First bank holiday in May Chez Mr and Mrs MM anyone? 2 spare double beds, 1 spare double inflatable mattress, some floor space (involving using floor in spare bedrooms….), sorry no camping – unless you can get pegs into a flagged courtyard…….
Mrs MM has put a limit of 8 on folk staying over, no reason why localish folk can’t have a drive over and meet for the rides though…
Outline plan…..
arrivals Friday, we’ll some sort of pasta type food to be cooked in the evening.
Ride on Saturday (just MrMM, Mrs is not a big rider…) for info, 3 ways out of the village are up, the benefit being the return ends on a down!! LOTS of opportunities to <cough> stop and admire the views….<cough>
Sat night – several options for eating out in the village, involving real ale The Riverhead ….. and a short train trip and stroll would get us [/url]HERE 🙂…..
Sunday – hangover hobble, probably boot folk out after that so we have Monday to recover and tidy up, who knows though, if its going well…..
Other bits, one income family at the mo so it would be a BYO do – or, if you have read the links, bring beer money do :lol:…. and we’d probably take over a local caff / do takeaways from the bakery for the brekkies……
Oh, there’s a station in the village so, if you want the train to take the strain… only 2 mins ride from station to our door – be aware though, if arriving from Manchester direction there’s a pile of steep steps to lug your kit up…

can’t but deserve a big thumbs up for the offer and can only wish you well

Great gesture, sounds a good weekend
Currently crocked at moment but if I’m back on mybike I could well make it – will watch developments with interest

The downhill on the pack horse track into Marsden is brilliant 🙂

I could bring the cheese…

simonfbarnes – Member
The downhill on the pack horse track into Marsden is brilliant

It’s a real pity about the slog through the bogs inbetween though.

I’m just the other side of the hill although regularly ride in the area (RHT or TEI the usual mid-ride beer haunts). Must pop over for a ride with you soon. I’m riding in France that weekend but hope you have a good one 🙂

my gf’s parents live in slaithwaite so, while i won’t be turning up and forcing myself on your hospitality, i would be very interested in a simplish rundown of some decent bike routes round that way as her dad is very into his general mountaineering and i’m trying to get him more into biking. sounds like a good weekend!

also a big fan of the riverhead!

SFB – i was hoping keep that as ‘a secret’ for any visitors – knew it would not happen though!!
Sanity assasin – yep, bit of a pain and the wheel size holes (soding ‘crossers….) in said bog have had me more than once – still, its a pretty soft landing….. 😯

Grynch – long way to come but we’re happy to accept decent cheese donations 😆

Andy P – whereabouts are you ‘on the other side’ – i’m ex-Diggle ….. do drop me a line ref a ride – so long as you can cope with plenty of ‘admiring the view’ stops….

Flatboy – os map is your friend, elements of many routes will be ‘cheeky’ but, on the whole walkers are not to common except for on / around the pennine way bits. Give me a shout some time, won’t claim to know the valley like the back of my hand but can show you some great routes out of Marsden – anything from half an hour to a good few hours (basically the bogtrotters route over the hill and back) – all start the same way – UP – and are essentially loops of varying sizes…. mostly adaptable to result in a visit to the pub!!

Hitman – get well (enough to ride 😀 ) soon fella…….

Doors are still open to the weekend offer if anyone fancies it…….

Currently Uppermill but hoping to be Diggle before too long. And I do enjoy admiring the view’ rides, as long as there’s whisky involved 😉

SFB – i was hoping keep that as ‘a secret’ for any visitors – knew it would not happen though!!

I think Marsden’s biggest riding secret still remains as such 🙂

Andy – we’ve a wee dram or two in the cellar, would just have to locate the hip flask so yeah, give us a shout about a ride ….
Moving to Diggle eh – you must be loaded 😉
Where are you looking at – my dad’s still on Ravenstone Drive – up the hill, opposite the Hanging Gate…
Stupid thought – have you looked over here, far better bang for buck, only a 5 min drive back over the hill and <cough> the Riverhead is close by <cough> !!!

And yes – I know the Packhorse is no secret but still, maybe not everyone had heard….. 🙄
(I think STW once named it one of the best bits of ST in the country…?)

