West yorkshire cycle route.

ceedeecp · May 2007

Has anybody on the forum completed the full ride? I have completed several sections but am planning a two day trip to cover the entire route, any info would be appreciated.

Cheers.

spasypaddy · May 2007

i picked up the map a few weeks ago but i dont have the time and stuff to do it

leaving leeds in a few weeks

http://img501.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bikeim9.jpg

ceedeecp · June 2007

Not a very popular ride then?

vernonlevy · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ceedee

Has anybody on the forum completed the full ride? I have completed several sections but am planning a two day trip to cover the entire route, any info would be appreciated.

Cheers.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I've had the map for three years and have not got around to riding the route in its entirity. I'm familiar with many of the sections but lack the motivation to do the whole route.

Familiarity breeding contempt?......

ceedeecp · June 2007

Ok cheers. I might have to be the first on the forum to complete the ride, Maybe[?]

PhilofCas · June 2007

I've had map for years too !(and not done it either [B)])

stevew451 · June 2007

WHERE IS THIS RIDE ROUND

Warburton · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by stevew451

WHERE IS THIS RIDE ROUND
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

It's a 150 mile circular ride around the old West Yorkshire County boundary on mainly quiet lanes with some off road stretches. Includes some of the finest riding to be had in this part of the Country IMHO.

Ceedee -

I've ridden about 2/3 rds of it in local loops from home but have always fancied a go at the full route, though would probably try and complete it in one long day. I would say riding anti clockwise is the less strenuous way round but depending on the chosen starting point, it might be wise to get the hilliest Western section out of the way first!

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Warburton
It's a 150 mile circular ride around the old West Yorkshire County boundary on mainly quiet lanes with some off road stretches. Includes some of the finest riding to be had in this part of the Country IMHO.

Ceedee -

I've ridden about 2/3 rds of it in local loops from home but have always fancied a go at the full route, though would probably try and complete it in one long day. I would say riding anti clockwise is the less strenuous way round but depending on the chosen starting point, it might be wise to get the hilliest Western section out of the way first!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hi Ceedee. I am bikeless in the midlands this fine sunny Sunday afternoon [:(] so I have time give you a detailed answer...

I live in Hebden Bridge which is on the western fringes of the WYCR. Last year I rode out with Blonde and MSeries on the first part of their Three Coasts 600 audax, parted company with them at Castleford, and then rode back home on the southern half of the WYCR. I have now covered about 3/4 of the route in total. The one part I haven't ridden is the north-east quadrant from Ilkley round to Castleford.

I assume that you have the WYCR guide? It is a very nice little booklet with detailed maps of the entire route, and information about places of interest. It is available free from tourist information centres in West Yorkshire. If it isn't in stock at your local TIC, just ask and I'm sure that they would be happy to get a few copies in.

***** What Leeds council have to say about the route:

Using mainly quieter minor roads the route is ideal for both club and leisure cyclists. The whole route is a real challenge for fit cyclists, although it can be tackled as a series of day rides or short tour, whilst the traffic free off-road sections are suitable for family groups and cyclists of all ages and abilities.

Terrain varies greatly as the route takes cyclists through some of the best West Yorkshire rural landscapes, and popular tourist centres. The western sections offer the most challenging riding through the Pennine hills around Marsden, Hebden Bridge and Haworth. From the Bronte country the route passes into Airedale and visits Ilkley and Menston.

More leisurely cycling is to be found in Wharfedale as the route calls in at Bramhope and Wetherby before turning south towards Garforth, Castleford and Pontefract. The route continues through the rolling, rural landscape around Hemsworth, West Bretton and Denby Dale; returning westward once more to the moors above Holmfirth and the Pennine ridge country.

The route is well served by local train services, ideal for those wishing to join the route by rail.

*****

As Warburton wrote, the Western half of the route is a strenuous challenge. We did a ride together over some of those hills a couple of weeks ago. Some of the climbs are 15-25% in gradient and there are quite a lot of them! Unless you are a very fit climber, I would recommend that you have a really low bottom gear to make things more bearable. I used to use a 30/23 round these parts, but I'm much happier now with my 30/28.

The route in the east round Castleford and Pontefract was easy terrain, but wasn't too interesting. As I approached Emley Moor I found it very pleasant - rolling hills, rather than the severe hills further west. From just above Holmfirth all the way round to Ilkley it is very nice, but hard work. If you are going to do the route in two days, you'd probably want to do it with a north-south divide because then both days would be half difficult/half easy. If you split it west-east, one day would be very tough, and one very easy. My preference would be to start from Castleford and ride round to Hebden Bridge. The second day, ride back round to Castleford on the other half of the route.

I know why Warburton is suggesting going anti-clockwise - it is the climb of Pole Moor, a real brute out of Marsden! Maybe the stiff climb of Deanhead up from Scammonden is on his mind too? I can think of numerous other climbs that are more difficult that way round though, so I don't think there's much in it. I suppose the turns are generally safer going anti-clockwise.

The offroad bits in the east were okay when I did them, but it was very dry that day. I think that they wouldn't be so pleasant if there had been a lot of rain beforehand. The bridleway through the Yorkshire Sculpture park was not the kind of thing I'd normally choose to ride on a road bike with skinny tyres. If I did it again, I'd work out a detour.

Despite contantly referring to my WYCR guide, I still got lost a couple of times in the east. Some signs had been creatively re-alligned to point the wrong way. Others had been removed altogether. These days, I use a Garmin Etrex GPS for navigating new routes and I would have been very glad to have used it on my ride. Without GPS, you'd have to really pay attention not to go astray a few times.

Choose a nice weekend for your ride - the high hills in the west are a bit grim in poor weather! Unless you are absolutely sure that the sun will shine for two days, be prepared for wind and rain just-in-case.

There a few cyclist-friendly B & Bs in Hebden Bridge for a halfway stop.

Like Warburton, I too want to ride the WYCR in one day. I might have a go towards the end of the summer, but I'm more likely to do it next year. I'm sure that we'd post a thread about it if we decided to do it.

No, Man is an island!

ceedeecp · June 2007

Thanks for that colin, great information. I do have the guide plus the route on Memory map.

Im pretty sure i'm not fit enough to complete the whole ride in one day like Warburton would like to do, but two should be ok. I will let you know when I have completed the ride.

Thanks again.

ColinJ · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ceedee

Thanks for that colin, great information. I do have the guide plus the route on Memory map.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I've just found more information on a Wakefield council website...
West Yorkshire Cycle Route - Ilkley to Hemsworth
West Yorkshire Cycle Route - Hemsworth to Ilkley

No, Man is an island!

West yorkshire cycle route.

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