Manchester to Huddersfield and back

chorltonnick

Just wanted to share with you my experience today. I set off from my house in Chorlton just before 8am with the vague intention of heading towards Oldham and tackling some hills. I've only been "seriously" cycling (ie. regularly riding distances of more than 30 miles) for about six months.

I went east from Manchester (through Levenshulme, Gorton, Denton, Hyde, Ashton etc) and then north. Somewhere along the line I missed a turn and ended up on the A670. I have never ridden this road, nor have I ever driven it so I had no idea what to expect. As it turns out, it was beautiful. Up I climbed into the Peak District, past Mossley, Greenfield, Uppermill and Diggle - right up to Redbrook Reservoir.

As mentioned, I'm basically a beginner and this was my first "proper" climb. I loved it. It was challenging but not impossible (average 4.5%) and I enjoyed finding a rhythm and sticking to it. The top of the mountain was in the clouds - mist and fog everywhere. All very dramatic.

Then the descent and a well-earned break (although it's quite stressful when you're on something so steep!).

Anyway, I kept riding on through Saddleworth, Marsden and Slaithwaite and then into Huddersfield (approx 32 miles at this point). I stopped at the Galpharm Stadium for 20 minutes or so and then turned around and rode back. This wasn't quite as easy, though! I don't think I'd eaten enough food and my energy levels were lacking on the climb back up (or perhaps it was steeper on that side). Anyway, I admit I had to stop two or three times for a minute or so before starting again. By the time I reached the crest rain was lashing down and the wind was blowing across the moors. The descent was freezing!

Finally made it back to Manchester after about six hours in the saddle (one or two stops and then some slow going through traffic the last five miles). Just out of interest, I used both Strava and my Knog Nerd computer - 68.7mi on Strava, 68.4mi on Knog. Pretty similar. Average speed: about 13mph. Not amazing, I know, but it was my first proper climb so it was all new to me. Top speed: 41mph. Elevation gain: 4,537 ft (max 1,222 ft).

Anybody ridden that road before? It was gorgeous. I think the fact I'd never ridden it before added to the experience as I didn't know what was around the corner. Sadly, though, that was a hindrance when I was really hurting on the way back because I had no idea when the climb was going to finish!

It's given me a small taste of climbing and while I really hurt on the second climb (coming back to Manchester), I loved the first one. Will definitely be heading out into the Peak District again.

Sorry for the long post!

lc1981

Sounds like an almost perfect day to me. I like the idea of just heading out and deciding to press on and on, without a specific plan. The hills will get easier the more you ride, so don't worry about that.

Graham K

Want to give that a go, ive gone over the 640 to Scammonden and into Ripponden but wouldnt mind giving that a try this year.

The_Slowboat

Know what you mean albeit different location, first time I rode the cat and fiddle after a couple of months of having my bike was a great thrill.

The joy of living in south Manchester is having the Peak District on your doorstep, plenty more rides like that to be found.

pinarellokid

sounds great,, iv ridden to Hebden Bridge through Rochdale a few times and got lost in the hills.
been planning a ride over to planet X which you werent too far away from id guess
i live in Middleton so not a million miles away..
great to get out isnt it on a ride like that.
planning a ride on Sunday a taster ride with Manchester wheelers to tatton and back will then ride home around 50 miles i guess.. looking forward to it now..

post your strava link so we can see the road climbs if you dont mind fella

tiredofwhiners

chorltonnick wrote:

Anybody ridden that road before?

More or less, yes. My sister in law lives in Huddersfield so my route is out over Saddleworth Moor and down into Manchester, across to Tintwhistle and then back up over Holme Moss via the Woodhead Pass.

On a good day it can be really nice but on a bad day, it can be the worse place on the planet. Even in April, I have been hammered off Saddleworth Moor by rain, hail, sleet and extreme winds, to roll back down into Holmfirth to find all the locals and tourists in shorts and t-shirts.

Its a pity the road surfaces outside of the paek area are so rubbish.

Camus

You want to try coming up out of Mytholmroyd up Cragg Vale with a foul headwind, that's fairly unpleasant but at the same time very uplifting! But yes when it's bad over the tops it makes you wonder what you're doing up there.

The climb out of Ripponden down into Littleborough is nice, going the other way you get a 10% gradient (according to roadsigns) to ascend, that climb's generally known as Blackstone Edge.

I often ride down into Denshaw and along to Ripponden or through Todmorden and Hebden Bridge to climb Cragg Vale, going tomorrow morning actually! I've gone 50mph+ coming down past the M62 junctions on Ripponden Road.

If any Greater Manchester/Saddleworth velo enthusiasts fancy a ride sometime let me know via PM or reply to this thread, I normally do solo rides so company would be appreciated.

YIMan

Great stuff, thanks for sharing.

matt@theforce

Havent done that route but I attempted the a635 from Huddersfield to Tunstead a week or so before christmas and ended up turning around and heading back to Holmfirth due to the bad weather.

