This mountain bike route of 23.5 miles starts in Hebden Bridge and follows a big loop to Todmorden and back. It contains some great riding, the first half of which takes in the moors and reservoirs of the area. The second half drops through Calderdale, past the outskirts of Todmorden, following the packhorse trails and singletrack that criss-crosses the valley on the way back to Hebden Bridge.

1. Start from the car park in the centre of town, just over the bridge from St George's Square, near the A6033 (GR992274). Leave the car park from road junction and turn left to go across the bridge to St George's Square. At the square turn left to the junction with the A6033 a short distance later. Turn left and climb the A6033. At the traffic lights go straight ahead to continue up the A6033. After the lights take the third road on the left, at a four way junction (GR993280).

2. Follow Midgehole Road all the way to the public toilets, just before the National Trust car park (GR988291). Directly after the toilets turn right up the thin track between the dry stone walls, signed as a bridleway. At the junction at the top turn right and climb the lane up the left hand side of the valley. The lane soon becomes gravel track as it re-enters the trees. Climb straight ahead past all the tracks on either side. After leaving the trees behind continue up the valley and go through a gate, by a farm on the right. This leads on to a flat section of trail that leads to a junction with a gate on the left, by a derelict building (GR989313).

3. Turn left through the gate for a short, steep grassy and muddy climb between the drystone walls. Go through the gate at the top and follow the singletrack along the wall on the left. After a short distance go through a small gate in the drystone wall on the left and into a field. Turn right and descend through the field keeping to the wall on the right. 3/4 of the way down the field, after the boulder launch pad on the left, the track becomes defined and goes through a gate. After the gate the track climbs a short distance before dropping right to another gate (GR974313).

3. After the gate go straight on between the buildings and through a couple of bends on the far side. This leads to a straight wide dirt track that eventually comes to a couple of gates by a farm building on the left. Go through the small gate on the left of the large gate and continue along the track. The track soon descends through a left hand bend to a gate at a stone bridge. Bear right away from the bridge and climb past a track on the left up the concrete double track. At the triangular junction at the top turn left then left again onto the lane by the trees (GR954325). Go over the crest then sdscend to a right hand bend that leads to a gate. Go through the gate on the left to descend a grassy track to the road junction (GR946324).

4. Turn right and climb the lane to the Widdop Reservoir. Go past a car park on the left, just before the reservoir, to a gate on the left (GR937329). Go 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 through a number of bends. Bear left at the junction on a left hand hairpin for the steepest section of the climb (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 right and descends over a short section of bedrock before traversing the hillside to a gate (GR915320).

5. After the gate descend the track to a water bar, which is good for some air, just before a small bridge on a left hand bend. Go up a short climb then follow the trail right for a long rocky decent that has a few more water bars, fun ones you can jump. The descent flattens off and comes to a gate at a junction where the trail ahead can be seen climbing through a left hand bend (GR898324). Take the track on the left, just before the gate, for a short muddy and rocky descent. After a small bridge follow the wide track along the left hand side of the Hurstwood Reservoir. At the junction by the gate, at the far end of the reservoir, climb the track on the left past the pylon. At the junction at the top of the climb follow the main trail as it bears right and descends to a junction at the Cant Clough Reservoir (GR894310).

6. 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 (GR891302). Turn left and follow the trail to a rocky water splash. After the water climb the rocky trail along the wall on the right. Turn right over the stream crossing using either the bridge or the ford. Continue climbing through a number of bends to the next junction. Take the singletrack on the left that climbs to a car park by the Coal Clough wind farm (GR894288).

7. Go through the car park and turn left onto the main road. The road climbs for a little while then flattens off before turning left to a 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 sign posted to Todmorden (GR915276). Descend a short way on this steep lane to a junction by a house on the right (GR914273).

