pubs open at 3am?

I was thinking of driving home or having a few hours sleep in the S-Max, a cheeky wee up the wheel then head off in time for breakfast.

Anyone who rides the area regularly, how is the loop at the moment? Bog fest?

I've ridden most of the bits round Calderdale in the last few weeks and it's actually not too bad. Obviously a bit gloopy in parts but a lot of it is hardpack or stone packhorse trail so it stands up pretty well to the wet.

head off in time for breakfast.

Funny, I was also toying with the idea of a dusk til dawn ride this summer, this could be it.

How about a Friday evening in mid summer? Get away at about 7:00 - 8:00pm so we get a few hours of daylight and minimise the burn time on the batteries. All done before 3:00am then back to our dull old lives on Saturday taking the kids to their swimming lessons etc.

I am all over this plan, awesome. 😀

shall we talk dates now ? only cos my other half slams our diary all the time so I need to book it well in advance

Friday June the 5th ?

12th is the only one that Jason can do.

Oh g'wan then that sounds like an awsomes plan. Can we time it so that when we get back, the sun is just coming up, that would make it awsomer.

12th June works for me...

12th is in the diary.

So Jason's going to do it the night before heading to Bristol for the 12 hour race to dominate the race there? I like it? 🙂

Let's hold off on the date for a moment. There are emails burning up the ether!

Flexible ish on dates and can lend a spare set of batteries [ and light] if anyone needs a set to get through the night. I have a solarstorm with battery if anyone wants to borrow the battery.

I'm pretty flexible on dates apart from Mountain Mayhem weekend (20th/21st). Also I know the route pretty well if help is needed with guiding.

I'd forgotten about that Bristol thing, I was planning on doing that as final training for MM so good reminder!

Where will this little ride kick off from

you planning on selling lights half way round 😉

Mintiperial, I'm sure we could manage a Thursday night Mary town lee loop???

Mintiperial, I'm sure we could manage a Thursday night Mary town lee loop???

Yep, could be a goer. Might have to book a day off work for the Friday though...

I don't suppose anybody has a nice link to a decent map of the route? One thing I'm worried about it having enough water & food. So one with a few nearby shops, springs etc shown would be ace!

Unless there is a 24 hour tesco at the top of one of the hills you may have to be self sufficient on the dusk till dawn ride...

don't tell anyone right, but a wee detour to Heptonstall, and we can restock at mine 🙂

decent site here - [url= http://www.idonohoe.com/mountian_bike9.htm ]http://www.idonohoe.com/mountian_bike9.htm[/url]

contains map - [url= http://www.idonohoe.com/mary_map_580.htm ] http://www.idonohoe.com/mary_map_580.htm [/url]

Definitely keeping my eye on this, mind if I tag along?

I've done the MTL Challenge a couple of times - chucked it down both times - would love to have a go in decent weather!

I missed a few turnings in daylight, nevermind doing it at night.

Will try and get this booked in the diary if you don't mind me joining too.

Would be good to see if you own a bike never mind on one

Daves Mate 😉

Slight hijack.. but related..

Doable on a CX'er ?

Just seen an event pegged for August and I'm considering doing it..

Thought's (like HTS) around killer climbs/dodgy descents and bogs and thoughts to times you think a CX'er will be able to do it in, and I'm fit but give me fast bloke times..

Hijack over..

Doable on a CX'er ?

Just seen an event pegged for August and I'm considering doing it..

And yes please to the Friday night dusk till dawn. Only done it solo and anticlockwise before. Took a while. But then it was only my 6th mtb ride ever, so perhaps I can be excused slowness.

^^ Thats the fella.

Clearly I see the rides set for the MT loop, just wondering how rough it is, you know never having been up that way before.

Ta.

Doable on a CX'er ?

oh just remembered due to riding from home I didn't do the cowpe descent, that's probably not a bundle of laughs either.

Thanks for that, good to hear it's ridable for most of it, the descents I understand will be bumpy but good to have your view on those.

Will it be FUN ? 😆

Probably about as much fun as you can extract from MTL, I kinda regretted doing that particular route that day but only because I could* have gone to the lakes or peaks and done something really fun. I doubt I'd have had more fun on another bike. Most of it isn't that technical, lot's of dirt road, moorland tracks, climbing and mileage - perfect CX territory.

*couldn't actually now I recall, not easily anyway, didn't have access to a car

bump
people still interested?

yep

I'm still tempted if I can get a 'pass' - was a date decided?

(Waves to Dave and 'Dave's mate' - you 2 doing SSUK this year? /end hijack )

Waves back and yes

Are we all going to try and be fully fit this year 😉

PS I did register as Daves mate again 8)

Still interested so lets all agree its a goer and worry about who is organising it later

OK lets pick a date- are we doing it during the day or overnight?

I'm still up for it. Think the original idea was to do it at night, probably a Friday, and aim to finish around dawn. My weekends are mad busy over the next month or two so that'd still be my preference but I'll go with the flow. The first or second weekend in June would be best for me.

A friday night sounds good. HtS' party tho so I'm quite happy for him to suggest a date, just looking at getting it "booked" in the family diary.

Hi Dawson yep will be there

My life is upside down at the moment (new job, a couple of unexpected weekends away, gammy knee that may not last the distance and a karate grading on an as yet unspecified Saturday morning in the next couple of months)

Those who are definites should set a date and us ditherers will just have to fall in.

If you wait for me it isn’t going to happen any time soon.

Friday 12 th then or that weekend - I cannot do the 1st weekend?

Do we have to do it overnight...i sort of like the plan and sort of really dont like the plan at all.

Will check the date, got the 12th in my head for some reason - but could just be that you mentioned it on tuesday.

Setting off between 7-8 would should give us roughly half day half night ride....better suited to the 3ish hours run time most lights have,

Yes it was just the run time of my lights that was putting me off an overnight ride on the MTL 😉

what do people think about starting point? I'd prefer south west quarter of the loop so whitworth, bottom of rooley moor, cowpe, waterfoot, lumb?

Presumably this would suit others from manchester/bolton/blackburn side too, I know there's a few of us here, not sure about everyone else.

Friday 12th works for me. Don't mind when we set off. Any preferences on where to start? Waterfoot is the popular start point but it does mean Rooley Road is right at the end, which is bad enough if the weather's ok but if it's crap then it's an exercise extreme masochism.

Prefer not to end with the worst climb but will go with the consensus

I'd suggest starting at Wardle, Rooley road then becomes the first climb.

I'm ok with the idea of doing it at night but putting a sensible head on for a minute, what would happen in the event of an accident (not unheard of eh Daz?) or an unrepairable mechanical (or broken frame, other daz?).

It would be very difficult to extract yourself from the far side of the loop at silly o'clock in the morning!

Would this be a ride together, ie at the pace of the slowest or not? 😀

Todmorden is pretty much in the middle of the loop so if there's any major issues we're never far from my house. Assuming I'm not the one affected (I've had all my bike related injuries for this year so only mechanicals to worry about!) worst case scenario is I bug out back to mine to get the car and pick any stranded people up.

Goes without saying though that people should be properly prepared. Check your bike is working and in good order, bring sufficient spares, food and kit in case of mechanicals/extended delays, and be sensible on the descents.

I'm assuming it'll be usual monday night rules. Sociable pace, no one gets dropped.

Just thought if we start around 7ish from Wardle we can have a halfway(ish) pint at the Ram Inn in Holmes Chapel just before closing time 🙂

I've no problem with a daytime loop though if that's what people prefer. I've nowt on that weekend so pretty flexible.