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Hilly Valley 2024

After a damp debut in 2023, the second running of Hilly Valley was a great success with almost 30 participants testing their legs on the toughest climbs Yorkshire has to offer.

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Sub 6-Hours

The first edition started under sodden skies which halted the rain just long enough for a dry start. It was all change in 2024 though as the late summer sun blessed the valley. It was a pleasant 14 degrees at the start as first the riders taking on the Lloydy (the shorter of the two events) and then the brave souls attempting the Penny (the tougher of the two) set off from Mytholmroyd Community Centre and straight up to Midgley on top of the hill. 

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The opening salvo of Hilly Valley was even harder for the second edition. The steep ramps of Midgley Hill were the 'warm-up' followed by the twin terrors of Danny Lane and Stocks Lane. Both could claim the title of the hardest climbs of the day. From there it was a descent and then the cobbled Cow Lane with an uphill trip past Bob's Tearoom thrown in, though it was too early for cake.

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From here a pecking order had already been formed with Jack Smith and James Green forging ahead while everyone else settled in for the day.

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The first feed stop came after 22km where hot roast potatoes, Haribo, and cake were the order of the day. The potatoes were a revelation and I'm told they'll be making another appearance. Post-feed and the route settled, well relatively. The only portion of flat road led to Hebden Bridge and then up and over Cock Hill, given the first and only glimpse of life outside the valley.

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This middle section was when I first began to struggle. Cock Hill is a proper climb and it's followed by a brief descent and then another haul up the horrendous Aerial Climb - straight up with no pretense. By the time we were back at the feed zone we'd past the halfway mark but the climbs were just getting started.

 

It was a descent to the foot of Cragg Vale but this wasn't any ordinary Cragg. Halfway up we turned up and went up, then back down, the Murro del Hinchliffe. Horrible at any point, this steep beast proved to be the first nail in my coffin. 

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It was back onto Cragg before a merciful turn off towards Craggies, and the home of our sponsors Vocation. This was time to recover and rationalise that it was only now 37km left. Well, 37km and over 1,000m of ascent.

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The first challenge was the Midgley Double. A climb straight from the valley floor past Midgley school with a nice section of cobbles at the end. Then into Hebden and up Sandy Gate towards Old Town. At this point I was fading rapidly and a non-brand sugary drink was called upon for just a bit of energy. The finale is just three climbs virtually linked by three descents. The only problem is that one of those climbs is Mytholm Steeps, probably the toughest on the route. The second is the Top of Crosstone which lulls you in with a gentle start and then loses patience and just gets steeper and steeper. The final is Horsehold.

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Horsehold marks the finish though. This year that finish was packed out with food, drink, and happy competitors. Both finishers and those, like me, who'd had to bail out early. 

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Hilly Valley will return in 2025. It's never going to be a professional event or particularly polished. We're cyclists ourselves and there's of course a place for the polish of a Maratona or an Etape. But, there's also a place for an event devised in a pub as a way to remember two dear friends.

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The Lloydy and Penny are both named after people sadly no longer with us. Lloyd Cawthorne was a wonderful rugby player and human being, as well as a lecturer in Physics at Manchester University. His life was sadly cut short by suicide and half of all money raised goes to CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) on his behalf. Penny Ford was the mother of one of our organisers. She was a wonderful mother, an incredibly kind and loyal friend, and reaching the prime of life when she was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). MND is a horrendous condition which has sadly also impacted many in the rugby community, a love of another of our organisers. Half of the money we collect goes to My Name'5 Doddie in Penny's name.

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Just turning up keeps their names alive and we are delighted that, as a side effect of people just having fun on their bikes, we've now raised over £1,000 across the two events.

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In 2025 nothing will change. We might tweak the route a little but it'll still be free to enter, you'll still enjoy beautiful roads, great food, beer, and the company of like minded masochists. If you want to push yourself, Jack Smith currently holds the fastest known time with 5:30.52 for the Penny. For us mere mortals, anything under six hours is very good going and just doing it is exceptional going. If the Penny is a little bit much, then the Lloydy is designed to offer a hard challenge but on a shorter and marginally more manageable course. You are very welcome to join us for either and you can decide which you fancy on the day.

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Whatever you do, you're very welcome at Hilly Valley!

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