Holme Moss

Holme Moss
Holme Moss
Start	Holmfirth
Gain in altitude	394 m (1,293 ft)
Length of climb	7.0 km (4.3 mi)
Maximum elevation	524 m (1,719 ft)
Average gradient	5.6 %
Maximum gradient	11 %

Holme Moss
Holme Moss
	Holme Moss towards Holme Moss transmitting station
Highest point
Elevation	524 m (1,719 ft)
Coordinates	53°31′58.87″N1°51′26.61″W / 53.5330194°N 1.8573917°W Coordinates: 53°31′58.87″N1°51′26.61″W / 53.5330194°N 1.8573917°W
Geography
	Holme Moss Location of Holme Moss in West Yorkshire
Location	Holme Valley,; West Yorkshire,; England
Parent range	Peak District
OS grid	SE095040

Last updated April 04, 2020

Holme Moss (1,719 feet or 524 metres a.s.l. ^[1]) is high moorland on the border between the Holme Valley district of Kirklees in West Yorkshire and the High Peak district of Derbyshire in England. Historically on the boundary between the West Riding of Yorkshire and Cheshire, it is just inside the boundary of the Peak District National Park. The A6024 road between Holmfirth and Longdendale crosses the moor near its highest point close to Holme Moss transmitting station's prominent mast.^[1]

Watershed

Water seeping from the surrounding moorland into Rake Dike is the source of the River Holme. Rake Dike rising from Kay Edge on the moor flows through the village of Holme into Brownhill Reservoir, about a mile below the moor, and passes down through the Holme Valley to Huddersfield, where it flows into the River Colne. The upper part of the moor continues into Black Hill which is crossed by the Pennine Way north–south footpath.

Transmitting station

Holme Moss transmitting station is the highest in England. When erected it transmitted television signals that travelled much further than its intended service area. They were received on the Isle of Man and in parts of the Irish Republic, mainly Dublin and Wicklow. Now it provides VHF coverage for FM and DAB to a wide area around the transmitter including Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. The FM signals operate at 250 kW from one of the most powerful transmitters in the country with reception available as far north as the Borders, as far south as Birmingham, and to the east and west coasts. Emley Moor (55.44°, 15.53 km) and Moorside Edge (348.22°, 11.56 km) transmitters can be seen from the location.

Transport

In the winter Holme Moss frequently gets a covering of snow and the road over the moor is often the first in the area to be blocked. Kirklees Highways department clears the road as far as the border with Derbyshire. Derbyshire County Council Highways Authority is responsible for clearing the southern side.^[2]

Sport

Athletics

Holmfirth Harriers Athletics Club organise an annual "Holme Moss Fell Race" on and around Holme Moss in the summer. The race starts at Cartworth Moor cricket ground, crosses Ramsden Clough to Holme Moss, crosses and descends to Crowden before returning via Bareholme Moss, Laddow Rocks and Black Hill.

Cycling

To British cycling enthusiasts, Holme Moss has become synonymous with the A6024 (Woodhead Road) which crosses the moor, between the village of Holmbridge to the north and the Woodhead Reservoir to the south. The northern side in particular is one of England's best known bicycle ascents, and has acquired a reputation as among the country's more difficult climbs. It has often been used for domestic competition in British road racing ^[3] and mountain biking.^[4]

Climbs

Starting from Holmfirth, to the north, the climb is 7 km (4.3 mi) long, gaining 394 m (1,293 ft) in altitude, at an average gradient of 5.6%, although the penultimate kilometre is at a gradient of 11%.^[5]

From the south, the climb starts at the junction with the A628, from where it is 4 km (2.5 mi) long, with a height gain of 274 m (899 ft) at an average gradient of 6.9%.^[6]

"Le Col de Moss"

Although not comparable in distance with the cols of European bicycle racing, the length and difficulty of Holme Moss relative to other British climbs has made it a frequent and popular inclusion in British races, including the Tour of Britain. For many years the (now defunct) Leeds Classic race saw internationally renowned riders (many of them, such as Bjarne Riis, veterans of the Tour de France) tackling the climb.^[4]^[7]

Tour de France

The second stage of the 2014 Tour de France followed the route across the Pennines to Derbyshire.^[8] The leader over the summit was Blel Kadri from France.^[9]

Related Research Articles

Holmfirth is a small town on the A6024 Woodhead Road in the Holme Valley, within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England. Centred upon the confluence of the Holme and Ribble rivers, Holmfirth is 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Huddersfield and 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Glossop. It mostly consists of stone-built cottages nestled in the Pennine hills. The Peak District National Park around Holme Moss is 4 miles (6.4 km) to the south of the town.

Longdendale is a valley in the Peak District of England, north of Glossop and southwest of Holmfirth. The name means "long wooded valley" and the valley is mostly in the counties of Derbyshire and Greater Manchester.

The Pennines, also known as the Pennine Chain or Pennine Hills, is a range of hills and mountains separating North West England from Yorkshire and North East England.

Bradfield is a civil parish in the City of Sheffield, in South Yorkshire, England.

