Welcome to a new trail that connects bridleways and quiet lanes along moors and valleys shaped by three rivers.
We’ve called it the Headwaters Trail as the circular route takes you to the ‘head of the waters’ - the source - of the River Calder, the River Aire and the River Don high up on the Pennine moors or what locals call ‘the tops’.
There are two route options on the event weekend in May. The ‘short’ route is 250km with 3,300 meters of climbing and the ‘long’ route of 325km and 4,750 meters of climbing.
The trail takes you from Hebden Bridge along the canal towpath up through the oak woodland on the steep valley slope and north onto superb moorland trails on millstone grit. After passing through the ancient hamlet of Wycoller we ride across rolling hills in the South Pennines and on the long route climb up onto limestone ridges to arrive at Malham Tarn and onto Mastiles Lane and then south along drovers lanes to arrive in Skipton whilst the short route goes east from Gargrave to head directly to Skipton on the excellent gravel towpath along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
Our first campsite is on a farm a few miles outside Addingham and you can eat and rest up here or press on to find a bivy spot further along the trail.
The Headwaters Trail is not all moorland and Pennine hills as the route uses the towpath for a long easy ride on the Leeds - Liverpool canal, past the spectacular Five Rise Locks at Bingley (the middle image on the row of photos below) and onto the docks in Leeds city center. From here we travel south following the thick blue watery vein that is the River Aire along many miles of flat cycle paths to arrive at Castleford and then on through woods, fields, the edges of modern industrial estates to arrive at a World Heritage Site that celebrates our mining heritage at Elsecar.
Turning west we head to the gem that is Wharncliffe Woods with its fast flowing gravel tracks as good as any trail center and onto a reclaimed railway line to Penistone where there are excellent cafes to sample. Another dozen miles and you arrive at our second campsite on a farm outside Shepley with its grass field for your tent and cosy barn to enjoy a much needed artisan pizza.
We are now at the edge of the Peak District and we make a line due north on lanes and tracks the highlight being the long flowing descent down Wessenden Valley and into Marsden. The finish line at Mytholmroyd is a few hours ride away and here pie and peas are waiting for you on Monday. You don’t have to hurry though as we’ll wait till everyone returns.
GPX file of the 325km route
Embroidered cloth badge and ‘Known Pleasures’ trail postcard (shown below) are available to purchase if you ride the trail outside the event. Contact: yorkshiredivide@gmail.com
Saturday 4th May - Monday 6th May, 2024
Entry Options
1. BIKEPACKER
Self-supported ride using the gpx files and the Event Hub in Mytholmroyd.
2. Supported option
‘Ride, meals x4, campsites x2, GPS tracker and luggage transfer’
Included in entry for all riders
1. Event hub
Every epic adventure needs support and so we will have a hub where riders gather, sign on, have a cup of tea / coffee and fuel up on home made flapjacks and Mythomroyd Commnity Centre (MYCC) is ideally placed with excellent faciclities for our needs. There is a large car park at the front of the Center, Mytholmroyd train station is 5 minutes away and the route 323km route starts by taking us down Caldene Avenue and onto the cycle track into Hebden Bridge, a lovely flat 2km start to your adventure.
In additon the center has showers and toilets that you can access anytime the center is open from 10am-6pm. The Event Room has a bag drop facility. There is a well equipped kitchen that we use to prepare your Monday ‘pie n peas’.
Riders can register on the Saturday from 5.30am and should aim to be on the trail by 8am. The registration desk will stay open till 10am. Map and and directions to the MYCC can be found at the foot of this page.
2. GPX file
To get you around the route two field tested gpx files will be sent to your email address three weeks prior to the event. One file will be for the ‘outward’ journey from Mytholmroyd to Skipton and the second file for the ‘return’ from Skipton back to Mytholmroyd. This is because the data takes up so much space it is better split over two files.
3. Pie n Peas
Proper Yorkshire grub. Four types of pies (meat, veggie, vegan and gluten-free) and one type of mushy peas though there is the option of baked beans. Served hot on Monday 11am-6pm.
4. Badge
Every rider who crosses the finish line will be awarded an embroidered cloth badge with the Yorkshire Divide logo. The badge is made in Leeds by Ensign Design who also stitch the badges we use on the Calder Divide Trail and the Mills n Moors Series.
5. Trail Poster
The starting Point
Venue: Mytholmroyd Community Center
Location: Caldene Avenue, Mytholmroyd, Hebden Bridge, HX7 5AF
Time: 5.30am - 10am but riders should aim to be on the trial by 8am.
What3words: mend.relatives.warthog
Map: See below
supported ride
Sometimes you might want a bit of support on a long ride. On the Headwaters Trail we offer a ‘ride, camp, eat’ ticket which has two campsites, meals and luggage transfer included in the signing on cost. The details are:
1.Campsites and Luggage transfer
On the supported ride there are two campsites. The first outside Addingham and the second outside Shepley. Each campsite is on a working farm and has level grass pitches for your tent and there’ll be tables, chairs and a hot water urn for your tea and coffee. Small camper vans (eg, Ford / VW), tents or bivy bags can be used at each campsite.
On the first campsite there is a classic British campsite brick toilet block with separate male / female toilets and sinks so you wash your socks / smalls etc. There is hot running water. There will be a fire pit. There are benches but no marque or barn.
The second campsite will have several porta loos that you see at festivals and each has a sink with cold running water. There is a cosy wooden barn to relax in on the Sunday night.
On the supported ride there is luggage transfer of your tent and spare clothes etc between:
(a) the Event HQ and the Saturday night camp and
(b) from the Saturday camp onto the Sunday camp and of course
(c) all your gear is taken back to the Event HQ in Mytholmroyd early Monday morning.
2. meals
On the supported ride at each campsite there will be an onsite artisan food vendor who will provide your evening meal and breakfast included in the cost of the ticket. The food provided on both evenings will vary and there is the option of purchasing beer or soft drinks if you wish.
At the two campsites there’ll also be hot water urns so you can make tea/coffee from the provisions we provide. In addition there’ll be hot soup and bread to revive you as you arrive at camp after a long day in the saddle. Remember you have to put up your own tent!!
3. GPS tracker
A tracker is included in the cost of the ‘ride, eat, camp’ ticket. Live GPS trackers are amazing technology as they allow friends, family and Event Officials to see your progress and watch the event unfold in real time on a phone, laptop or TV screen. This is often called ‘dot watching’ and is surprisingly addictive! GPS trackers provided by Follow My Challenge.
This is a large part of the signing on cost but it comes with many advantages namely we can get the soup / bread / tea / coffee / cold beer ready for your arrival.
