Yes, when you said carry on for Ramsgill I presumed you meant on the higher line. I was glad of the relative shelter of the valley yesterday.

Really good. Couldn’t see more than 20 foot at times on the way up, but the snow was nice and crunchy, plenty of grip (tyres and occasionally shoes 🙂 ). Descent to the reservoir was great. Took a couple of wrong turns in the fog on the far side but no real damage. One section was a nightmare where it had been cut up by a tractor, wheelspinning like I was on a turbo trainer. Fav part was the singletrack descent to lindley? farm. Loose and drifty but just enough grip to pick a line.

Nope, last check in from lofthouse car park.

Cheers Martin, that has cheered me up more than this weather.

Snow forecast but heading up there now. Any last words?

I’ve let mountain base sort us out for the last two years. Great service and both apartments exceeded expectations for their respective budgets.

No idea if it is what you are looking for but you’d fit 20 bikes in the cave.

http://www.mountain-base.com/chalet-biolay-4.htm

POC VPD2.0 Extended Knee. Couldn’t recommend them more highly.

Thank you.

Endura Downhill Shorts.

I ride in POC VPD2.0 Extended (so a bit of Shin guard as well as knee). I love them.

Some sizing here: http://www.pocsports.com/en/content/view/Snow_size_guide

I followed convention and bought a size up. They are about a size too big. As teasel says though worse when you are standing or walking.

Cyclepoint only rent heavy hybrids or worse. 8 quid a day. Just about alright for the canal towpath out towards saltaire. Hurstwood is a long way to go for something very short. Not sure how nice the ride up from Burnley eod be.

If it is.taking you 90 mins to get from south Manchester to Degla, then you are going the wrong way.

A mate rode it Liverpool to Leeds in a day. Quite a lot in the middle that isn’t surfaced like it is at either end. Plus a couple of diversions away from the water’s edge. It is 127 miles. No chance of there and back in the same day.

The way I went up, most northerly line on the map. Up the Rake.

With my usual disregard for authority (in this case, the people who know what they are talking about variety), the view from the top of Buckden Pike today:

Actually the descent was great fun. 90% was grin-inducing and really fast. One long stretch of bog in the middle. Initial plan of carrying speed across the top of it came to a crashing end with a drop, into a bog, stop and OTB. The rest was negotiated more carefully, with the occasionally off-camber scoot. Absolutely filthy at the bottom, so after a quick spin over to check out Horse Head (wet and mossy), a wade into the river for a bike bath was necessary!

Very tempted…

Thanks Pennine, that photo is the final nail in that plan.

That’s really useful Ecky thanks. Only option for the pike seemingly up and back down the same way from Buckden.

I’ll have a look at Ingleborough this afternoon…

I thought about Ingleborough. Never done it on a bike, but walked up and down from chapel-le-dale, over Simons and from Horton. Not from Clapham though.

I never have any luck with that hill, even mid summer I always get pea soup and hail on the top!

Ok thanks guys. Maybe not then.
I just have a craving for a ride from a summit.

Been darn saaf today, but got home and it looks like it has pissed it down. Met Office says sunshine tomorrow and dry on Saturday.

Give me a clue which is least boggy. Red or blue I’m guessing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0029LGU0C/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?creative=22110&creativeASIN=B0029LGU0C&linkCode=asn&ref_=asc_df_B0029LGU0C10337549&tag=googlecouk06-21

These. The ‘bumps’ seem to grip flats better than a cut/block sole like on Hedgehogs. After a year the sole around the ball of my foot had worn down to almost flat, making them even better. The grip is still pronounced around the heels, giving plenty of traction for steep, muddy pushes back up.

8 years from a Truvativ Isospline BB, this should be front page news…

Is it better than Mud Cows 2?

Cheers Sancho.

Do you get into the quarry from the bw next to the railway bridge? Never been in there.

At least last night’s nightfall-inspired about turn got me to ride the bw the right way as well as the wrong way. I’ll be back when it is drier (I bet frozen solid is fun) and will head off up the cobbles.

Hebden just isn’t doable for me on an evening. I’ve got a nice long holiday coming up so will be back over then.

MVT might get a blast tonight if this sunshine holds.

Yes please Dave. Last night was just about trying to get somewhere in the remaining daylight. Always up for route suggestions. Ta.

Ton – I’ll bear that in mind next time 🙂

I wondered where those two imaged went 🙂
I’ll drop you a mail, ta.

DK – I’d never get bored of it, lines and routes galore, just feel a bit bit guilty hacking through the boggy bits. I always try and give it 3-4 days after rain and it chucked it down here last night.

So… after spending all day dreaming of a nice summer’s evening ride, ripping up some DRY trails, I took Ton’s advice and headed up to Ogden. 1h 20m to do the 16 miles in the car, I parked up, paid the 50p charge and headed off up the trail in the rain, the next 30 minutes basically consisted of riding up a series of streams (nice and grippy) broken up my moorland bog (not so fun). Often I would be riding through running water unbroken for several hundred metres. It wasn’t what I’d been hoping for, but apart from the occasional dismount to traverse the largest bogs it was going well enough. Unfortunately, whilst the streams seemed infintely preferable to the bogs, one of them was carefully concealing a hub deep hole. I was going uphill so luckily only had enough speed to clear the bars, not disappear into the distance. On the plus side, the sodden moorland provided a comfortable landing.

The rain was sporadic, but by the time I was half way along the Calder/Aire link it was setting in and blowing horizontal, plus the light was going. Despite suspecting that the drier half of the ride was ahead of me, I decided, given the circumstances, better the devil I know and turned around.

Back up the hill, then a few hundred metres of bog-trot and I was onto the long shallow descent. The next few minutes were great fun, picking lines through the bogs, dropping through the eroded ruts, kicking off the rocks and charging through the streams (weight a bit further back now).

I arrived back at the carpark just as the light was fading and three lads were setting off on a night-ride. Good effort! Soaked to the skin, covered in bog and with my bike the colour of a turd, I loaded the car – the lack of light preventing me from seeing what a mess I was making.

Drove home to a full bike wash, washing machine load and a warm shower. God knows what is going to get that peaty residue off my disc rotors. Another lovely summer ride!

Joking aside, I loved the descent back of the moor and would definitely go back in drier conditions. So thanks Ton, even if I won’t be asking you for dry trail recommendations again! 😉

I’m Ogden-bound. Cheers all.

What are Calverley woods like at the moment Sam?

I’ve tried to ride that climbing line. I got muddy feet…

Sounds fun and I can’t probably get around the top of Bradford without too much pain. Park in Ogden and then clockwise?

Cheers Phil. Thinking about it, not sure I’ll get through the ‘Fax 5pm traffic in time to enjoy it tonight.

I know Stainburn well Ads – 20 minutes from here, so very easy. Unlike the road climb back up from the Descent line….

That’s just north of Halifax ton, that works. What can I expect?

I was just looking at that, isn’t it the sort of place you need to know our way around? Just thinking I’m not going to have much daylight…

Thanks, I can see those now.

Cheers Nick. I’ve ordered the book.

Just been looking at the push up to Flegere…

I’m over in October, so all the lifts will be closed. I’ve been walking in CHX at time of the year and am prepared for the weather, but this will be the first time with a bike.

I’ll be looking for the easiest way to gain altitude (hike-a-bike is fine) to maximise the flowy-descent stuff. Any tips?

I’m quite happy to buy this book if it isn’t all just lift-assist stuff.

Cheers