Over The Edge

Over The Edge Bike Ride

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The Transpennine Cycling Club's 12th Annual ‘Over The Edge’ bike ride saw over 400 cyclists set off from Hollingworth Lake Visitor Centre for the gruelling slog up Blackstone Edge Road and on to a trip up and down dale through West Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Keith Swift set the cyclists on their way. Just before he dropped the rope to signal the start Mayor Swift gave the riders a little pep talk: “It is fantastic to see such a good turn out. I’m sure you are all keen to get on your way. Enjoy the ride.”

The cyclists took one of three routes:

1. Bronze (22 miles) – Up Blackstone Edge, down Cragg Vale to Mytholmroyd, then on to Todmorden via Hebden Bridge before retuning to Littleborough. 
2. Silver (29 miles) - Up Blackstone Edge, along past Baitings Dam towards Ripponden before turning off to Sowerby Bridge, then to Mytholmroyd, then on to Todmorden via Hebden Bridge before retuning to Littleborough. 
3. Gold (55 miles) - Up Blackstone Edge, along past Baitings Dam towards Ripponden before turning off to Sowerby Bridge, then to Mytholmroyd, and then the a big loop from Heptonstall, via Mereclough and Holmes Chapel to Todmorden, back via Hebden Bridge to Mytholmroyd and then a punishing climb up the long gradient through Cragg Vale before dropping back down Blackstone Edge to Littleborough.

John Brown of the British Heart Foundation said: "We have around 400 cyclists riding this year and we are hoping to raise £15,000. Last year we raised £12,000 and since its inception, we have raised over £100,000."

Local man David Geldard MBE, who is one of the leading patient voices in the British Heart Foundation's National Campaign for Cardiac Rehabilitation, and received his MBE in recognition of his voluntary service to people with coronary heart disease, said he was delighted to see the ride still so popular in its 12th year. He added: "All the money raised goes towards curing and treating heart disease and saving lives."