The Route
The ride hopefully features a rare closed road, mass start thanks to the kind Support of Kirklees Council Highways Dept and West Yorkshire Police.
Route marshals are kindly provided by West Yorkshire Advanced Motorcyclists, a feature well liked by our previous riders for their friendly and reassuring directions.
Event HQ is located at Lockwood Park the home of Huddersfield Rugby Union Football Club (Lockwood, Huddersfield HD4 6EN) and there is plenty of parking on site. Full GPS route can be found here.
Riders can sign on from 07:00 on the day and should be ready for the 9am start.
This year the route rolls out form HQ before the climb to Netherton and Meltham and back to the familiar route with the tough climb out of Meltham up Wessenden Head Road.
After Wessenden riders can recover on the long descent, whilst enjoying the view, before reaching Holmfirth, home of Last of the Summer Wine.
Then begins the drag to Holmbridge, where the real climbing starts, a hard enough climb in its own right, made worst by the fact you can see Holme Moss rearing up in the distance. Holme Moss itself is one and a quarter miles and features markings in the road every 400 metres so you’ll know exactly how much suffering is to go!
Once over Holme Moss riders can enjoy the descent to Woodhead before the steady drag up the Woodhead Pass. Around through Dunford Bridge, Denby Dale (famous for its Pies) before swinging back to home though Emley, Kirkheaton and Bradley, then the gradual climb to Buckstones Moor and the drop though to Lancashire.
Then its back over Standedge into Marsden , a few kicks across to Meltham, and a fast descent down the valley to the finish at Lockwood Park.
The rider handbook (collected on the day with your number) has comprehensive route instructions, maps and contact details and should the need arise there are many options for riders to cut short and head back to base.
The route features 5 key climbs and with around 7000 feet of climbing, including Holme Moss, a regular feature in many cycling events over recent years including the Tour of Britain and Leeds Classic. Full GPS route can be found here.
