Even before I rode this one I did wonder if it would make the 50 or not. Anywhere else but Calderdale and it’d be a shoo-in but with so many contenders some rides were bound to fall by the wayside. Before I could dismiss it though, I still had to ride it to find out for myself. In any case, the way my route was planned that day this climb formed part of a link between two others.
In such a rural setting it’s quite a surprise to find such a substantial mill at the bottom of what otherwise looks like a quiet country lane. But, at the weekend at least there is very little traffic and putting the mill amongst the trees at the bottom of the valley reduces its impact. It certainly makes for an unmistakeable starting point.
So, line yourself up next to the forbidding metal fence of the recycling mill and start pedalling back up Dog Lane towards Stainland. This is a fairly short ride but as it manages an ascent of 80 metres in 850 metres of roadway there’s little respite. You head up east from the mill along Dog Lane and take the left turn (uphill of course) at the junction onto Coldwells Hill. The rest of the ride is a simple matter of keeping climbing until you hit the T-junction in the middle of the village.
The Calderdale 50 