Sheffield to Huddersfield

(Continuation of the City Centre & Hunters Bar to Oughtibridge Routes) Huddersfield is your gateway to the scenic parts of West Yorkshire. To the East lies Wakefield and the Yorkshire Rustbelt (which is not without its charms) whilst you can follow the towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to Standedge Tunnel before taking the drovers route over to Diggle, or climb up to Ainley before hurtling down the dual carriageway to Calderdale, with Hebden Bridge in your sights. In Huddersfield itself the Head of Steam, at the station, is a useful watering hole.

(i) Utility route. From Oughtibridge, just head up the A616 to Stocksbridge. This generally isn’t too bad for cycling, but be aware of the occasional idiot who drives too fast.

Once through Stocksbridge, take the minor road to your left just below the dam, signposted ‘Midhopestones’. Climb the hill — at the unsignposted road triangle with a bench in the middle turn right. At the T-junction turn right and in the village turn left before the bridge. Follow this minor road to Langsett. This avoids a thoroughly nasty stretch of the 616, which has now picked up traffic from the Stocksbridge bypass. Langsett Café is a recommended “Cyclists Welcome” tea stop.

Unfortunately you do now have to take the A616 for a short but very busy stretch up to Flouch — be very careful along here. Straight across at the roundabout and you are on a quieter stretch of road, follow through Hepworth and up to Crow Edge, where the Holme Valley, a typical West Yorks vista, stretches out before you. Once you’ve swooped down into the valley, a long steady downhill awaits you. Holmfirth, well furnished with cafes and pubs, is off to your left. The road doesn’t get too busy until you are quite close to the town centre—at the junction in Lockwood you can avoid some of it by using the cycle slip and the minor road past some factories, although you still have a right turn across the main road at the end – local cyclists tend to take to the pavement around here. Sadly there is no welcoming cycle route as you enter the centre — use the pedestrian crossing to get into the pedestrianised shopping area, or the service roads to each side.

The Station is off to your left, and there are a choice of rail routes to get you home—the direct train via Penistone, which can be busy, or the local train to Wakefield Kirkgate, where you can change for the Leeds – Sheffield ‘FAST’ service. Both routes take roughly the same time.

From the station you can also follow the signs for Route 69, a Greenway that will take you to Route 66 towards Mirfield & Wakefield. Click here for a sponsored bike ride along this route in April 2010.