Will do 🙂
Not sure about being loaded. Just want to stay this side of the hill but somewhere a bit quieter really. And of course to be nearer to the Diggle Hotel and its wonderfully-kept Timmy Taylor’s.
Got our eye on a couple up near the school. Just nothing doing at the moment, need someone to buy ours first..
We did consider Marsden, but in terms of jobs/nursery/school/parents it’s a lot easier to stay this side. Plus as a Lancastrian I’m not sure I’d be welcomed that side of the border 😉

I just make sure I get over that way lots for mid-ride pie, peas and Black Sheep at the TEI, and coffee and cake at Crumbals 🙂

Flatboy – os map is your friend, elements of many routes will be ‘cheeky’ but, on the whole walkers are not to common except for on / around the pennine way bits. Give me a shout some time, won’t claim to know the valley like the back of my hand but can show you some great routes out of Marsden – anything from half an hour to a good few hours (basically the bogtrotters route over the hill and back) – all start the same way – UP – and are essentially loops of varying sizes…. mostly adaptable to result in a visit to the pub!!

that’s very kind – i might well twist your arm one day when we’re up that way and see if i can get you to guide! out of interest, where would you say is the nearest decent mtb shop round that way to try and get the old chap fixed up? i know stif in leeds, but are there any nearer or better that i can send him to? cheers!

Not sure what Colne Valley Cycles in Slaithwaite is like, but The Cyclery in Uppermill is good.

colne valley is pretty basic, but cheers for the suggestion – i’ll investigate.

I can easily drive over for the ride. My email addy is markhoracekuk@yahoo.com if your keeping an email circular?

….ps imagine news gets out and 150 anglo-saxon, male, middle-aged univited mountain bikers show up at the house clambering to gate crash waving their tins of ale!

🙄 8)

theflatboy

Wheelspin Cycles
Victoria Mills, Albert St, Lockwood, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 3PR
Tel: 01484 533338

Never used them but they seem like good guys – i popped in to ask about local, easy routes as MrsMM wants to go ride but is fed up of the canal towpath!!

also <GASP>Halfords in Hudds, for the Boardman options??<GASP>

Hora – will keep your details on file as it were and, yes, i’d pondered on the potential for word getting out, I had a cunning plan to try and mitigate such things but, as there’s not many (ie just you :roll:) thus far interested in popping over I don’t have to worry too much who I might be sharing our details with….

AndyP – I’m Oldham born, Diggle raised and Mrs MM is from Cheshire ….
I had my concerns when I came over here (in my single days) because, as a youth, if we came over for a pint it could get a bit leary… that’s all changed, bottom line is it is a really great place, locals are friendly and you’ll find a large tranche of ex-pat Lancastrians over here….loads to do with the kids as well – allsorts of stuff being run by the national trust and the likes…
Did I mention the local pub, and eateries and general shops, they even have schools over here as well 😀
When I left Diggle all I wanted to do was move back one day, not now…..
Cheers all
Chris

I remember Marsden, well I remember two girls from there 8)

they even have schools over here as well
it was sounding so good until that point. Schools, in yorkshire? You’re either pulling my leg, or they teach mostly ‘how to be grumpy’ 😉

It has quite challenging roads around there. I remember one girlfriend being given a VW Golf Driver (mk2?) and showing me how well she could hold it just below its limits. (Sighs), where is she now? 🙂

It’s all a bit local, I moved out of Diggle last weekend, and am now Mossley based.

If I’m about on the bank holiday w/end I’ll see about joining in one of the rides, there are some great tracks up there, love coming down wesenden valley.

MM have you done or heard about the PennineX that goes from Slaithwaite, done that a couple of times, great fun.

Riverhead is great, spent a few evenings in there sampling the beer. 🙂

my sister’s aussie fiancé was taken to the riverhead over christmas and did not leave until he had made sure every beer had been sampled. and narrowly avoided falling in the canal on the way back to sla’wit 😆

hp – I arrived here via Mossley………
Have not done the Pennine X yet – don’t count myself as fit enough, should get my but in gear though this year…. if you have done it you’ve ridden right past the front of our place……
Riverhead – great spot, as is the new in now its picking up a bit, both supposedly wasted on me though as I’m a lager lout….. i do keep asking the R/head to put Silverking through a cooler though, I could go for it like that…..

Wessenden – love it – nice gentle climb up, turn it around, lt go the brakes…… and…… 😆 😆 😆
Love the singletrack trip above the Wessenden track as well….

Now you’re on Mossley no excuse (apart from the fare they sting you for the tunnel trip…) for not getting the train into Hudds – 2 real ale pubs on the station and 5 mins walk to the above mentioned Grove…..

AndyP – fair point, well made 😉

Hora – roads are ok, just have to beware the sheep…….

