Bank Bottom Mill, Marsden – Standedge Cutting loop from Denshaw

Bank Bottom Mill, Marsden – Standedge Cutting loop from Denshaw

Hard

4.5

(4)

163

riders

Bank Bottom Mill, Marsden – Standedge Cutting loop from Denshaw

02:27

45.4km

920m

Road cycling

Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: August 27, 2026

Tips

The surface for a segment of your route may not be suitable

Some segments of your route comprise a surface that may not be suitable for your chosen sport.

After 30.4 km for 58 m

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

4.10 km

Knott Hill

Highlight • Viewpoint

Maxxing out at 28% but with an average of 'just' 7.7%, this hill ramps up right from the exit of Delph village but eases a little in the middle. The views are all worth it. It didn't make the top 100 climbs, but I believe it has crept in to the top 200. Nice and quiet.

Tip by

7.70 km

Cafe Grand Abaco

Highlight • Cafe

Good little cafe with really nice food definitely recommended

Tip by

10.1 km

Holmfirth Road Climb (Dovestone Reservoir)

Highlight (Segment) • Lake

Known locally as the “Isle of Skye” after a long-since closed pub. A long, steady, almost alpine-like climb. Nice views across Dovestones reservoir. There tend to be a lot of parked cars along the road on nice days.

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19.3 km

Wessenden Head Road Descent

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

20.3 km

Wessenden Head Climb

Highlight (Segment) • Trail

Tough climb up bleak moorland!

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24.0 km

Wessenden Head Road

Highlight • Cycleway

Bring an oxygen bottle with you

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30.4 km

Bank Bottom Mill, Marsden

Highlight • Other

Marsden's history is in the production of woollen cloth. Bank Bottom Mill, which was operational until 2003, covered an area of 14 acres and is very recognisable to the south of the village.

It is also home to the Standedge Tunnel (pronounced without the 'd'), the longest and deepest canal tunnel in Britain which passes under the Pennines to Diggle in Saddleworth. It is over 5km long!

Tip by

35.1 km

Standedge Road Cutting

Nature Reserve

35.4 km

Standedge Cutting

Highlight • Structure

The cutting here in the road was dug in 1839 to take the Wakefield to Austerlands Toll Road across the South Pennines. The area is part of the National Trust's Marsden Moor Estate. There has been a road across Standegde since Roman times when it was part of a route connecting York and Chester.

Pule Hill can be seen in the distance if you are approaching from the direction of Marsden.

Tip by

45.4 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

29.8 km

14.7 km

736 m

222 m

Surfaces

45.3 km