The Calder Divide Trail
| Under 25* | £25.00 | |
| Over 25* | £50.00 | |
| * All fees relative to Event Date (14/09/2024) | ||
Camping: £10 |
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Join us on the Calder Divide Trail as we tackle the only route in the British Isles to trace the watershed of a river. For the bikepacker that means you weave your way across ‘12 valleys, 6 moors and 1 floodplain’ on paths of gravel, peat and stone that were once trading routes for coal, lead, salt and wool and have been part of the landscape for over 800 years.
The Calder Divide Trail came about due to a promise 'to do a big ride' for our riding buddy, Will, who had cancer. On the week of his funeral (online due to covid) I saw a map of the British Isles centered on its river basins and saw that a new trail was waiting to be made along the high ground and floodplain where the Calder flows. Our aim is to raise funds to support the work of Overgate Hospice for one day to the amount of £2000. The previous two CDT events raised a total of £6,000.
The event will have four circular routes along the high ground along the River Calder and its three main tributaries the River Spen, River Holme and River Colne. There are route options for gravel riders and mountain bikers ranging from 100 miles to 160 miles. As each route is approximately 70% 'off-road' those miles will take you much longer than you think. As a general rule one mile ‘off-road’ is equivalent to three miles on tarmac. Each route will start from Mytholmroyd Community Center with a camping village at the halfway point.
Each route starts by taking you through the park in Hebden Bridge, up through the oak woods and then wave after wave of Pennine moor. Each route passes over the dam head at Ogden. along the ace Spen Valley Greenway, over to Shepley then onto Marsden with its many cafes and pubs. The routes differ in the trails used to get you back to MYCC but all riders get to enjoy the long descent down the gravel trail in Wessenden Valley.
The trails - There are four circular routes that vary in length from 100 miles to 160 miles. A rider is free to choose whichever route takes their fancy but two of the routes have trails selected for gravel bikes and two with trails selected for mountain bikes. Please see the page titled ‘CDT in 2024’ for further info and guidance on which trail might suit you and your bike.
GPX files - A link to all the routes will be sent to your email address two weeks before the event.
Event Guide - A printed 24 page booklet with an overview of the routes, location of the campsite and supply points such as cafes, coops and pubs will be sent to your home address a month before the event.
Nutrition - Tea / coffee / juice / toast at the start and pie n peas on Sunday 11-6pm (meat / vegan / gluten free).
Starting times - There is no mass start as riders are released in ‘waves’ at 5 minutes intervals between 6am - 10am on Saturday.
Venue - Mytholmroyd Community Center (MYCC) has a large, free car park and is two minutes from Mytholmroyd train station on the main line between Leeds and Manchester. We have an event room where riders sign on between 5.30am - 10am and throughout the weekend there is access to changing rooms, first class showers, toilets. In 2024 the Event Room will be closed from 12 noon on Saturday till 11am on Sunday.
Camping village - There is the option of pitching at our camping village halfway round the trail. It is a working farm with a level grass field for your tent, secure lockups for your bike and ample toilets for your basic needs. No showers. There will be food vendors and in the large wooden barn with our homemade benches there will be soup and bread for when you arrive and a hot water urn for a tea/coffee. (£10 for camping). The farm is at the edge of a village which is served by two good pubs.
Luggage transfer - Go ‘traditional’ bikepacking and carry your own bivy/tent or opt to drop your tent and sleeping bag at the Event HQ and it will be transferred up to and back from the camping village. (£15 cover charge for bag transfer).
Saturday night social - The campsite on Saturday has a barn which is a great space to relax in and share a few stories.
Pie n peas - On Sunday from 11am till 6pm hot pie n peas will be served (meat / vegan / gluten free) as well as tea/coffee/juice.
Badge and certificate - All riders who return to Mytholmroyd on the Sunday will be awarded a green cloth badge embroidered with the CDT logo.
YouTube film about the CDT: https://youtu.be/6HNyZ6wt3-s
For Instagram updates follow Yorkshire Divide
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View the Event Cancellation / Refund Policy.
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