A 37 miles (4000 feet) pootle yesterday through Keighley, Haworth and Oxenhope up the A6033 on the Oxenhope Moor climb (5/10 in Simon Warren’s book) to the point at the top of the hill where the road is blocked for repair, “including cyclists and pedestrians” , no less! - and back through Cullingworth and the sharp little climb up Park Road out of Bingley towards Ilkley Moor.
A pity about the road closure because from there it is a delightful 5 miles downhill to Hebden Bridge. Apparently, the road is one of the Dept of Transport’s most dangerous (narrow, winding, steep, dark) and the road will be closed for 5 months to sort it out.
I think this was the road across which the famous Blue Pig Hill Race (held in January 1988 and 1989) crossed but after attracting over 500 runners in 1989 the police intervened over the “limited” parking arrangements (see previous paragraph) and Dave Yates of Calder Valley FR never organised the event again.
Billy Bland was 5th in 1989 so clearly a race worth a long drive!
(The “Blue Pig” is the pub at Midgehole down the valley side from the A6033).
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