On the weekend starting Friday 19th May we have a touring group heading to Holmfirth in Yorkshire. We have four amazing rides leaving from the centre of town put together after extensive reasearch by Clayton. Anyone is welome to join us for any of the rides! As this is a hilly multi-day tour there will be no expectation on cycling at a particular pace, we will regroup often, there is no shame in putting your foot down to get your breath back!
Friday 2pm https://www.strava.com/routes/3059976602629544580 & https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42092720
Saturday 10am https://www.strava.com/routes/3063589269129539428 & https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42098497
Sunday 10am https://www.strava.com/routes/3059971802043400054 & https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42098507
Monday 10am https://www.strava.com/routes/3059974125285615540 & https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42098530
If you do all the long ride options you will cycle 150 miles with 17,000 feet of climbing!
Shorter versions of routes have also been suggested for
Saturday https://www.strava.com/routes/3063591736247297678
and Sunday https://www.strava.com/routes/2994700828381488710
We have coffee stops planned for each day plus a chance to meet up in the evenings to relive the activities while enjoying some carb loading and hydration (grub and beer). The Old Bridge Inn is our destination on Friday and Saturday evening.
Friday 23 miles, 2,860 feet of climbing.
A clockwise route from Holmfirth, this short ride heads
towards Emley Moor Mast, a Grade II-listed TV transmitter tower that dominates the skyline. At 1,047ft high, it’s taller than the Eiffel Tower. Optional café stop at 10.5 miles: Thorncliffe Farm,
Westfield Lane, Emley Moor, HD8 9SZ
Saturday 38 miles, 4,350 feet of climbing,
Two routes to choose from that head west over the bleak but beautiful Saddleworth
Moor, made notorious as the site of the Moors Murders. The longer route
heads north towards Scammonden Water, while the shorter route cuts through
Marsden, birthplace of poet laureate Simon Armitage, and the inspiration for much of his work. The routes follow several A-roads, but they are not too busy. There’s a café stop at the cycle-friendly Handmade Bakery Café in the mill town of Slaithwaite (Upper Mills, HD7 5HA) at 28.9 miles for the long route and 21.1 miles for the short route.
Sunday 57 miles, 5782 feet of climbing
The big one and an absolute classic that takes in some of the best countryside and climbs in the
Pennines. The route heads south over Holme Moss, a superb climb that marks the
boundary between the Holme Valley to the north and the Peak District to the south. The climb was used when the Tour de France started in Yorkshire in 2014 and you can still see the words Cav and Froome painted on ‘Le Col de Moss’, as it was named, as you slowly ascend.
After the descent, the route eventually heads to Glossop and over Snake Pass, a long climb which was originally a toll road designed by Thomas Telford. At the top you’re in for a treat, with an almost continuous nine-mile descent to Ladybower Reservoir. There you have a choice. The longer route head towards Hathersage and the spacious café attached to the David Mellor cutlery factory. After lunch, if you are feeling particularly brave (or foolhardy), then there’s an option to briefly detour off the route and visit Bamford Clough – reputed to be the world’s steepest paved road, a truly vicious half-mile climb that tops out at 36.5%. There’s a pint for anyone who can make it to the top on two wheels unassisted.
The shorter route skips the visit to Hathersage and both routes re-join to head up Mortimer Road past the Strines Inn, which is a food stop option for those who didn’t stop at David Mellor. Go easy on the beers, however, as the Strines beckon – three successive short but steep climbs that will eventually take you up to Langsett Reservoir and to the junction with the A616. Look out for Bank View Café, on the other side of the road, if you need a final refresher. It’s hard to miss – painted white with red King of the Mountains polka dots.
Monday 37 miles, 4,829 feet of climbing
If you have some go left in you then this hilly ‘greatest hits’ ride takes you
on some of the highlights of the last few days. It heads over to Emley Moor
and then south towards the pretty village of Dunford Bridge
before weaving to the foot of Holme Moss. Unlike the previous day, this
tackles the climb northbound. Change into a small gear and spin; it’s a very
long climb that never gets too steep, allowing you to drink in the scenery one last time, before
descending through the villages of Holme, Holme Bridge and finally Holmfirth.
Massive thank you to Clayton for putting the package together, Clayton can’t promise good weather for the full 4 days, but has guaranteed it won’t be too hot to ride!