Dunford Bridge is a remote hamlet in the civil parish of Dunford, lying northwest of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England, 1.3 miles (2 km) from the border with West Yorkshire and 2.3 miles (4 km) from the border with Derbyshire. It lies in the Peak District, 5 miles (8 km) west of Penistone and 5 miles (8 km) south of Holmfirth, within the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley. Before the Local Government Act 1972 the area covered by South Yorkshire was part of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

High Peak is a borough in Derbyshire, England. Administered by High Peak Borough Council from Buxton and Glossop, it is mostly composed of high moorland plateau in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. The district stretches from Holme Moss in the north to Sterndale Moor in the south and from Hague Bar in the west to Bamford in the east. The population of the borough taken at the 2011 Census was 90,892.

Black Hill is a hill in the Peak District, England.

Snake Pass is a hill pass in the Derbyshire section of the Peak District, crossing the Pennines between Glossop and the Ladybower Reservoir at Ashopton. The road was engineered by Thomas Telford and opened in 1821. The pass carries the A57 road between Manchester and Sheffield, but it is no longer the main signposted route between those two cities.

The River Holme in the Holme Valley, West Yorkshire, England is a tributary of the River Colne. The river's source is at Digley Reservoir and it is fed firstly by the run-off from Brownhill Reservoir, then by Dobbs Dike. The banks of the upper part of the river are mostly urbanised and are in the Holme Valley civil parish.

Saddleworth Moor is a moorland in North West England. Reaching more than 1,312 feet (400 m) above sea level, it is in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park. It is crossed by the A635 road and the Pennine Way passes to its eastern side.

Holme is a small rural village 2.5 miles (4 km) southwest of the town of Holmfirth and 9.7 miles (16 km) from Tintwistle on the edge of the Pennines in England. Between Holmbridge and Lane Village in West Yorkshire close to the border with Derbyshire. It lies on the boundary of the Peak District National Park, with some properties split to lie partially outside of it.

Jackson Bridge is a small village in the civil parish of Holme Valley in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England and within the postal district of Holmfirth. It is situated next to the A616, Huddersfield to Penistone, road.

Netherthong is a village in the civil parish of Holme Valley, and the metropolitan borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. The village is near the town of Holmfirth, and on the B6107 road to Meltham from the main A6024 Woodhead Road through the Holme Valley from Honley to Holmfirth. It has a population of 1,730.

Lane Village is a small hamlet 3 miles (4.8 km) southwest of Holmfirth and approximately half a mile southwest of Holme Village on the A6024 Woodhead Road. It lies on the edge of Holme Moss just inside the Peak District National Park boundary. The rainwater springs seeping from Holme Moss and Kaye Edge provide the source of the River Holme.

The A616 is a road that links Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, to the M1 motorway at Junction 30, then reappears at Junction 35A and goes on to Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

Thongsbridge is a small village in the Kirklees district of West Yorkshire, England. It is in the semi-rural Holme Valley and the village boundaries merge into the neighbouring communities of Holmfirth, New Mill and Wooldale. According to the 2001 Census, it covers an area of 124.7 hectares.

First Halifax, Calder Valley and Huddersfield is one of the bus companies serving the area of West Yorkshire, England. It forms part of FirstGroup, a company operating transport services across the British Isles and in North America. The company operates within the area covered by Metro, a public body responsible for helping to co-ordinate public transport services in the West Yorkshire area.

The Holmfirth branch line is a disused railway line that ran for 2 miles (3.2 km) from Brockholes to Holmfirth, in West Yorkshire, England. The line was built as double track as there were plans to extend the line up the Holme Valley.

The Holme Moss transmitting station is a radio transmitting station in West Yorkshire, England. The mast provides VHF coverage of both FM and DAB to a wide area around the mast including Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.

Holmbridge is a small village on the A6024 to the southwest of Holmfirth and south of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the parish of Holme Valley and the metropolitan borough of Kirklees.

References

1 2 OL1 Dark Peak Area (Map). 1:25000. Explorer. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
↑ "Roads and traffic". Derbyshire County Council. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
↑ "Snake Pass & Holme Moss Loop". British Cycling.org.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
1 2 "Le Col de Moss". Mountain Bike Rider. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
↑ "Holme Moss - Holmfirth". climbbybike. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
↑ "Holme Moss - A 628 - Barnsley". climbbybike. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
↑ "Tour de France 2014: Stage 2 – Steep stuff with 33% at Jenkins Road". Cycling Stage.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
↑ Fortheringham, William (17 January 2013). "Tour de France 2014: Leeds chosen for start as English route is unveiled". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
↑ "Shark attack in Sheffield". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 6 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.

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[os-1] 1 2 OL1 Dark Peak Area (Map). 1:25000. Explorer. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 12 September 2012.

[2] "Roads and traffic". Derbyshire County Council. Retrieved 15 July 2014.

[3] "Snake Pass & Holme Moss Loop". British Cycling.org.uk. Retrieved 15 July 2014.

[mbr-4] 1 2 "Le Col de Moss". Mountain Bike Rider. Retrieved 15 July 2014.

[5] "Holme Moss - Holmfirth". climbbybike. Retrieved 14 July 2014.

[6] "Holme Moss - A 628 - Barnsley". climbbybike. Retrieved 14 July 2014.

[7] "Tour de France 2014: Stage 2 – Steep stuff with 33% at Jenkins Road". Cycling Stage.com. Retrieved 15 July 2014.

[8] Fortheringham, William (17 January 2013). "Tour de France 2014: Leeds chosen for start as English route is unveiled". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 January 2013.

[9] "Shark attack in Sheffield". Tour de France. Amaury Sport Organisation. 6 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.