by Dr Dave
Mon May 15, 2017 11:17 am
The Wednesday Thrashers had an away day to Hebden Bridge on Saturday to take in some of the cobbled climbs and hills of Calderdale. James had planned a fascinating route and he, Kev, Stu, Dr Joe and self met up at 10am in the town centre for what would be a refresshing change to our more usual trade routes.
First we rode over to Halifax via Luddenden where we scaled Halifax Lane - a tasty hors d'oeuvres before the OMG!! that is Trooper Lane. You-tube will reveal the steep cobbled narrow defile in all it's glories for anyone interested. Suffice to say that this was at the limit of what I am able to get up without stopping - think Rosedale Chimney up cobbles..... After this we took in the Shibden Wall - as recently included in the Tour de Yorkshire. I had climbed this in Jan 2014 with Dave C and found it tough but after Trooper Lane it didn't seem quite so bad. Then it was across to Gibb Lane on Mount Tabor. I hadn't heard of this before but it was almost as steep as Trooper lane on rougher cobbles and again was at the limit of what I could cycle up. It was with relief that I crested this one and met James at the top looking - if not cool and collected - certainly satisfied. (I gather that Old Lane is harder than both Trooper Lane and Gibb lane ).
After these exertions we took the valley road back to Hebden Bridge - omitting our intended route up Cragg Vale - and ate lunch in a Turkish cafe where we were served various English type meals including a greasy breakfast whilst an Oompah Salsa band played outside and people dressed as trolls and Bohemians passed by. Bizarre isn't adequate to describe it.
After lunch we scaled the climb over the moors to Oxenhope then took in the comparatively easy climb up the cobbled High St in Howarth, then a hilly loop back around to Hebden Bridge by which times my legs were feeling decidedly sore. 'Only' 56 miles but with over 8k feet of steep climbing it was a testing ride.
Incidentally the Sunday riders did some of these climbs FROM YORK last summer. Seriously impressive stuff - chapeau lads
First we rode over to Halifax via Luddenden where we scaled Halifax Lane - a tasty hors d'oeuvres before the OMG!! that is Trooper Lane. You-tube will reveal the steep cobbled narrow defile in all it's glories for anyone interested. Suffice to say that this was at the limit of what I am able to get up without stopping - think Rosedale Chimney up cobbles..... After this we took in the Shibden Wall - as recently included in the Tour de Yorkshire. I had climbed this in Jan 2014 with Dave C and found it tough but after Trooper Lane it didn't seem quite so bad. Then it was across to Gibb Lane on Mount Tabor. I hadn't heard of this before but it was almost as steep as Trooper lane on rougher cobbles and again was at the limit of what I could cycle up. It was with relief that I crested this one and met James at the top looking - if not cool and collected - certainly satisfied. (I gather that Old Lane is harder than both Trooper Lane and Gibb lane ).
After these exertions we took the valley road back to Hebden Bridge - omitting our intended route up Cragg Vale - and ate lunch in a Turkish cafe where we were served various English type meals including a greasy breakfast whilst an Oompah Salsa band played outside and people dressed as trolls and Bohemians passed by. Bizarre isn't adequate to describe it.
After lunch we scaled the climb over the moors to Oxenhope then took in the comparatively easy climb up the cobbled High St in Howarth, then a hilly loop back around to Hebden Bridge by which times my legs were feeling decidedly sore. 'Only' 56 miles but with over 8k feet of steep climbing it was a testing ride.
Incidentally the Sunday riders did some of these climbs FROM YORK last summer. Seriously impressive stuff - chapeau lads
Last edited by Dr Dave on Mon May 15, 2017 4:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Keep pedalling!