Huddersfield loop (Blackfoot-Wessenden-Marsden)

GT Destroyer

Blackfoot reservoir


View of Emley Moor Mast and Castle Hill


The last reservior on the route


Trail


Arty shot with waterfall!!


Back at the train station - Up at the top of the picture is the trail, right up in the hills!!


I got the route on page 6 of the Huddersfield routes from here - Very good.

Rich9

Pic 2 - you can see my house from there...... well nearly

looks a great route. weather was kind too

GT Destroyer

weather was good - It was unbelievably windy though. I'll do it again, but would probably start at Deer Hill Reservoir, just to do more off road stuff.

Rich9

i'd be interested in having a go, if you dont mind a straggler with you?

nonnac85

I have been round a lot of those places - wish i still lived in Huddersfield but had to move near to Bedford with work.
I used to go out to Scamonden as well.

GT Destroyer

No problem Rich, I'll let you know when I'm next off out up there. It would be Tuesday and Friday this week but I'm working O/T Tuesday and then helping my Mum out with something on Friday (ahhh bless) If I can get away early enough on Friday I might be able to get up there for midday-ish.

streako

I think the Colne valley challenge goes through many of those parts.

Rich9

Thanks GT. Half term this week, so rug rats are priority . See what i can do. Thought I had Thursday free to do my own thing but now i reckon i will be decorating :x

realnumber 1

Looks like a good ride GT, what % was off road?
I've not really visited that side of the Colne Valley and I only live at the top of the other side :oops:

LaSanta

Hi

I live over the Halifax side of the valley and would welcome routes over Huddersfield way.
How did you get hold of this route, you mention something about page 6 in Huddersfield guide - where can I get one?

Cheers

realnumber 1

LaSanta wrote:

Hi

I live over the Halifax side of the valley and would welcome routes over Huddersfield way.
How did you get hold of this route, you mention something about page 6 in Huddersfield guide - where can I get one?

Cheers

Here you go.

http://www.bikeradar.com/routes/?bpath= ... 2Fpage%2F6

GT Destroyer

realnumber 1 wrote:

Looks like a good ride GT, what % was off road?
I've not really visited that side of the Colne Valley and I only live at the top of the other side :oops:

Well that particular ride starts at Marsden and goes along the canal to Slaithwaite, then turns right up the biggest road hill I've ever seen!

The ride is more off road than on, you have to ride on road to get up near the reservoirs, then its all off-road from then onwards. I'm not the best at map reading and when I was on the moor right at the end of the ride, the trail seemed like it went further on, I turned back on myself and headed back down the hill towards the last reservoir. So I think the trail went on and on, not sure exactly how far, it looked like it was going in the direction of the Holmfirth road?

I am going back I think on Friday - Should be able to get there for around lunchtime I hope, thats if anyone fancies it?

mf-racing

LOL, you can see my house too! I live in Meltham, about 5 min ride from Dear Hill/Blackmoorfoot where that 2nd pic is taken from!

I'll be up for a ride if you fancy it, i'm always doing that exact same route at least once a week. Let me know

GT Destroyer

Looking more likely for this Friday. Hopefully looks dry, won't be warm but sod it! Around lunch-time probably, I'll head over on the train to Hudds then ride up to the starting point. I actually started in Slaithwaite, and missed out the canal route from Marsden to Slaithwaite, I'll be doing the same again on Friday.

Rich9

Might be able to join you, as long as you are gentle with me!!
Where is the best place to leave then car?

How long does the ride take?

realnumber 1

Work Mon-Fri for me , cheers for the write up though GT. I will give that ride a go when I get chance.

GT Destroyer

Rich9 wrote:

Might be able to join you, as long as you are gentle with me!!
Where is the best place to leave then car?

How long does the ride take?

Took me a good while (about 2 hours?) but I did get lost on the way and ended up in Meltham! If we start at the bottom of Linfit lane, I think you can leave the car there. Linfit lane is left off the main road going through Slaithwaite, the turn is just before Slaithwaite. I have some stuff to do early on but reckon I should be able to make it there for 11/12-ish.

It could be tough riding though with the rain we've had today!

I'll PM you my mobile number for you to get in touch to let me know if you fancy it and what time you can make it for etc.....

