Calder Divide Trail

Calder Divide Trail The Calder Divide Trail is a long distance circular route that connects the old network of packhorse

On the Southern Washlands the Calder Divide Trail takes riders across a long and flowing gravel track. This is St Aidans...
03/06/2026

On the Southern Washlands the Calder Divide Trail takes riders across a long and flowing gravel track.

This is St Aidans where the River Calder joins the River Aire and for 40 years it was an opencast coal mine where 6 million tonnes of ‘black gold’ was dug out by huge ‘walking’ drag lines the largest of which was over 1,200 tonnes.

In 1988 one of the diggers cut too close to the bank of the River Aire and for two days the waters of the river poured into the deep pits. Today those scars are healed by reeds and massive ponds home to an impressive number and variety of birds.

‘Oddball’ sits on the high bank looking out at this green and blue oasis. We pass this giant drag line, the size of 60 double decker buses, as we head to Castleford, the furthest point east on the Calder Divide.

Route: ‘Washlands’ CDT
Event: 5th Calder Divide Trail
Date: 19th - 20th September
Routes: Two grvl and two MTB
Distance: 100 miles or 160 miles
Format: Bikepacking and campsite
Options: Ride in one day or two, bivy on moor, camp or BnB
Tickets: £25 / £65 / £85

www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

01/06/2026

I need variety on a long bike ride. A tough climb, a long descent on an old track, a singletrack cutting through the heather and a bit of greenway to connect the good stuff.

The Calder Divide Trail does this and it puts you on the watershed where the River Calder, River Holme and River Colne rise and flow to meet the River Aire at Castleford.

Event: 5th Calder Divide Trail
Date: 19th - 20th September
Format: Bikepack or luggage transfer
Routes: GRVL at 100km and 160km
MTB at 105km and 155km
Campsite: At the half way mark (or go Air BnB)
Hub: Mytholmroyd Commmunity Centre

Ticket: £25, £65, £85

In aid of Overgate Hospice

www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

Busy in Marsden as I pop to the Coop on Peel Street for snacks and water.I reckon I’ll need the fuel to get up the stone...
31/05/2026

Busy in Marsden as I pop to the Coop on Peel Street for snacks and water.

I reckon I’ll need the fuel to get up the stone causeway on Marsden Moor.

The climb is worth the effort as it’s top riding on a few miles of moorland singletrack that sits below P**e Hill.

Event: 5th Calder Divide Trail
Date: 19th - 20th September
Tickets: From £25

Gravel bike routes:
‘Coxley’ 100 miles
‘Washlands’ 145 miles

MTB routes:
‘Chelburn’ 100 miles
‘Whirlaw’ 150 miles

Trail info and gpx files are on:

www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

30/05/2026

Eroded trails are damaging to the moor and often not that much fun to ride so when local groups work together to regenerate moorland habitat and improve access then it’s a win win.

There are still long sections of the bridleway across Marsden Moor that are ‘natural’ so this is no tame, dull trail centre.

There are streams to cross, rock gardens to navigate and a feeling of a wide open green space to enjoy.

All four routes on the 5th Calder Divide Trail weekend on 19th - 20th September take riders across this moor. It’s a place you’ll remember riding!

www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

27/05/2026

On the 5th Calder Divide Trail event both the long gravel and long MTB routes take riders up onto Flower Scar Moor high up above Todmorden in West Yorkshire.

Today there is a wind farm up top and tracks that take us to the source of the River Calder.

Gravel riders get to Flower Scar from the ridge to the south and then descend the steep gravel track to pop out at Todmorden train station.

Mtbers climb up the gravel track and for their hard work are rewarded with a long and bumpy track down to Portsmouth.

It’s definitely worth the effort.

www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

NB: the two short routes don’t go up to FSM.

17/05/2026

These two gravel riders were on the singletrack across the moor above Hebden Bridge. Did I catch them up?

Its a twisty and bumpy track across Midgley Moor and its one that rewards you every time.

At the gate at the top of the Catherine House descent, a very long and steep drop, I caught the riders up and we chatted.

A good day to be out on a popular section of the Calder Divide Trail mtb route.

Event: 5th Calder Divide Trail
Date: 19th-20th September
Hub: Mytholmroyd Community Centre

Routes: 4 options on the weekend with x2 GRVL and x2 MTB

Format: Bikepacking or luggage transfer

Tickets: From £25

www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

14/05/2026

The Calder Divide Trail is an adventure ride across ‘12 valleys, 6 moors and 1 floodplain’.

From ancient bridleways on the Pennine moors to new gravel tracks in the Southern Washlands the CDT takes you through a stunning landscape.

It’s not all remote moorland as we pass through small towns like Hebden Bridge, Marsden and Castleford.

On the 5th Calder Divide weekend there are four routes to choose from with two grvl and two MTB options.

A few riders can complete the route in one day but most take two days with a farm campsite at the half way point.

Event: Calder Divide Trail
Distance: 100 to 135 miles
Tickets: From £25 for under 25yo

Info at www.calderdividetrail.co.uk

06/05/2026

Some sections of the Calder Divide Trail puts you on rough moorland tracks but here we are on fast flowing gravel on a former railway line that moved coal up to Pen*stone.

https://yorkshiredivide.co.uk/cdt


22/04/2026

The Calder Divide Trail is the only bikepacking route in the world to trace the flow of a single river by connecting tracks and lanes along its watershed.

In the Pennines a watershed is where streams gather on the high ground and flow either west to the Irish Sea or east to the North Sea.

The River Calder has its source on Flower Scar Moor high above Todmorden and its on this high ground, away from the boggy valley floor, that the earliest tracks were made by hunter gathers and, centuries later, by medieval packhorse traders as they transported salt and wool across the region.

The old tracks are still there, hidden in the folds of the hills and our trail connects them in a circular route that embraces the Rivers Colne, Holme and Spen as they join the Calder and flow onto Castleford to meet the River Aire.

Event: 5th Calder Divide Trail
Date: 19th-20th September

https://yorkshiredivide.co.uk/cdt

15/04/2026

Dropping into Hebden Bridge to get a bite to eat at Mamil 😋 after a tough ride over the tops to Gaddings Dam.

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Mytholmroyd Community Centre
Mytholmroyd
HX75AF

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