This years edition of the annual rufty-tufty mountain bike trip is supposed to be the South Downs Way over two days. However
a) It's a bit of a logistical ball-ache, esp. with people coming from all over the country
b) Organising the group is akin to herding cats
b) No-one's organised anything
c) No-one's likely to organise anything
So, another thought is the Mary Townley loop over two days instead, because then we just have to agree a point to meet/park at and arrange somewhere to stay.
So, any ideas for (probably) a pub to stay/eat/drink at Friday night (where the cars can be left until Sunday), and (probably) a pub half way round to stay/eat/drink at Saturday night?
Proximity to motorway for start/finish point would be good.
I noticed out riding last night that there is a farm - Tippe4ts farm actually on the PBR that offers bed and brekky , might be worth googling , its actually on the descent from Cowpe Low into Waterfoot [ clockwise ], or there is peers clough farm which is also on the route
Hebden Bridge is quite a nice town to stop in, for start point close to motorway I guess M62 near Rochdale or the M65 near Burnley.
This map is pretty good with PLenty of usefull numbers:
[url= http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/pb_mary_towneley_loop_map.pdf ]MTL INFO[/url]
OS map here: [url= 
]OS MTL[/url]
Yeah, just done some quick googling and maybe Friday night/start in Waterfoot, Saturday night in Hebden Bridge (might even catch an organic yoghurt weaving class 🙂 )
I'm not sure there's two days in it unless you're going to go at a very leisurely pace (lap record is somewhere around the four and a half hour mark, and we did it comfortably in a day).
Easiest thing might be to find somewhere to leave the car at the Rawtenstall end (not far off the M66) and overnight in HB?
Yeah, just done some quick googling and maybe Friday night/start in Waterfoot, Saturday night in Hebden Bridge (might even catch an organic yoghurt weaving class )
I'm sure you'll be able to get crystal therapy for any injuries sustained...
Yeah, just done some quick googling and maybe Friday night/start in Waterfoot
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Binners - it's the Lancashire valleys, it's all like that.
[i]I'm not sure there's two days in it unless you're going to go at a very leisurely pace (lap record is somewhere around the four and a half hour mark, and we did it comfortably in a day).[/i]
Pace will be leisurely to reasonable. It's more about doing something a bit different than some hardcore challenge.
To be honest, a two-thirds/one third distance split Saturday/Sunday might be better, as some folks have pretty long drives to get home after (like Kent...)
Yes, but some considerably more than others.
Rochdale's quite nice this time of year....
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That's not Rochdale, the sun's out.
Anyway, I had my tonsils out in Rochdale. True fact.
As you pass through Hebden don't forget to smile and wave at all the riders out riding the better trails in the area. :o)
When you doing it mate? Might join you for a stint. Theres miles better stuff to ride in the areas youre going through, you know?
We did it anticlockwise over two days in 2011, like this:
2 nights (Fri/Sat) in various hostels, guest houses, etc in Hebden Bridge.
Sat am - everyone drive to farm at Lumb.
Ride Rooley Moor, etc back to HB
Sun am - ride Gorple Road, etc back to cars
Very nice weekend!
[i]When you doing it mate? Might join you for a stint. Theres miles better stuff to ride in the areas youre going through, you know? [/i]
First weekend in October. I'm sure there's better stuff, but as a 'thing' to do, it seemed a decent option. To be honest, the weekend's more about old mates catching up than some gnarlcore techfest.
Esme - cheers, I'll have a look at that.
Anyway, I had my tonsils out in Rochdale. True fact.
That sort of thing doesn't happen any more...
I live n the Calderdale (Yorkshire) side, so for me it's very much a case of the below when approaching the boarders:
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We've done this a couple of times, we'd start in Ramsbottom and ride up to the top of Rooley Moor via the waterworks to join the route round via Hebden. Late on Saturday we'd turn off the MTLoop at the House Of Shit and drop in to Haworth for the overnight stop. Sunday we'd ride back to the House of Shit and down the northern half of the loop
the loop on it's own is not much of a ride even over two days
IHN, you asked where we left the cars. It was [url= http://www.peerscloughfarm.co.uk/ ]Peers Clough Farm[/url] at Lumb.
Sooo, in a minor thread-revival stylee, this happened this weekend.
Stayed at the Robin Hood in Pecket Well on Friday/Satirday night, Saturday morning drove to Peers Clough Farm where we dumped a couple of motors. Four of us rode, one of us ran(!) the MTL anticlockwise. 30 miles-ish, back to Hebden and the pub. The runner got back first.
Beer and pies for all Saturday night
Sunday morning, one rider had to go home, the remaining three and the mad runner did the final 19 mile section back to Peers Clough. The riders won 🙂
Cracking weekend, thanks for Esme for the idea of staying both nights in/near Hebden and the details for Peers Clough.