Riders near Halifax

Whyteknight

Hi Im new to the halifax area and was hoping some kind folks off this forum would show me around, i have been to hebden bridge a few times before but i am sure there must be more trails than i can see on an OS map i live neer ogden so rides from there would be fantastic!

dave_hill

I'm in Burnley and I ride regularly in the Todmorden/Hebden Bridge areas. I've tried planning a route round the Halifax area but as you say the trails in your immediate area are few and far between. What legal bridleways there are are pretty fragmented and it's difficult to string a good loop together.

If you're at Ogden, try heading North West on the track that heads on to Thornton Moor by the Causeway Foot pub. This will drop you down into Oxenhope. You can then head up the main road (as if you are going over the hill to hebden Bridge) then turn off left onto a minor road which climbs up onto Oxenhope Moor, then down over Hollin Hill past the wind farm. Then you can turn off right down the long track which runs due East back down to the car park at Ogden Water (marked as a footpath on the Landranger maps, but it's been upgraded to bridleway and is signposted as such on the ground).

Alternatively, have a look in the Dam Head / Northowram area, lots of little sections of bridleway in that area.

If that doesn't float your boat, head West towards to the Bridge and Hardcastle Crags, loads in that area!

danhx

1. From Ogden head up the main road towards Denholme Clough, just after the Denholme Velvets building on the left there is a byway heading in the general direction of the wind farm, head up there and then once you get to the end and are facing the wind farm take a right. Eventually you will drop down near Thornton res. and you will have 3 choices. Go through the gate and either take the imediate left or second left (if you like sheep censored ) to carry on further. Take the track straight on then then bear right to head back along the bottom of Thornton res. to head back to the main road.

If you choose to carry on you can then cross the road onto another track which heads off towards hebden road. Carry on along this can you can then do another 2 sections (these section devides to become obveious when you are on the trail). You can then carry on (this is at around the 6m point) and drop down and head around the small resevour in the valley. Or as you reach the end of the 1st section after crossing the main road you can head up a stoney track. This eventually drops down into the valley and you can take the bridal path on the right, this takes you to the wooded area north of Hebden bridge called Midgehole.

2. From Ogden head to Ogden water and cross the dam. Climb up the cobbled road (well, not really a road but is on the map) upto the wind farm. Just after the wind farm viewing car park head down the track leading to the reservour (the one with the sailing club), and then follow the track around the res. at the end turn left. This takes you onto a 4ish mile strech of flat fast single track and then you can take several routes across the moor (if its misty take a compass, I once got lost while heading back this way and ended up in Mytholmroyd when my car was at Denholme)

I'll try and map this out if you want or I'll be happy to show you about a bit depending on what distances you want to do.

This is my favourite area because its so much easier to park than Hebden.

Whyteknight

Thaks for those routes guys! DANHX a guided tour one day would be great as for distances i dont really mind, my fitness is not as good as it was a year ago but i think anything under 30 miles i would be fine with so if you ever are over riding in this area give me a txt (mobile removed )

dave_hill

Same here if you fancy a run out in the Hebden/Todmorden area.

BTW, don't post your mobile number in public views! Use PM instead, lot less hassle in the long run!

danhx

Do you tend to start out from Hebden and take the road climb up to Widdop by bike or park up nearer the resevours?

I had a run up there in the car today, must say the TomTom didnt like it when I said I wanted to go home. Thought I was going to run out of fuel and had a nice trip up to Clone Roads reminded me a lot of where I used to live in wales.

dave_hill

Rather than try to describe some of my favourite routes, if you'll PM me your e-mail address I'll send you some maps in PDF format.

Nickchops

Hi all,
I live at Hollingworth lake, just North of Rochdale. Since my biking bud has taken up triathlons i'm looking for some mates to spare a couple of hours biking round Tod, Rochdale, Burnley, Halifax etc.
So, if you fancy an evening or weekend ride, reply or send me a PM and we'll get it sorted.
Cheers,
Nick

Whyteknight

Late notice but does anyone fancy a ride this evening?