Carr Gate, Middleton Park, Oakwell Hall, Spen Valley

Meet: 10:00 for departure at 10:15.

Parking: On the road outside Carr Gate Garden Centre, Old Bradford Road, Carr Gate, Wakefield, WF2 0SY.
There is always plenty of room and it's a really wide no-through road so no issues to park here.

What3Words: https://what3words.com/acting.woke.cattle

Ride Description:
This is a circular route going anti-clockwise from Carr Gate along bridleways and quiet roads to Middleton Park, where there will be the option of doing a loop of any of the green/blue/red graded bike park trails for those who wish to do so.

From here it is off-road across to Gildersome and Drighlington from where we drop down a bridleway to Oakwell Hall, where there is a short blue grade mountain bike loop with a gently rolling track complete with rollers and berms.

Next we take the bridleway out of the Oakwell Hall Park and via quiet roads, including a nice downhill stretch on a quiet lane to Liversedge where we get on the Spen Valley Greenway.

After lunch we carry on along the greenway to Dewsbury where we take the Dewsbury-Osset Greenway through the Earlsheaton tunnel and then on a quiet road up to the Gawthorpe maypole and down the off-road Gawthorpe Lane to Kirkhamgate and a quiet road back to Carr Gate.

Food: Lunch at the "Golden Fish" fish & chip shop, on the Spen Valley Greenway at Liversedge, which has covered outdoor seating - the nearby Sunflower Pot cafe (cash only) may also be an option if open - or you may want to bring your own food/drink if you prefer.

Type of ride: Mixture of trails, paved greenway and some quiet roads.

Technical difficulty: BLUE/RED (Moderate to Difficult), mostly good surfaces with just a few slightly technical sections. However, some sections can be pretty muddy after prolonged wet weather.

Physical difficulty: RED (Difficult). Apart from the greenway section in the middle of the ride which is gradually descending for 7 miles, this is quite hilly with some steep climbs and fast descents both on and off road. Total (aggregate) ascent is 2,500ft, so a good level of fitness is required.

Distance: 29 miles.

Duration: 5 hours estimated (including stops).

Suitable For: Mountain bikes (hardtail is fine) or hybrid with decent tyres.

Recommendations: Spare Tube, Tools, Pump, (optional Lunch), Snacks, Water.

Safety: No Helmet = No Ride!