Rich9

Ok. Will let you know either way. Just checked forecast. Doesnt look great

GT Destroyer

Hmmm I agree, it looks like sh-it weather, don't fancy being out on the moors in the driving wind and rain, not again anyway!

realnumber 1

Lol, its not good at the moment. There was a snow storm when I set off to work yesterday morning and the rain today was ice cold

GT Destroyer

I just got roped into helping my Mum out at a second hand market in Dewsbury - I was only supposed to pick the car up for her so she didn't have to park it, but I ended yp staying and I wasn't dressed for it - I am now absolutely freezing, I can't type properly!!

So safe to say I am staying in today and won't be heading up onto the moors!

Rich9

i havent been outside yet, and dont plan to! Must get on with finishing the decorating instead of sitting in front of the computer, and especially cycling stuff on ebay :oops: Just bought some DMR V8 copies for 6.99 :P

If we can find a nice day, we'll have a go at the moors for def. Sunday morning are usually best

i-drive

pictures look good.we do part of that loop on our weds night rides quite often.

the offer is open to anyone who wants to meet up with us.

there is a link here.http://www.uk-mtb.com/index.php?option= ... &Itemid=53

GT Destroyer

i-drive, how far along the trail do you go before turning back on yourself to head back into Marsden? I wasn't sure and kind of turned back when I was too tired.

There was kind of an abvious spot where the trail splits into 2 and the right one cuts back, is that it? Its after the smaller reservoir, so you have to ride back past both of them on the fire-road sections.

I work till 8PM Wednesdays which is a shame 'cos I'd definately come if not.

i-drive

that paticular section is not that well known to me but matt who i go with will give me the details & ill pm you some info.

we should meet up one sundy ill get matt to come along who is like the bear grylls of that area. .

ive allways done most of my riding around hebden area & moved closer this way 5 yrs ago so still finding all the hidden gems thanks to matt.

mf-racing

i-drive wrote:

pictures look good.we do part of that loop on our weds night rides quite often.

the offer is open to anyone who wants to meet up with us.

there is a link here.http://www.uk-mtb.com/index.php?option= ... &Itemid=53

Hi mate, i'd be up for these Wed night rides?! Any more details?

Cheers

i-drive

all the info is posted here .more the merier.we usually start from holmfirth co-op 6.30 ish but we do start at other points now & again.

its is under rides in this forum in the link below & click on west yorkshire wed night rides. im bigbud on that forum.

http://www.uk-mtb.com/index.php?option= ... &Itemid=53

wildrnes

mornin folks

by the looks of the picture you do the route the wrong way round

being the helpful soul (r) i have mapped the routes on map my ride.com

which should help

fyi this weeks wed night ride is from thornhill in dewsbury
if you are interested we could meet at the saville arms pub at about 6:40

i would imagine that the week after we will be meeting at the co-op in holmfirth

off out on the bike, but will answer question when i get back


matt

wildrnes

ok
that route (the one you are doing the wrong way round )

how i would make that work is....

i guess you ride through marsden to the B6107 up that road untill you see a bridleway on your right

follow that bridleway up
and up
and up
then when you get to the trail you were on that leads to blackmooorfoot resi
turn left towards the resi
now you will go past the house below the shooting range then round the resi
the resi has 3 sides you can ride arround
go round 2 then drop off the side down the steep embankment (woo hoo)

once you have gone over the embankment go in a straight line up to the wall and over the style

straight line down the track (cow $h1t city....) and through the gate over the track and through the gate

follow this track (it bears to the right then down to a gate)
through the gate and right
follow the path to the stream (splash!!!!!)
through the stream and up the other side

follow to 2 gates one in front and one to your right
take the right gate and start climbing (you'll be doing a lot of this for a bit so enjoy)

follow to the road
at road turn right follow the road UP past the cockgrowing stone (yes really)
at the top carry on downhill untill you see the obvious track to the right

enjoy the longest downhill in west yorkshire

at the bottom of the hill have a pint

see you wednesday night

GT Destroyer

I took most of the pics looking backwards, so it might appear that I was riding the wrong way, it doesn't matter I don't suppose.

I went down a fair bt of DH at the end of my day out but wouldn't say it was very long so I think I'm not on the right lines!

I'll have a look on map my ride - Matt, if you have a look on page 6 of the Huddersfield rides on here, thats the one I was doing, is it the same route as you describe or not?

Also have a good one on Wednesday, its well close to my house the Saville Arms, have to pedal quickly though in and around that area!

wildrnes

where do you live
the saville is my local

if you did do that route in the order that you took those pictures then you did do it backwards

especially if you did the route down the second part of the downhill