[Closed] West Yorks Route Advice - Shipley & Gorple Road

Whats the Shipley route?

Shipley Glen, Eldwick, Dick Hudsons, Sconce Lane, Baildon Moor, Shipley Glen.

In other news, that guidebook is rubbish.

Well, in that case it will be wet, muddy and more wet.

Just like any where else I guess 🙄

Oh wait, actually it might take a slightly different route to that. I think that's from the older (and better guide).

There's a much better Bingley Bash variation route that doesn't include those Barcroft west manywells sections

By the looks of it it starts at Salts Mill, along the canal and up to Buck Wood, back round on itself annd to Esholt village, spring Wood, Hawksworth Lan/Lunds Farm, golf course path, ladderbanks lane into Baildon, out of Baildon towards Dobrudden Caravan Park, Sconce Lane, Otley Rd, Golcar Farm, Glen Rd, Trench Wood, back to train station.

Well they're the names in the snapshot of the trail directions if that helps.

I don't mind the Bingley route, it's just damaged now. What's the Bingley Bash route B.A.Nana?

I presume there are more options to Bingley that I'm aware of. When riding the route out of the book there's stuff off Altar Lane that might be interesting although don't know if it's footpaths or not and the same for Harden Moor.

Also at the end of the ride you have to go through the Cottingley estate when there looks to be Black Hills/Cottingley Woods/Golf Course to link up with Beck Foot again.

The Bingley Bash (also known as Hard'en Fast) is probably the route you have. Locally it's basically become a general term for any variant taking in St Ives/Altar Lane, Harden Moor, Barcroft, Cullingworth, Wilsden, finishing in StIves or Cottingley. The guidebook route will miss out all the best bits, because they aren't official ROW, but the variants we do is all owned by BMDC and BMDC permit cycle access on their access land. There is one small section where the BW turns into a footpath, but very wide FP and not an issue IMO.

Edit: Yes Harden Moor needs exploring, owned by BMDC and cycle access is permitted. Cottingley Woods is private land so explore at your own risk, but it's all very good.

King - I've not been up Harden way for a month or so, but I cant see any amount of rain making any routes up there unrideable, just more fun 😀

There are lots of options around Baildon/Harden Moor, mostly a bit cheeky, but locals are all very friendly.

I could email you links to some of my rides I've done on Endmondo if you want to see some of them?

Would post links on here, but as I said, lots of cheeky stuff.

Nana - I always draw a blank on Cottingley Woods ie doing the Bingley Bash (from Baildon) the last bit is always a bit of a disappointment coming the legal way back down the side of Cottingley woods. Am I missing an obvious trick of how to get through the woods, or does it take some finding?

@b.a.nana I've just found the nationaltrail Hard'en Fast pdf. It misses out the Barcroft climb and deviates away from Cottingley and goes into Harden and St Ives. I'll try this the next time I ride that route. Cheers.

@funkydunc As I listen to the heavy rain falling outside nothing seems appealing or fun at present 🙂 Cheeky endomondo routes appreciated. My e-mail address is in my profile. Thanks.

Any riders know what the Gorple Road route is like?

You need to arrange a ride with my Bro-in-Law (mugboo on here) who knows CW like the back of his hand, he's taken a few people out from this forum. I always get lost in there. However, you enter at the wilsden end of Lee Lane and pop out at the top of Gyllwood(sp?) Drive.
Gyllwood Drive descent is always a massive disappointment, but hopefully things will be changing soon, BMDC intend St Ives to become the grand finale to the Bingley Bash.

Cottingley is brilliant, there are loads of tracks in there, fave of mine is the tech line that drops down from the folly, and the path just below the ridge, also a cheeky ridge path, and loads of other stuff, but none of it obvious from the main path through the woods.
Harden is just a trials dream, with rock slabs, and very difficult lines ridden by the trials lads, all worth a go.

KoB you will still miss all the best bits with that route, I recommend you explore [u]ALL[/u] the paths on Harden Moor.

OK, cool. Will make an effort to do a Harden Moor scouting ride one evening soon.

Harden and Bingley are usually quite impervious to the weather, and hold up pretty well.

Even after all the rain Harden Moor was fairly dry yesterday, a few puddles still but very little mud 🙂

My favourite Bingley Bash variant is Simon's^ variant, it's pretty much the only one I do now if I want a good few hours ride up that way, with St Ives or Cottingley Woods to finish.

King - YHM

Edit: Yes I go up Lee Lane, down the short BW to Fox Croft Lane, through Cottingley on to Ghyll Wood Drive.

