Ogden Water is a county park and nature reserve sited around a 150 year old reservoir owned by Yorkshire Water.

One of our favourite short bike routes. A ride towards Oakworth, circling the Ogden windmills A solid cobbled track climb to start, usually in a strong headwind to get the legs going, The last half of the ride is what make this special, rocky, muddy and fast singletrack. It’s hard to ride in summer, and some sections seem to be knee deep in water all year round. In winter its mad. Deep water, big rocks and lots of mud. feeling brave? do it as a night ride.

We did this route in reverse for years finally deciding more fun can be had this way round (clockwise), try it and see.

Terrain: Rutted bridleway open moorland technical single-track, rocks and mud.

Start Point:  SE 0659830963 – GPS N 53 46.496 W 1 54.092 Ogden Reservoir car park (off A 629 Keighley road).

• From the car park, head downhill towards Ogden water, crossing the reservoir on a man made cobbled track, through the gate as the track begins to climb. Take it easy as its quite a climb, past the golf course on your left and through the gate finally ending at the top, Withens pub sadly closed.
• Turn right at the Withens  onto tarmac passing Warley Moor Reservoir on your left, and some stunning Pennine views.  Finally a short fast tarmac down nab water lane before the fun stuff!.
• Take care here not to overshoot the first right hand turn off which is White Moor lane Bridleway (signposted Calder Aire link to Bingley). It crosses a stream/beck. Follow this bridleway for some technical single track. Keep with it as the track sometimes splits.
• After a short but steep track climb you need to be looking to your right though a walled gate and a well defined wide rocky track (Signposted Millennium Way Circular Walk). Its long, steep and technical and sometimes boggy. Follow this up to the top and past Thornton Moor Reservoir.
• From here is why this route is so good. it’s pretty fast downhill all the way, through some superb technical singletrack. The route follows an obvious course through a couple of gates and finally ends onto road.
• Turn right on Ogden Lane back to the car park.

The nearest pub is The Causeway Foot Inn literally yards from the car park. Don’t forget your near to Bradford, the local curry capital.