aaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhh (Bingley to Wakefield)

redderekthelampshade

Until recently I commuted 4 miles each way 5 days per week.. Wakefield to Wakefield.. then we bought a house in Bingley, which created the interesting problem of a 19 mile each way commute - having settled in and done lots of DIY of late I'm back on the bike as of today.. only planning on doing it once or twice per week as I'm a fat lad. Well fffffffflipping heck!!! 'twas a nightmare!!! a slog through Bradford, a hateful climb out of Bradford and up the A650 to Wakefield.. all in all it was a miserable old stretch and got me to thinking of a nicer alternative - I'm thinking of jumping on the canal tow path at Saltaire going to Leeds and train to Wakefield - ( from memory the ride to Leeds from my neck of the woods is 15ish miles ) - just wondered if any of you know what the towpath is like on that stretch.. I use a road bike and want to avoid changing tyres if at all possible they are currently 700x23c.. Cheers :-)

Hope you're all well.. haven't been lurking on here for a while as I've been made to decorate and do lots of hateful DIY aaaarrrrggghh

stuyd

I live in bingley, I've never cycled to wakey but I can tell you it's much quicker to cycle to Leeds on the roads.
The canal does get busy with a lot of joggers in the morning. This stops you from gaining any real speed, the roads are rough in Leeds, but it's a nice flat route.
Can't think of any way to get to wakey.

snowden64

Hello,
I did a ride from Shipley to Wakefield and back on Saturday via Leeds, the route I followed was the Sustrans route 66 to Wakefield which was via various roads to the M606 and then followed the old railway line to Dewsbury, this is fully tarmac covered all the way. After Dewsbury it was canal/riverbank all the way to Wakefield which we followed then a mixture of roads and towpath following Sustrans route 67 back to Leeds and then the canal towpath back to Shipley. If you are familiar with the towpath around Bingley then it remains similar until Shipley and then gets a bit more rough from Shipley to Kirkstall where it becomes better and has a tarmac covering, personally I would say it would be uncomfortable riding this on a road bike we did it on hardtails and were suffering after a 7 hour ride. It did take us about 1 hour 20 mins to get back from Leeds but legs and bum were sore at the point, hope that helps.

rolf_f

You may think I'm mad but I live in West Leeds (near Greengates) and often use the A650 as an extended commute route cutting back into Leeds just after Tingley (which is actually nearer Wakefield than Leeds!). I quite like it as it happens. It's wide enough and straight enough and with few enough side turnings to feel fairly safe once you are used to it. The problem I'd have with Wakefield commuting is that I don't tend to use that route on the way home. Partly because of the dreary climb up from Leeds to the 650 and partly because it is that bit slower on the return being uphill. But I daresay you'd get used to it.

In Bradford I doubt I'd use Wakefield Road - Bowling Hall Road must be better. I'd be tempted to take the 650 outbound and return via the old railway line route snowden mentioned. Incidentally, I used to commute along the towpath into Leeds - in winter I'd often get in with my face piebald with mud splashes from the Kirkstall section. It's not unpleasant but ultimately boring. I prefer the roads simply because there tends to be more to see.

Incidentally, Bingley to Leeds on the roads isn't that flat. Infact, there's not a flat bit of the route at all until you get to Rodley (and then only briefly) until you finally get to the lights at Kirkstall where it is pretty flat (though even then there is an obvious gradient when you are heading back out of town).

redderekthelampshade

Many thanks for your replies.. I'm cycling in on Friday so I think I'm going to drop into Saltaire, canal to Leeds then train to Wakey, I'll try all the options and see which I find I like the best.. theres just something screaming at me saying 'pppppplease don't ride up Wakefield Road again' - I think its my legs talking.

stuyd

Ok sorry, not flat. But no real hills of note as it follows the valley bottom.

rolf_f

stuyd wrote:

Ok sorry, not flat. But no real hills of note as it follows the valley bottom.

No, it bloody mindedly avoids the valley bottom wherever possible except briefly at Rodley and then again from Kirkstall. First of all you have Mont Shipley, the tedious climb that drags on half way to Idle. Then another drag up to Calverley from Greengates and then the steep (but shortish) slog up to Bramley. None that significant but all a bit tedious. And the climb up to Bramley from town is particularly m'eh!

geoffh73

You could use route 66 to Dewsbury, then road either via Thornhill and Horbury or via osset.
What part of the A650 is putting you off? If its the wakefield end i know an alternative from Morley to Wakefield.
Geoff