There must be some nice stuff from the start of Lee Lane through the woods 8)

Thanks Dunc

Go on then Simon, spill the beans 🙂

At work at the moment, but I'll reply later with a route description or maybe even gpx.

KOB is the Bingley route you do the one out of the old "Mountain Bike Guide - West Yorks" by Nick Dutton-Taylor?

No it's the new V Graphics West Yorks / South Pennine book.

Not got a copy of that but I'm guessing the Harden route is similar to the one in the old book I've got if it goes from Barcroft to Cullingworth and then up West Manywells.
Do you use Strava? If you do I can link to a version of the ride B.A.Nana refers to and give you some pointers. If not I can email you with a route description.

Is the route in Benji's book like this

YGM

YGM back 😀

Having ridden this today I feel qualified to talk about the conditions of various bits: http://app.strava.com/rides/esholt-wilsden-haworth-bingley-13377326?sref=1MT1yaWRlX3NoYXJlOzI9ZmFjZWJvb2s7ND0yMDg3NDk%253D

First up, Esholt is still a ****ing mess. It should be left alone by everyone except the downhillers at the moment in my opinion.

I didn't go into Shipley today but was there during the week and the glen was holding up fine but the moor was sodden. Irresponsible to ride on the lines down from the caravan park, again, in my opinion

The Bingley Loop's holding up pretty well mud wise but some major (major) water damage in st ives and on the wilsden steps. These make the former harder and the latter easier so just keep an eye out if it's an area you know well.

If I were going to head to anywhere from today it would be up above Haworth. That's all drained about as well as can be expected and aside from Thornton moor was pretty much mud free. Even that wasn't too bad. Stairs Lane's taken a battering and definitely felt a bit more tech than it did a couple of months back.

Hope that helps anyone planning on heading out tomorrow.

That was a long ride 😯

I've still got my one and only KOM 8)

Well, my girlfriend's in London so I thought I'd take advantage. Think next time I'd take more than just a scotch egg to eat though.

Not likely that it'll be beaten for a while incidentally, it's a lot rougher down there than it was.

Great day for it, I'm rather sunburnt after a day at Lee Quarry watching the Weekender. 😳

Ahhhh, I was wondering where the people were, aside from the tow path I didn't see a rider all day. I just assumed it was Tour Fever and everyone was squeezing their beerguts into the full lycra.

lemonysam
where is the major (major) water damage in StIves?

The main line parallel to the road. The whole thing has gone from being lovely fast and flowing to rocky and heavily rutted. Actually I probably overstated it a bit (plus I was pretty knackered by that point so I might have been being a pansy), it's all perfectly ridable just not as fast as it was - but it was a bit of a shock how much it had changed in character in the six months or so since I last did it.

Ah OK, the very bottom bit of that BW can be crazy sometimes, it seems to change often.

There's a nasty channel from the drop at the top to the sandy stuff & a pile of sand before the bends that's robs all your speed...

Don't mind the nasty channel. Don't like the muddy S bend before the rooty section starts.

maybe we should rent a self loader to move material back up the hill and repair the damage? 🙂

Christ that was some ride Lemonysam ! Big distance and hills 😯

We were in St Ives last night and the PBW descent is indeed massively more rutted from water damage, didn't go down as far as the constructed stuff, but apparently it's a bit of a mess. Someone has been cheeky building a parallel line with drops and stuff, didn't look like it had been ridden for a while tho.

Funkydunc, can i be really cheeky and ask for your routes too?
i like to try out new routes around us.

If so hrc_montyAThotmailDOTcom 😀

FunkyDunc:
Cheers, it was all pretty steady to be honest plus the tow path bumps up the distance quite a bit. The loop of Harden, Wilsden, Cullingworth, Coblin Farm, Thornton, Stairs Lane, Haworth Moor, St Ives would be a proper classic though.

Stairs Lane climb, a true test indeed.

First time up I only just got to the farm. Twas a happy day the day I cleaned it 🙂

By the by, there's been a fair bit of erosion on Stairs Lane which will make it more difficult. Towards the end of the steepest part (coming downhill) in particular.

It all adds to the fun though and nothing you can do about it.

Showing my age now, but when I wer a lad (25 years ago), I could ride one of these (pic below) along the cheeky path on the wrong side of Shipley Glen, no chance these days, in fact I cant even clear it now on a full susser.

[img] [/img]

Cheeky path on the wrong side of shipley glen you say...

Come on everyone knows that one ??

