Hebden Bridge – Heptonstall Moor

Yorkshire Mountain Bike Route Guide


Region:

Calderdale, West Yorkshire

Difficulty:
Moderate
(For Experienced Riders)

Distance:
21.8 miles

Map:
OS Landranger 103

Route Text Download:
Hebden Bridge - Heptonstall Moor

GPS Download:
GPX and KML
(available via the full MapMyRide page for this route, on the right hand side of the page)

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Hebden Bridge - Heptonstall Moor Route

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This mountain bike route of 21.8 miles starts in Hebden Bridge. It climbs west out of the town on a circular route around Heptonstall Moor. The rocky trails are not particularly technical but there are some long, testing climbs and fast descents. This includes a 3.5 mile descent back to Hebden Bridge to finish the ride.

1. Start from the car park in the centre of town on the opposite side of the River Hebden from St George's Square, off the A6033 (GR992274). Leave the car park from the opposite end to the toilets then turn left and cross the bridge over the River Hebden to St George's Square. At the square follow the road left to a junction with the A6033. Turn right onto the main road. At the next junction directly after turn right again. Descend a short way to the next junction then follow the road markings left then continue ahead to where the road ends at a junction with traffic lights on the main road (GR993271).

2. Turn right and follow the main road to the next set of traffic lights. Go across the junction and follow the main road through town, then at the end of the shops go up a short climb to the traffic lights at the top. Go straight on over the junction and descend to a left hand bend then, at the junction in the middle of the corner, take the road on the right that goes past the church (GR985273).

3. After the church climb the steep lane to a junction on a left hand hairpin bend. Go straight ahead along the wide track that climbs steadily through the trees, up the left hand side of Colden Clough. After some time the track comes to a forked junction (GR978281). Take the loose, rocky track on the left and continue climbing up a steeper gradient. After climbing for some time the track eventually flattens off a little before coming to a junction with a lane by a line of cottages on the left. Go straight on up the lane to where it ends at a junction with a road (GR963281).

4. Turn left on the road and climb through a right hand bend to a junction on the following left hand hairpin (GR959281). Go straight on and continue climbing along a wide track. Go straight on up this track all the way to where it ends at some houses. Directly at the end of the first house, on the left, turn right and descend the grassy singletrack, between a fence on the right and a grassy bank on the left, to a gate a short distance later (GR949280).

5. Go through this gate then descend the singletrack ahead to the gate at the bottom. After this gate follow the track right then left to another gate. After this gate descend left into a big dip then at the bottom bear right up the following climb. Go through the gate at the top then follow the track as it traverses the hillside to a gated junction ahead (GR953286). Go straight on across the junction, through both gates, and descend the track between the grassy banks. After a couple of bends go through the next gate and continue descending. Descend straight on through the next gate and enter the trees. Go straight on at the following junction then descend the wide track through a right hand bend to a junction at the bottom (GR955289).

6. Go straight on and follow the lane over the small humpback bridge then climb to where it ends at a T-junction (GR959290). Turn left and follow Edge Lane along the right hand side of the valley, going straight ahead past all the tracks on either side. When the lane eventually becomes a wide, broken track continue straight on until the it eventually bears right and climbs to a gated junction (GR947301). Go through the gate on the right, following the sign for the Pennine Bridleway, and climb the steep, rocky track through some bends to the top of the ridge. Descend from the ridge through a couple of rocky bends before the track straightens out and comes to a gate 2/3rds of the way down. Continue straight on through the gate to the next gate at the bottom of the descent (GR947313).

7. Turn left and follow the track past a house then turn right and ride across the Lower Gorple Dam. At the junction on the far side of the dam turn right and descend the concrete double track. Follow the track left then at the bottom go across a bridge and climb a short way to a gate, then on to a junction with a lane (GR947323). Turn left and climb the lane past a junction with the gated lane on the right. After the lane flattens off go past a car park on the left to a gate in the stone wall on the left that leads onto the Widdop Reservoir Dam (GR937329).

