I turned off to the right and behind Boothtown Methodist
Church to the small park (Akrodon Square) and memorial column
where I took a photo of my bike by the memorial which was a
filming location for Alan Bennett's film ‘A Day Out’. I returned
to the busy and continued my descent into Halifax and its
swirling network of interconnecting roads. As cars whizzed bye I
tried to spot the road sign for Sowerby Bridge but missed it. |
Akroydon Square Halifax. |
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Akroydon Square Halifax. |
A Day Out by Alan Bennett. |
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I rode through the houses and was soon able to rejoin the
correct route on the A58 then A646 down to Sowerby Bridge. The
riding was now easy and the road levelled out for a while as I
approached Hebden Bridge. |
When I came to the point where
the Rochdale canal runs under the road I decided to take the
cycleway along the canal and avoid the traffic. I wish I’d done
it sooner as I could have got on it in Sowerby Bridge. I left
the canal for a while in Hebden Bridge to have a look at the
ancient bridge then returned to the canal to ride on towards
Todmorden. |
Hebden Bridge. |
Todmorden - Rochdale Canal. |
Todmorden. |
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Most of the route was enjoyable except for the cobbled overflow
sections where I had to push my bike. I was able to bypass
Todmorden and reach the A6033 Rochdale Road where the towpath
goes through a stone arched tunnel under the road. On the far
side are some interesting vertical metal lock sluice gates. I
cycled west along the road to the right turn off on the A681
Bacup Road. I wasn’t looking forward to it because this is the
long and steep climb to Bacup. Things started OK and I tried to
keep no lower than gear no 2. When it got so steep that I was in
gear no 1 & continued but on 3 occasions I thought it would be a
good idea to stop and catch my breath before continuing. One
strange thing was a woman in a small van stopped up ahead and
started to film me on her phone. It happened a couple of times
and when I got to the top of the climb she was there again and I
stopped for a chat. I still don't know why she did it. |
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Then a long descent into Bacup then the A681 to Waterfoot where
I stopped briefly to look at the work that had been done by the
railway tunnel walkway portal. The riding continued easily
through Rawtenstall and on to Haslingden where my next big
challenge was. I started the long steep climb over the Grane
Road to Bellthorn but the main problem was the constant stream
of traffic whizzing bye at speed. I was so glad to Reach
Belthorn and clear descent to Guide. |
Waterfoot old Railway tunnels. |
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On the Blackamoor Road descent I had another treat as the bottom
section had been bypassed with the new Issa Way and I could
continue on the clear old road with bike and pedestrian access
at the bottom. I followed Branch Road in Lower Darwen then along
Livesey Branch Road to join the A674 at the Fielden Arms. I
found the climb of Moulden Brow a bit tougher than expected.
Then passing the Toll Bar and Finnington I climbed above the
Hoghton Arms and thankfully then on easy roads to Town Lane and
home. |
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