Trans Pennine Trail

Lymm to Hornsea

May 10th - May 12th 2002

We decided fo try the recently opened Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) which passes very close to our village.  The route runs from Southport in the West to Hornsea in the East but we decided to pick it up at Heatley, Nr. Lymm which is only about 9 miles from our village.

There were 8 intrepid cyclists - Mark, Nigel, Rod, Graham (the fit ones) David and Dominic (quite fit) and John and myself (OK but not as fit as we should be).  Only 5 were to complete the course.

Day One Lymm to Penistone (65 miles)

This was the longest day and the hilliest as we did the entire climb of the Pennines.  The route is a mixture of off-road trails (old railways and river side tracks) and roads.  The start for us was really good - nice back lanes and railway tracks and before we knew it we were in south Manchester - only 18 miles which is about 7 miles less than you can do it in a car.  It's surprising how nice Stretford looks from the banks of the Mersey.  The route has some sandy stretches which tend to make you fall off your bike!

The worst part of the day was getting around Stockport, the route is poorly signed, especially where feeder routes meet.  All that is needed is to clearly mark the main route (e.g. TPT EAST or TPT HULL) and then put local route info.  We kept on having to back track to recover the route. Once through Stockport it's back on tracks and minor roads and the climb into the hills start.  Not too bad to start with but they soon become noticeable.  Lunch was taken on the road at the top of Broadbottom then a quick descent followed by another pull up.  All the time you get routed through estates when you feel there must be a better route.  Gamesley is an example - you cycle round three sides of an estate for no reason.

Another pull up into Hadfield and it's onto the railway track which is to take you to Penistone (except for one last hill!)  Nice trail alongside the reservoirs, splendid views of the hills all around.  Eventually you get to the Woodhead Tunnels - which are closed to the public - so it is a very steep pull on rough tracks up and over the hills onto an old coach road - which runs along the tops - once again great views.  Then a very quick descent into Dunsford Bridge (The quick, fit lads nearly got to 50 MPH at this point.)  Back onto the railway and a quick, gentle descent into Penistone.  Overnight at The Old Crown, plenty of opportunity for a curry and a beer or several.

Day Two Penistone to Selby (58 miles)

We lost our first rider overnight - actually John had always planned to leave as he had to be elsewhere for the weekend.  A quick digression here.  For some reason only known to themselves Dominic and David decided to try to the route on road bikes. Not their best idea.  The tracks are quite bad and wheels were knocked out of true and punctures were plenty.  Dominic swapped his road bike for Johns all terrain bike.  

The day started back on the railway but about 4 miles down the line it went off road into a very steep bit.  This was much too soon after breakfast and everyone needed to push their bikes up that bit.  A bit of road then back off road through woods, dropping all the time.  By this time my right knee was starting to hurt badly - I had tweaked it the day before - but it had seemed OK in the morning.  Soon you are going round Barnsley, towards Doncaster - and it doesn't look like it - it's all very green now the pits have long gone.  The track leaves a bit to be desired in some places  - very rough in places and lots of burned out cars.  Lunch (Fish and Chips) in Bentley, outside Doncaster, left us a reasonably flat run into Selby.  It should have been very nice - esp. the bit alongside a long canal but the surface was diabolical.  Through Owlerton Woods they have put down a very deep layer of limestone chippings.  Your bike just sinks into it and you can't steer.  Alongside the canal it's even worse - it's a very fine deep layer - and it's just like going through sand - very slow and no real control.  They need to take a bit off the top here.  Anyway - into Snaith, a bit of road then an old airfield and back onto the canal into Selby.  At least on this side of the Pennines the signing of the route is MUCH better.  Overnight in a wonderful B&B, great Italian and good beer.  Graham had to return home this evening due to prior engagement.

Day Three Selby to Hornsea (60 miles approx)

I dropped out for this day (knee was very sore) and assisted David G in providing support/backup for the cyclists.  The mileage I quote is approx as I wasn't measuring it.  The day is very flat, apart from a detour to go up the only hill in the area, and a lot of it is on roads.  I lent my ATB to David R as he had been in big trouble with his road bike.  The route eventually gets to the Humber, goes under the bridge and into Kingston-Upon-Hull.  This is bad enough to drive through - apparently it's even worse on a bike.  The final 17 miles to Hornsea are on an old railway line and quite uneventful.  The wind had got up and was into their faces for this last bit.  Hard work.  

On the way back Mark discovered he had left his house keys in the other car and we had to turn back and pick them up - he had a plane to catch in Manchester!  Rod's Jeep decided to finally give up the ghost with it's battery - leaving half the team stranded in Hornsea waiting fro the roadside rescue to get there.

Summary.

Surprisingly not a very taxing way to get over the Pennines.  It has some very beautiful scenery but spends too much time going through towns/built up areas for no real reason.  The surface ranges from excellent to diabolical.  The other problem are the styles/gates/barriers.  A lot of it is off-road and these are there to stop people riding motorbikes/cars down the tracks - but you do get a bit fed up of getting off the bike to negotiate them.

Thanks: