On the 20th - 21st September 2025 join us on the Calder Divide Trail as we tackle the only route in the British Isles to trace the watershed of a river.
For the bikepacker that means you weave your way across ‘12 valleys, 6 moors and 1 floodplain’ on paths of gravel, peat and stone that were once trading routes and have been a part of the landscape for over 800 years. Its our land. Lets ride it.
The routes differ in three ways:
1. Whether they go over or around Midgley Moor in the Calder Valley - The ‘Coxley’ gravel route goes around the moor on farmers double track whilst the two mtb routes go over the moor on its singletrack and down the technical and rocky ‘enduro’ style descent. The ‘Washlands’ gravel goes to the ‘Top of the Stairs’ and onto rough but ok tracks over Ogden Moor.
2. How far downstream along the River Calder you go - The long gravel route takes you to where the Calder merges with the Aire at Castleford and so you enjoy the quality gravel tracks in the Southern Washlands and you cross over the ace Millennium Bridge. The other 3 routes use bridges around Dewsbury and Wakefield to cross the Calder and head east into the wonderful Coxley Valley.
3. Canal towpath or rough moorland on the final stretch - The two short routes - ‘Chelburn’ and ‘Coxley’ take riders along the towpath of the Rochdale Canal whereas the two long routes - ‘Washlands’ and ‘Whirlaw’ - head up onto the moors before dropping down to Hebden Bridge.
four Routes
1. ‘coxley’ - gravel bike ‘blue’ grade route
This GRAVEL bike route keeps to bridleways and greenways suitable for a gravel bike with 40+mm tyres. There are of course rough tracks along the 167km and 2,760 meters of elevation (104 miles and 11,800 feet of climbing)as they have been exposed to 800 years of wind and rain but there are no technical downhill mtb tracks.
The standout sections are ace gravel trails through Coxley Valley, quality bridleways in Crimsworth Dean, the long flowing greenway along the Spen Valley, the fast descent of Wessenden Valley and the recently upgraded track along London Road in the Calder Valley.
The campsite is at Marsh Farm, 100km on the route on the edge of Shepley village.
2. ‘washlands’ - gravel bike ‘red’ grade route
An expert level GRAVEL route with 236km and 3,615 meters of elevation / 146 miles and 11,800 feet of climbing. The route keeps to bridleways and greenways suitable for a gravel bike with 40+mm tyres. The campsite is at Marsh Farm on the edge of Shepley village at 144km.
The main differences compared to the 167km gravel route it that this route takes riders further east onto the superb gravel trails in the Southern Washlands, on through the spectacular tracks across Bretton Hall park and in the far west we climb onto rough but fascinating moorland tracks above Todmorden.
3. mtb - ‘blue’ grade route
This is a ‘blue’ grade mountain bike route with 160km / 100 miles and 2,800 metres / 9,235 feet of climbing. The route includes long sections of moorland singletrack, technical descents down rocky paths, trails along steep sided wooded valleys and 12 miles on traffic-free greenway, sections of canal towpath and minor roads.
The campsite is at 89kms / 55 miles on the event weekend. (see map below).
4. mtb - ‘black’ grade route
A ‘black’ grade mountain bike route with 235km / 146 miles and 4,000 meters / 13,200 feet of climbing. It is much tougher than is suggested by the elevation profile and mileage. This route is only suitable for riders used to strenuous physical and mental challenges.
There are long sections of trails with steep drop-offs, loose rocks, stream crossings, exposed and weather beaten moorland and hike a bike. There are also many miles of traffic-free greenways, quality gravel trails, canal towpaths and minor roads. This is the ‘original’ CDT which has since been modified into the three other routes.
On the event weekend the campsite is at 144kms.
The ‘black’ grade MTB route takes in three very steep and technical descents down weather eroded bridleways in the area around Todmorden approximately 120 miles into the Challenge. They are Naze Lane, Whirlaw Common and the Rodwell bridleway.
After all the ruff stuff there are a few miles of easy riding as you head east on the towpath to arrive back in Hebden Bridge. Through the park and onto the Community Centre to savour the pie n peas.
The Venue
Event HQ on 20th and 21st September - ample free car parking all year round and 5 minutes from the train station.
What 3 Words location: mend.relatives.warthog
Sign on from 7am
Ride the trail from 7.30am
Sunrise at 6.40am
In Aid of Overgate Hospice
The CDT was set up with the two aims. Firstly to introduce riders to the diverse landscape and range of trails we have in West Yorkshire. Secondly to raise enough money to fund one day in the life of the hospice where our riding buddy Will Norman had his last few days.
The daily running costs of Overgate Hospice in Elland, West Yorkshire, is in the order of £2,000 a day. The 2022 event raised £2,250 for the local hospice, in 2023 we donated £4,850 and in 2024 we donated £2,437 making a total of £9,537.
The 2025 CDT will be the fourth event in aid of Overgate Hospice.
Our Partners
Restrap
RESTRAP have given the Calder Divide Trail fantastic supported right from the beginning. Their advice and suggestions on how to put on an event were gratefully received. They also generously donated a selection of bikepacking gear for the 2022 and 2023 event raffle.
Blazing Saddles, Hebden Bridge
Blazing Saddles is an independent bike shop in the busy market town of Hebden Bridge. Their ethos is that everybody on a bike deserves the same great service and a great bike to enjoy too. The shop has a range of test bikes and an extensive range of clothing and accessories for men, women and children. The shop provides free facilities to wash your bike. They also have secure hoops for locking your bikes onto located at the front.
John, the owner of the shop, was originally a bricklayer, and then a Civil Engineer, but in 1994 he gave it all up to open a bike shop in Barrowford across the border in Lancashire. The shop moved to Hebden Bridge in 2001 and since then has been at the heart of the mountain biking community. The Calder Divide Trail is pleased to have Blazin as a partner and, as the route passes right behind their shop, you might need to/want to call in and see this mtb hub of the Upper Calder Valley.
info@blazingsaddles.co.uk
T: 01422 844435
Cycle Gear, Halifax
Cycle Gear are a long standing independent bike shop in Halifax. I bought my first proper bike - a blue Croix de Fer - from there back in 2001.
The shop is a friendly place to ask for advice and get your bike servcied or buy a whole range of impressive bike gear from E-Bikes to Restrap bikepacking gear.