8. Turn left through the gate and ride along the cobbled track across the dam. On the far side turn right and follow the grit stone track along the left hand side of the reservoir. The track soon begins to climb, getting steeper as it goes. Follow the trail up through a number of bends, bearing left at the junction on the steep left hand hairpin (GR926324). The track then turns right and climbs through some very loose rocks before flattening off at the top of the hill. Follow the track as it bears gently right to a short descent over a section of bedrock. After descending the rocks traverse the hillside on the gritstone track to a gate (GR915320).

9. After going through the gate descend the track to a water bar, which is good for some air, directly before a small bridge on a left hand bend. Go up a short climb then, at the top, follow the trail right for a long rocky decent that is dotted with more water bars, fun ones you can jump. The descent flattens off and comes a junction directly before a gate ahead (GR895324). Take the track on the left for short, winding descent. After crossing a small bridge the descent finishes on the left hand side of Hurstwood Reservoir. Follow the track by the side of the reservoir to a junction at the far end (GR889314). Turn left, then at the forked junction immediately after go left again and climb the track past the pylon. At the junction at the top of the climb follow the main track as it bears right then descends to a junction at Cant Clough Reservoir (GR894310).

10. Go right through the gate then left to ride over the dam. Go through the dip on the far side to a gate. After the gate follow the main trail off to the right. This goes through a few bends before descending to a bridge and a junction directly after (GR891302). Turn left and follow the trail to a rocky ford. After crossing the ford climb the rocky trail alongside the wall on the right. Bear right over the next stream crossing, using either the bridge or the ford. Climb between the walls, through a number of bends, to the next junction. Take the singletrack on the left that goes under the trees before a grassy climb to the car park by the Coal Clough wind farm (GR894288).

11. Go through the car park then turn left onto the main road. The road climbs for a while before flattening off and going through a left then long right hand bend around a bowl in the hillside. At the next junction, with a lane on the right, follow the main road left (GR915276). The road then descends gently into the village of Hawks Stones before climbing out of the far side. Go over the crest of the hill and descend past a junction with a lane on the right to the following junction with a wide track on the left (GR935273).

12. Turn left and climb the wide rocky and bricky track between high grassy banks, passing an antenna mast on the left. After the short climb follow the track straight on down a gentle descent. Continue straight ahead for a while to a three-way double track junction at the start of the drystone wall ahead on the left (GR939286). Turn right to climb the steep rocky double track between the high banks and stone walls. At the top is the start of the 3.5 mile descent back to Hebden Bridge. After the crest descend the wide, rocky double track straight on to a junction at some buildings on the right. Bear left then continue descending straight ahead down the wide track. At the next big junction, where the wide track turns right, go straight ahead along the gritstone double track to a gated junction a short distance later (GR953278). Go straight on through the gate and follow the hardpack track that soon becomes a fun grassy trail. Continue straight on all the way to the end then turn right and descend to a gated junction with a road at the village Blackshaw Head (GR959276).

13. Turn left on the road then almost immediately right, down a short lane between the drystone walls. At the junction at the other end turn left and descend gently down the road. Go past the first row of cottages on the left, with a footpath signed on the left. At the second group of houses, opposite a house on the right, turn left and follow the track signed as the Pennine Bridleway between the row of houses (GR964275). After the houses follow the track straight ahead up a short climb to the top of the ridge. Continue straight on down the following steep, loose and rocky descent, it can be very fast and there are big water bar jumps at the bottom. At the end of the rocky track descend the lane to the left of the cottages to a junction just after (GR965281).

14. Turn right and descend the previously climbed track, back down Colden Clough. After a steady start the track steepens for a long, fast rocky blast. Please be careful though as this track is popular with horse riders and walkers. Go straight on at the junction 2/3rds of the way down then follow the track to where it ends at the junction with a lane on the hairpin bend. Go straight on and descend the lane past the church to the junction with the main road (GR985273).

15. Turn left and climb to the junction with the traffic lights at top. Go straight on and descend into the centre of Hebden Bridge. Directly before the main road bears right over the River Hebden take the small road on the left (GR991272). Follow the lane along the left hand side of the river. A short distance later bear left then right, past a very steep cobbled lane on the left, and return to the car park to complete the ride.