Tour de France/Yorkshire

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Julian Earl — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 10:17:05 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Tour de FRANCE and Yorkshire ?

Now where did I put my atlas? I feel in need of some geography revision!

Wynne

[/quote]

Millions and millions of people all over the world will see the beauty of Yorkshire and the attractions of the countryside.

Anecdote time, so bear with me please:

A good few years ago I went on a cycling holiday in northern Spain and stayed with a Spanish family for a couple of days who I had met the previous year. As a Yorkshireman I took them a towel with a Yorksire map on it, just as a thank you for volunteering to put me up. When I arrived there, gave Miguel and his wife the towel, he held it up, and bearing in mind this was in the eighties, he looked at it and sasid[imagine the Spanish accent now...] Aha, "Yoorksheeere", looked at me and immediately drew his right hand across his own throat making a pretend choking noise... Yes, the middle of a small isolatedSpanish village and all that yorkshire meant at that time was: The Yorkshire Ripper!.

Now that may be thirty years ago, but it was an uncomfortable demonstration of how places become associated with events and the world is smaller than we might think. Perhaps if Miguel and family watch the Tour this summer, they will learn about the very good side to Yorkshire as well?

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Ian Mostyn — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 23:45:16 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Tour de FRANCE and Yorkshire ?

Now where did I put my atlas? I feel in need of some geography revision!

Wynne

[/quote]

As Yorkshire is at the centre of the known Universe and the most important place (Gods Own County) it really should be the Tour de Yorkshire finishing in France. The organisers of the tour are setting up a new race for next year which has been given a higher ranking than the Tour of Britain!! (At least until someone noticed and upgraded the ToB). No need for an Atlas now.

Ian

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 19:59:51 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Tour de FRANCE and Yorkshire ?

Now where did I put my atlas? I feel in need of some geography revision!

Wynne

[/quote]

True - and stage 2 ends in sheffield, stage 3 starts in cambridge! Lazy sons, send 'em down the A1 like everyone else, why are they letting them take a few miles off?

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 19:53:33 GMT

They are coming through Wensleydale on the Saturday. We will have no access to the surgery for a period of time. Not especially happy about it. Think we are ALL going to have to be on duty to cover different bits of the practice. One of us gets to go in the emergency services hub with police, fire and ambulance.

Would be nice viewing over Buttertubs.

http://youtu.be/WLebmoXOukc

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Wren — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 14:53:45 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

Tour de FRANCE and Yorkshire ?

Now where did I put my atlas? I feel in need of some geography revision!

Wynne

[/quote]

They start it outside France every second year

Thanks to everyone for suggestions. Will look into some of the less populous spots than Holme Moss. Harry Gration is tackling it on a tandem for Look North at this very moment - I hope the weather's a little more clement for the TdF (and the spectatotrs!) in July.

The £60/night sounds a little more like it! Do let me know if you get any details thanks.

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 13:46:17 GMT

Tour de FRANCE and Yorkshire ?

Now where did I put my atlas? I feel in need of some geography revision!

Wynne

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

David Mills — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 22:09:23 GMT

If thinking of Cragg Vale, you may want to look at camping sites in Littleborough - Hollingworth Lake caravan park is about 3 miles away - or if you don't mind a cycle, Ashworth Valley in Rochdale which is about 6 miles away. If cycling, you've got Blackstone Edge to get up at the end, which is a gentle if long climb. If at Ashworth Valley, you'll have to cycle through Rochdale, which can be depressing.

Failing that, for a good bottle of single malt, you could always stay with my parents who live in Littleborough if you don't mind being licked by a choc lab most hours in the day.

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Ian Mostyn — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 21:44:42 GMT

There are three obvious hill climbs on stage 2 - Oxenhope Moor out of Haworth (get your Bronte fix here), Cragg Vale from Mytholmroyd to Blackstone Edge (longest continuous hill climb in England and the only part of the stage that gets into Lancashire) & Holme Moss (likely the only categorised climb on the stage - I think it will be a Cat 2 - it will be packed though).

I was planning on parking near Rochdale and walking up Blackstone Edge to the top of Cragg Vale as I think Holme Moss will be too busy. Oxenhope Moor is tempting but Cragg Vale is so local it is the obvious choice. I have been up Cragg Vale from 3 directions and it is a longish drag but not overly steep. A couple of the hills upto Oxenhope are steeper but quite short. It depends how tired you want the riders to be but I suspect that it will be a breakaway of some British riders then the main peloton. I don't think the race will break up more than that until Jenkin Road at the end (upto 30% climb 5km from the end) but it should still be a sprinters stage.

I haven't looked at camping as we are so close - you could always camp a bit further away and cycle in?

Ian

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:55:17 GMT

We'll be there.... maybe could manage to watch from same point and share a bottle???

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Kate Richardson — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:50:24 GMT

We are going up for the weekend, also camping but not sure where, staying Friday/Sat night only- I will find out where and let you know but is £60 each for 2 nights so reasonable. Would also love some inside info on good places to watch from! Maybe we can meet up for some vino! Essential component of the weekend!

Re: Tour de France/Yorkshire

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 15:30:51 GMT

Hi wren! We live fairly close to the route so Ian has cycled the area many times but rarely checks the forums

Email him on ian@ianmostyn.co.uk and I'm sure he'll be able to answer any questions about the route!