Holme Moss is also an excelent ride around there.

Well done on your achievement, it doesn't matter what your average speed was so long as you enjoyed it thats what matters .

Reane_Machine

I love the Peak District.

I'm on t'other side of the hill though in Sheffield, but there's so many great rides I couold probably spend a lifetime riding round and never get bored.

pride4ever

Do those roads all the time (im from Wakefield) and what with your lack of experience id say you did brilliantly. Try the Strines in the summer, thatl get the blood pumping.

pinarellokid

i did the ride from rochdale-hebden-sowerby-ripponden-oldham-middleton and was truly knackered going over the tops where you cross under the M62.. but it was a great ride.

does anyone know the route i hear is called little switzeland???

Graham K

pinarellokid wrote:

i did the ride from rochdale-hebden-sowerby-ripponden-oldham-middleton and was truly knackered going over the tops where you cross under the M62.. but it was a great ride.

does anyone know the route i hear is called little switzeland???

Some of the motorbike lot call it Saddlworth TT round there if its any help

Camus

pinarellokid wrote:

i did the ride from rochdale-hebden-sowerby-ripponden-oldham-middleton and was truly knackered going over the tops where you cross under the M62.. but it was a great ride.

does anyone know the route i hear is called little switzeland???

Little Switzerland?! Nice, I like that. It does get a bit steep going up past the M62 doesn't it, that section of motorway is the highest in the country, the view at the top when it flattens out is great though, when you can see across to Manchester and surrounds.

griffsters

I'm in Milnrow and think its a great area to cycle, good to hear others agree!

Thanks for sharing OP.

dave8178

I'm in Hyde and mainly stick to going in to Cheshire, I've been planning to go over woodhead pass then back via snake pass for a while. Yesterday I had a go, I got as far as the top of woodhead (the open moors) and nearly got blown off (tee hee), then saw the rain on the other side and decided to turn back into a massive headwind that help push me up, was struggling to get any decent speed. Although I was knackered when I got home it was awesome. Might leave it for a couple of months and try again in summer.
Cheers op

If anyone rides around there regularly, I would like to find some more routes over the moors. If anyone could assist.

Many thanks
Dave

nickyboy zz

dave8178 wrote:

I'm in Hyde and mainly stick to going in to Cheshire, I've been planning to go over woodhead pass then back via snake pass for a while. Yesterday I had a go, I got as far as the top of woodhead (the open moors) and nearly got blown off (tee hee), then saw the rain on the other side and decided to turn back into a massive headwind that help push me up, was struggling to get any decent speed. Although I was knackered when I got home it was awesome. Might leave it for a couple of months and try again in summer.
Cheers op

If anyone rides around there regularly, I would like to find some more routes over the moors. If anyone could assist.

Many thanks
Dave

I'm in Glossop so pretty close to Hyde. There are loads of great loops in the hills close to you. Depending on fitness here are a few you might want to think about:

Hyde - Mottram - Stalybridge - Greenfield - Holmfirth - Holme Moss - Mottram - Hyde

Hyde - Glossop - Snake Pass - Strines - Holmfirth - Holme Moss - Mottram - Hyde

Hyde - Glossop - Hayfield - Chapel - Rushop Edge - Mam Nick - Edale - Snake Pass - Glssop - Hyde

Hyde - Mottram - Stalybridge - Uppermill - Diggle - Marsden - Greenfield - Stalybridge - Hyde

These are all challenging 50-60 mile rides so perhaps good to build up to. You can always shorten these initially and do something like this

Hyde - Mottram - Broadbottom - Charlesworth - Marple Bridge - Romiley - Hyde

This is plenty hilly enough but probably about 25 miles. You can fiddle about with this loop and go up from Marple Bridge to Mellor, then drop into New Mills, then back via Glossop

I wouldn't recommend going up Woodhead as the traffic is very heavy and the road is pretty narrow in places

Just get a map out and have a look. Unfortunately there will always be hills if you head East from Hyde but that's part of the fun!

dave8178

Nice one nickyboy

Cheers mate

nickyboy zz

dave8178 wrote:

Nice one nickyboy

Cheers mate

I planned to go out today but it was too foggy so I looked at the routes I suggested from Hyde:

Route via Greenfield (1st one) and via Marsden (4th one) are only about 35 miles
Route via Chapel (3rd one) is about 50 miles
Route via Strines (2nd one) is about 60 miles

They are all, inevitably, hilly so perhaps try the shorter ones first. You could do them in reverse which gets Holme Moss (the hardest climb) out of the way first. Holme Moss is also easier W-->E

A final tip, if you do Holme Moss E to W, when you get to the Woodhead Pass at the bottom, only continue on it for 1/2 mile, then turn off left signposted Glossop. A much quieter run home

I badly overestimated the little Broadbotom, Marple Bridge loop, it is only 15 miles but challenging none the less