Ooooh actually, this has just reminded me. Does anyone have a suggestion for a route back from High Moor Woods back down to Riddlesden other than the road? It would help immensely with another big circuit I've been meaning to do.

Not me, until fairly recently I didn't really ride in Airedale at all. I've ticked off a fair chunk of the trails round here by now but unless it links up to a ride from Menston I'm fairly much useless.

I've never cleaned the cheeky path ont other side of shipley glen (I presume you mean sheriff lane to saltaire rd direction?). 🙂
might be able to now tho, on me super light carbon 456, not been along it for ages.

I've never managed it either. Then again I'm an old git

crickey i havent been to Harden moor in years ..i grew up there, and visited st ives, alter lane, alter rocks area, all the time.... i remember half way up harden prob the same area as Alter lane opposite there was loads of wasteland area we used to take the mopeds and small motorbikes up there with my dad all the time. must get up there agin soon and explore...wud be fun to visit my old haunts agin hehehe...not sure what the 'Harden fast' is your all talking about... is this something new ?

No, It's BMDC or some other gov organisation (Aire Valley Partnership?) doing a variant of the usual curcuit up there and giving it a name. you can easily find it on the internet

Anyone riding tonight and fancy sharing some local trail knowledge?

Me and a mate should be over in Bingley for no later than 6pm traffic permitting.

I'll be armed with the V graphics book, hard'en fast route (which differs slightly) and the suggestions Simon mailed me but having a guide would be loads easier.

Especially as time might be limited for exploring getting navigation wrong 🙂

Would really love join you for a ride but I broke my thumb while I was out in France last week. Not going to be riding MTB for at least 2 months 😥

Damn! Unlucky fella. Hope it mends quick.

BUMP for the folks just finishing work or bored at work and now surfing the net

Fancy sharing some local trail knowledge and riding Binlgey & Harden Moor route (Hard'en Fast) and any other cheeky, fun bits you know??

FunkyDunc, B.A.Nana, lemonysam, anyone?

Hey, wish I could help but I'm not a particular expert on the cheeky stuff over there. If you just want a stonking good ride though, have a look at the strava log I posted and think about linking the main loop together starting from Harden. Combine with some messing about on Harden Moor and in St Ives woods and you'll have a great evening (fast 35km-ish) without the navigational headaches of trying to link up unmarked trails.

Thanks fella. I think I'll stick with what I know for tonight and then maybe do some exploring and variation at the weekend or when someone local can join me.

Right, time to kit up...

Just thought I'd say thanks for the replies and comments, especially Dunc and Simon for your input. Appreciated.

Simon, I'll probably drop you another e-mail before the weekend with a few questions about suggestions 2,3 & 4 if that's OK?

Last night, I parked up on Blind Lane and started the ride from there. Climbing to meet where Altar Lane forks and the 5 bar gate. A much better start than just climbing Altar Lane.

Riding to the end of Altar Lane I noticed another suggestion on the left where it flattens out so I need to investigate this.

Then onto Harden Moor where I rode the usual route skirting the edge of the moor. Quite like this sandy, singletrack interspersed with rocky, pick-a-line tech sections.

It was only when it starts to flatten out and you turn left and ride down to The Guide pub that I noticed two lads on bikes cutting directly, diagonally across the moorland singletrack. Which looks good. So will try this next time.

On Bingley Road I turned left at the Jack Smith Garage and followed this track past farms, over a DRY! field, under a few bridges and along a track to Haworth Road. This is much nicer than my previous route from Cross Roads onto Haworth Rd.

I suppose the final variation was at Lee Lane where I turned left down the road into a wooded twisty, rocky track and down to the Malt Shovel pub before following the Calder Aire Link through Harden and back into the St Ives estate.

I quite liked the little bit of singletrack to the farm on the other route but didn't like the ride through Cottingley so this is a decent alternative. Maybe even ride this then back into Cottingley Woods which will surely eventually bring you out at the rocky descent towards the Malt Shovel??

BTW, 3 attempts at that rocky ascent heading towards Lee Lane and agonisingly close to clearing it no dabs the last two times. Last night I just tried to squeeze past an over hanging bush on the left half way up and it rocked my balance trying to clear one of the steps. Great little bitch climb challenge.

So the route ridden was based more upon the Hard'en Fast rather than the V Graphics and I'm starting to see more options at St Ives and Harden Moor. I've not even considered Cottingley Woods yet either.

I'm tempted to ride it again Saturday morning 🙂

Any questions feel free to email me.