I did this route straight after doing Trooper Lane so by comparison it felt easy. Then I checked my time on Strava and found that I had cycled up it a lot slower than I had imagined feasible.
The A647 Boothtown Road takes you north out of Halifax towards Queensbury. It’s a steady climb away from the town centre and the hardest part will probably be negotiating the nightmare that is the local traffic system. Halifax prides itself on being “car friendly” which is another way of saying “crap for cyclists” so mind how you go.
Ploughcroft Lane is a turning on the right and it starts pretty much where the buildings stop. You shouldn’t have too much difficulty in spotting it, those cobbles are a bit of a give away.
It’s tough going from the off. I don’t know about you, but for me cobbles make a tough climb tougher. Fortunately this isn’t the hardest one around and it’s a matter of gritting your teeth and keeping the wheels spinning. Towards the top things flatten off a little and ahead of you on the right, the off-white of the dry ski slope makes for an odd sight. Continue all the way to the junction and then turn around and take in the view – Halifax has a great setting.
The Calderdale 50 