Hebden Bridge

compo

A few mates are looking at riding the Hebden bridge route on the Pennine Bridleway. Any advice?
Cheers

Briggo

What the Mary Towneley loop?

cloudynights

take care its bad with the snow and ice

stumpyjon

When?

I wouldn't go near it for the next couple of weeks. I live halfway between the two sides if the loop and there is a lot of snow on the ground. The bit closest to me doesn't look like anyone has used it either so you'll be pedalling through 8 inches of powder snow, it's not easy, I tried it before Christmas.

as for advice when it's rideable, it's fun, lot of hills up and down, some rocky sections (and packhorse trail). It can get exposed on the higher sections above Walsden etc.

compo

Was going on 23rd Jan but if this bad weather keeps up it may be off

stumpyjon

Unless the forecast is way wrong I think there will still be snow on the ground on the 23 rd but it may be rideable. If you do venture out just makesure you're prepared to look after yourselves if anything goes wrong.

Whytepeak

Yeah good advise stumpy - wrap up warm compo, no-one is coming if they don't have the right clothing.

Theres a vid of hebden in the snow somewhere, looks fun, but the full face is being worn.

compo

Yeah Whytepeak

If it is really bad I think it is best not to go
If there is a bit of snow we can go and then always turn back if needs must

We won't be daft though and go up in really bad weather cos if we get into diffioculty its not just our lives at risk but the mountain rescue guys aswell

dave_hill

I'd forget ANY major riding in East Lancashire (off-road at least)/West Yorkshire for the next month.

I've just been out this morning and had to give up - lying snow up to two feet deep on most trails which is now degrading. More is forecast and the temperatures are set to remain at or around freezing for the next week.

Add to that the fact that once all the white stuff melts it's going to be like Passchendale for another couple of weeks.

Trail centres are beginning to look good...

bwfc4eva868

Whats Rivvy like at the moment then?

stumpyjon

Dave's pretty much right. Been blowing on the tops this morning as well meaning deep drifts are becoming a problem. Showing some signs of melting in places but it is going to be very muddy when it melts.

HebdenBiker

What absolute rubbish, folks. I rode this route when the snow was at its worst and it was great fun. Only fell off twice

Come over and ride the route.

dave_hill

No sense, no feeling.

Shame we don't all have your level of fitness and super human powers. Tool.

compo

HebdenBiker
if you hurt yourself when out in stupid conditions, would you think of the people who have to come out and rescue you?
I don't think so - get some sense!

scottgeniusltd2005

dave_hill wrote:

I'd forget ANY major riding in East Lancashire (off-road at least)/West Yorkshire for the next month.

I've just been out this morning and had to give up - lying snow up to two feet deep on most trails which is now degrading. More is forecast and the temperatures are set to remain at or around freezing for the next week.

Add to that the fact that once all the white stuff melts it's going to be like Passchendale for another couple of weeks.

Trail centres are beginning to look good...

why? hebden bikers right. as long as you are prepared for a walk and possible long hours in the snow. why is it any different to the dickheads who fly down gorple road at break neck speed in the middle of summer without any regard for others coming up the trail, be walkers or other mtb's. i went out over the mtl at my end and had a great time. had to walk some and carry the bike on deerplay moor. it's not our fault your a pussy is it dave?

scottgeniusltd2005

ps,

hardly any snow left up here at all now. easily cycle-able.

enjoy it on the 23rd

compo

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! :P

scottgeniusltd2005

:twisted: :twisted: . well he does keep calling people names.

Whytepeak

Nowt wrong with riding in the snow - tis great fun, but riding on trails you don't know, which are under 6 inches of snow is out of the question, esp if you're relying on trains to get you home, thats why the hebden ride was called off.

scottgeniusltd2005

sorry but cannot agree, as long as you are prepared. i took a compass, map, survival bag, small first aid kit, enough food, spare fleeces and a few extra buffs. plenty of food and fluids and emergency gels. had a great time. the fact i knew the trails was irrelevant. i couldn't see. the first time i went to lee quarry was in bad snow over a recommended route. was tough and riding lee quarry in the snow was all new to me, had a great time.

why is it any different to mtb in any other season? you can get hyperthermia in any season all it takes is 10 deg cel and a brisk wind. you can fall off a lot harder in summer than in the snow. you don't need to be super fit as you go slower. you can't get lost as there are plenty of landmarks that can easily be used for reference when reading a map. i've been on the mtl in autumn summer spring and seen people totally unprepared for the torrential rain and wind. i've know people who got lost in fog on the mtl because they had gps but no proper map (just the local info leaflet) or compass.

riding that terrain in any season unprepared is stupid. riding it in winter well prepared is very rewarding.

Whytepeak

Fair enough scottgeniusltd2005, but it sound like you were very lucky.

,The ride was called off (and rightly so in your words - becasue we don't have 'spare buffs' or 'emergency gels' - which are of course essential :roll: ), because it would have been foolish to persue the idea that the ride would still be manageable.
And I wasn't warming to the prospect of having a rubbish ride in 6 inches of snow - and where does this 'you don't need to be super fit as you go slower' come from - it's bloody hard work, as you would know...

Sorry, but what you say isn't going to change the desision we make next time...

scottgeniusltd2005

sorry i think we are getting crossed wires. i was simply answering op, is this the same ride?

Whytepeak

scottgeniusltd2005 wrote:

sorry i think we are getting crossed wires. i was simply answering op, is this the same ride?

It is the very one....

scottgeniusltd2005

it is a shame you called it off. it is really good up here at mo. the trails are pretty much messed up lately and muddy but with the big freeze the ground is firm and fast rolling at mo. been up over dunnockshaw today and had a good ride. no doubt when everything is thawed it will be even muddier than usual.

Whytepeak

Its ok scottgeniusltd2005, decided to go and ride alsewhere, so not exactly 'called off' - just moved.

mac_man

compo wrote:

A few mates are looking at riding the Hebden bridge route on the Pennine Bridleway. Any advice?
Cheers

You still going this weekend?

There's not much snow over the tops at the moment... except where it's drifted. But I'd say it looks very rideable at the moment.

There's plenty of good loop routes from the centre of Hebden (don't know how much riding you've done round there).

Calderdale have produced a map showing all of the bridleways in the area, which is handy.

Just Googled 'rides in hebden' and found a few useful links to routes

http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/PennineB ... ?PageId=97 - links to downloadable PDF MAP

Some more routes here

http://www.flattyresmtbroutes.com/YorkshireRoutes.html

Have fun

compo

mac man wrote:

compo wrote:

A few mates are looking at riding the Hebden bridge route on the Pennine Bridleway. Any advice?
Cheers

You still going this weekend?

Cheers for the links

We are not going this weekend - we are riding around Rivington instead - you are most welcome to come - Check the Rivington and Nab Rides thread

dave_hill

scottgeniusltd2005 wrote:

it's not our fault your a pussy is it dave?

Similarly, it's not your fault you're a prick.

scottgeniusltd2005

:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: