With the great weather I've come to work in Leeds today with the MTB in the car.
Where can I stop on the way home to Halifax for a good hour or two riding in a loop - some XC, singletrack and woods wouldn't go a miss.
Equally happy to drive out the back end of Leeds as well if the route is worthwhile.
Thanks
round apperley bridge / calverley / thackley / esholt can be fun
if you do it again, give me some notice and I can show you round a bit
Andy, was going to reply on the CMBC facebook page but forgot...
Try Mirfield. It'll be a case of exploring a bit but if you park at the bottom of Hopton Woods and head along the valley to the cricket club and then take the BW upwards towards the golf course theres some excellent riding to be had. It'll be awesome in this weather too. From the top of that climb, turn right and follow the BW as it goes around the edge of the golf course. Lots of little bits of singletrack in the woods and an excellent super fast bit heading down alongside a stream when you drop down to whats always a pretty boggy bit. At the bottom of there, turn left and you can then drop into Bluebell (Lady?) Wood wheres theres some nice little tracks to play on with berms and jumps. Climb back up out of there and along the BW which crosses the golf course and then theres a cheeky footpath along the wood side of the golf course above where you'll have left the car which drops back into Hopton Woods. When back in the woods, turn immediately right and along the top of the wood where there is some nice singletrack and then you've got the bombhole to play in too. Great area for exploring...
If you don't get a chance tonight, I'll scribble on some maps for you and mail them across with a rough route on.
Thanks for both replies
DaveyBoyWonder - I'll be planning that one out on my Garmin before leaving the office!
Hi Andy - I am planning riding out of leeds city centre at about 5 tonight for a tour of west on my way home to pudsey if you fancy a guide?
You can then ride back into town along the canal to get your car.
Drive home to Halifax, park the car, get on bike. 😀 HTH
Drive past Halifax and enjoy the new Blue Pig trail in Hebden 😉
The 'locals' Bingley Bash. I've got a scribble on a map, but can't give you a GPS file. It'll be good enough to get in most of the good cheeky bits not on the official route.
+1 'locals' Bingley Bash
I've been riding this route for a year now and keep adding new bits on/discovering new bits. Some cheeky. Some not. Really good route.
I rode this on Tuesday afternoon and it's running so sweet at present. Such a joy to ride.
Although my new route addition means a climb up Keighley Road (from the St.Ives entrance/exit) which is none too impressive. So I'm wondering if I can use Moor Edge High Side and gain access back to Harden Moor that way before crossing over the road and descending back through St Ives. Anyone?
I'm off to Sheff/Peaks this afternoon to ride or I'd gladly show you round the route I know.
KoB - yes you can
yes, Moor Edge HS, bikes over the stile on the right, up thru Deep cliffe on the footpath (steep but very doable).
BFITH - awesome advice mate. Cheers. Can't believe I didn't think of that.
MrChrist - thanks for the offer. I don't get away until 6 so can't join you this time.
wilde86 - I'd be really tempted by that but from looking at the new surface this would be better suited for when I fancy a ride on my roady.
Bingley bash looks promising!
Thanks B.A.Nana. I thought as much. I spotted the stile on the right in Google maps/Street View when I was scoping out options 🙂
I presume the FP joins part of the loop I use already which starts from the track on the top edge of the moor that you join from Keighley Road, I go through the first gate on the left, descend past the car park, sweep right and then climb back up with Deep Cliffe on my left which eventually loops back to the second gate on the left.
I'm back riding there on Saturday morning so will check it out.
andybanks, word of warning, on a Sat morning it's a 35 minute drive door-to-door (N. Leeds to St.Ives car park). It usually takes an hour or more in rush hour through Calverley, Shipley, Saltaire, etc.
The Mirfield route is one i'm interested in riding as I've heard good things about the wooded singetrack that way and might be quicker for you to get to.
I think I may try this route on BHMon.
I presume the FP joins part of the loop
Yes, there are lots of little trails going all over the place, so you can essentially end up where you want, car park, top or bottom of the BW, St Ives entrance etc etc, but to initially get out of deep cliffe it's up the footpath, that's the best way out (there is another way out to the right of the fp, it has a pinch point with some techy rock which is best done at pace IMO, satisfying to achieve without a dab).
One of the best descents in that area starts at that gate 1st left on the BW and ends up in the basin of Deep Cliffe, you may be missing the best bits out.
Just found this with some great local routes on
Don't do their Bingley Bash, someone off here will give you the 'locals' one, Simon's^^route in fact. I've got one marked on a map, but a gps file would be better for noodley trail directions.
Mirfield, around Hopton Woods, is a little gem in this weather. Good as a base to head out towards Flockton and Coxley etc too.
Drop us an e-mail B.A.Nana please to discuss