8. Turn left onto the dirt track and descend through an ‘S’ bend to a farm. Take the muddy singletrack off to the left just in front of the house. The track soon firms up and also speeds up. Go straight across the crossroad and descend the rocky, grit stone track. At the bottom negotiate the muddy right hand bend then go up a short climb. If wet it can be difficult to find a line on the corner that is not ankle deep gloop. The trail bears left through a gate for the next boggy section of the ride, again in the dry it is ok but in the wet it is hard going, although still rideable. It soon dries out and descends to the next gate. After the gate follow the trail up a short rocky singletrack climb that stays tight and rocky before some rocky undulations leading to the final boggy section of this trail. Once through the mud and the next gate bear right to the worn flags of the packhorse trail. Descend to the next gate then go straight on for a steeper longer section of stone flags. This soon bears left before coming to a gate. Go through the gate and follow the trail a junction (GR937257).

9. Turn right and descend the steep lane that soon bears left to the next junction (GR940254). Go straight across then head up the grit stone trail that climbs off to the right. The trail soon flattens off and bears left around the edge of the golf course on the left. Descend to a wall ahead and turn left up a short climb then descend to a short muddy section that leads to the golf course car park. Go through the car park to the junction with a lane (GR946249). Turn right and descend to the junction in the village. Turn left past the church. After passing the graveyard and the house on the left take the track on the right directly after the stone house on the right (GR950249). This section of singletrack starts straight as it traverses the crest of a big drop on the right before becoming twisty as it enters the trees. The trail comes to an end as it goes through a right hand hairpin and climbs to a junction (GR956251).

10. Turn right and follow the gravely lane to the next junction at the buildings (GR957249). Turn right and ride into the tight cluster of stone buildings. Keep following the left hand wall to a section of singletrack leading off from the left hand corner of the courtyard. This leads on to a great descent that has a steep, pick your way down rocky start and then speeds up as it goes through a left then right hairpin to end at a car park at the bottom (GR956247).

11. Turn left out of the car park onto the main road (A646). Follow this for a short distance to the next junction and turn right, following the sign for the Youth Hostel. Continue right over the bridge then follow the road left then right to skirt the edge of the canal lock. The climb from the valley floor starts with a steep left hand hairpin before bearing right up the right hand side of a gully. Grind up through the trees, going straight on past the junction to the Youth Hostel to a junction at the bottom of a housing estate (GR962240).

12. Go ahead and slightly left up the second exit from the left on the broken tarmac track between the houses. Climb this track straight on, eventually crossing a crossroad for the final dirt track part of the climb to a gated junction (GR964236). Go through the gate and turn left onto the Mary Towneley Loop. Follow the grit stone trail as it traverses the hillside beneath Stoodley Pike monument. Continue following this trail for a while then bear right and climb under the power cables and climb to a junction just after the wall finishes on the left. Take the track on the right and continue climbing. After a left hand bend go through a gate and climb a rocky part of the track to a gate at the top by a farm (GR981248).

13. After the gate descend the track to the following junction and go straight on along the broken, pot holed tarmac. Go past the next farm buildings to the next junction. Go straight across the crossroad to the next junction (GR989263). Turn left and descend the broken, rocky track. At the bottom turn right and descend the broken tarmac, taking care at the farm buildings a little further on. After the farm turn left to follow the lane as it steepens and drops into the valley. What happens next can get a bit scary as the tarmac suddenly gives way to a section of steep cobbles. They don’t give much grip in the wet. This thankfully gives way to concrete just before going through a blind right then left hand hairpin. After the hairpins continue on down to the junction at the bottom in Hebden Bridge (GR996267).

14. Go straight over the junction, along the very broken tarmac past the railway station on the left and under the bridge. After the bridge follow the lane left and climb a short way to the junction at another bridge. Turn right and cross the canal to the junction with the main road (GR995270). Turn left and follow the main road to the next junction and turn right on the A6033 signed to Haworth and Keighly (GR994271). Climb from the junction then take the second road on the left, in the bottom of the dip. Follow the road a very short way to St George's Square then turn right across the bridge and return to the car park to complete the ride.