Successful recce trip last week saw me and the Mrs find an amazing place to live in Ripponden. Yorkshire Ambulance Service are insisting I work out of Bradford Ambulance Station on the west ring road. I want to minimise car commuting by riding in as much as possible, but the 13 mile direct route looks staunch and choked with dual carriageway nastiness.

Am I best sucking it up and taking my chances, or are there calmer, parallel-ish routes anyone knows of? Sustrans routes seem to steer well clear of the area

Where exactly is the ambulance station?

It’s on Northside Road, BD7 2AY.

Standard main-road route is Sowerby Bridge >Pye Nest > King Cross > Halifax > Stump Cross > Shelf > Buttershaw

I’ve never had a sniff of an issue from a driver whilst riding that route, even on the dual carriageway sections.

Slightly pleasanter is from Halifax to Queensbury via Boothtown Rd. It’s a more open, picturesque climb than Shelf. You have the horrors of the Queensbury traffic but you’ll be filtering to the front of the queue for the lights.

PS welcome to Ripponden.

Best pubs are The Old Bridge and The Boothwood 🙂

Cheers Hebden! Will scope that route out. As for the pubs, looking forward to NOT paying in excess of £10 for two pints and a packet of crisps, as they seem to think is acceptable down here in Hove Actually ;0)