MM have you done or heard about the PennineX that goes from Slaithwaite, done that a couple of times, great fun.

that sounds excellent – i’m up for a bit of that 😮

Cheers MM & theflatboy

You don’t need to be superfit for the penninex, it’s a lot of up and down (like everthing around here), but a great atmosphere. Think it’s 5th July this year.

There’s also one of a similar length from Hade Egde above holmfirth, that’s great too, less road sections, but harder going. Think the scouts run that, but can’t find a date for it this year.

The train fare is a pain, and having ridden up the road between marsden and diggle on my roadie not so long ago, I can see how they get away with it. 🙂

right – flatboy and HP – what say we get our acts together and do the PennineX and, possibly the ShredX – think thats the Hade Edge one – I know the Shred is run by the scouts, raising funds.. can’t see any links though…

yeah i’m definitely up for it, i need to check if we’re about as those mid-summer weekends are a bit of a minefield of unavailability so i’ll investigate. sounds good though.

EDIT – ShredX is the same as Pennine X – they must have changed the name…
Will make enquiries about the other one…..

flatboy – mid-summer could become an issue for me as well – wedding photography is what I do….. first year as a full timer though and bookings are well down on what they should be, this means that weekend is currently clear for me but I’d have to take a job if one did come in…..
Chris

Hey I’m in Lindley so could pop over for the Saturday ride, stopped off to admire the view’ at the Riverhead a few times meself. I’ve just followed your link to the Grove – well I never, I’ve lived in Huddersfield for 7 years and never heard about or come across it. From Google maps it looks to me like its behind the sikh temple, is that about right? Will be heading there for a quiet one this very weekend now! This is why I love STW.

The ride from Hade Edge is theHolme Valley Mountain bike Challenge. It normally on early september.

Don’t forget the Colne Valley Mountain bike Challenge neither

marsdenman-what route were you thinking of?

Have been off the bike since New years Eve, but hoping to get fit enough to come on this ride. I’m from Cheshire too, so will have something in common with Mrsmm.
Don’t worry, hubby and I won’t force ourselves upon you ( but thanks for the offer of hospitality) as we’re only 45 minutes away.

headfirst – you (well multimap) is spot on the grove is behind the temple – as you pass the fire station on the ring road (on your left) take the very next left at the lights, as if going to the car parks, Grove is 100 yds up – at the junction where you turn into the carpark – not that anyone wil be driving o’course 😀

Kieron – thanks for the links – are you a local then?

Bunnyhop – ride can be anything from a ‘simple’ 6 miles – a gentle 3 miles up then WAHEY 3 miles back down Wessenden 🙂 up to 20+ if we follow the Bogtrotters route over to Hollingworth Lake and back….
as i have not been on the bike in some time the plan at the mo is to do a minimum of about 12 miles – big climb out of the village (with adequate view stops…!) pick up the pennine way, across Blackstone Edge (great views down the valley, some techy riding through rocks where the peat has long gone..) hang a right off the top of the hill and drop the 3 miles of singletrack back down the fabled packhorse trail 😆
Staying over – you wouldn’t be forcing yourselves on us if you choose to say over – pack a toothbrush just in case – the local beer is good…… 😀

OooH could you put up a map, please?

MM, definatley up for the penninex (yeah it’s the same as the shredx), the holme valley could be good too & even the colne valley one too, crikey, I’ll have to get fit.

I’ll do my best to keep the sat of the bank hols weekend free, a ride, a few pints & the last train back sounds good.

Bunyhop – sorry – don’t have the technology 😳
if anyone can help / advise on a cheap option to provide said map i’ll have a look and see what I can do….. be useful to be able to see my local area in more detail 😀
Have had more thoughts on the route though….. heading another way out of the village another way (still a big climb) takes us up to a sweet singletrack above wessenden – more great views 😀

hp – last train back back leaves the village about 23.10 (ish) – time for a god few pints then 😀

As an aside – Think i may put something over on the ‘Bike’ forum about a day ride – with sleep over option!

Cheers MM.

This won’t help with drawing the route, but it’s the O.S. area for marsden, Multimap

Just to clarify the Pennine X & The Shred X are the same.
http://www.penninex.co.uk Sunday 5th July 2009.
Charity event which raises funds for:
Upper Slaithwaite Church (The Shred)
Bradshaw Lane
Slaithwaite.

Marsdenman – I make wedding cakes… So no excuses for you not riding our event! I still have to make cakes for you MTB folk when you have fininshed the challenge!

Yes I’m still aiming to get to this ride.

Me to 🙂