Grewelthorpe Loop

Grewelthorpe Loop

Route Information

Stats: 9.4 miles

OS map:

Refreshments

Grewelthorpe has an excellent pub, the Crown Inn, for a bite to eat and a pint after this ride. They also do bed and breakfast. If you’re staying long in the area, choose Masham, with excellent facilities all around, and keep this for an evening ride.

Character

This route is a superb winter night ride – so long as all the ice has cleared! The green lanes are safe and fast, and the climb up onto the moor opens up great night skies. Albeit short, it requires strength and stamina, hence the moderate rating. If done as a night ride then take a good set of lights. You’ll need at least 240 lumens as you head down from the moor. It’s a fast descent with lots of bumps. Make sure that you’re either an experienced night rider, or that you go along with somebody who is. Better still, take a helmet light and bar light of about 480 lumens, Check out the ‘Exposure’ light sets online.

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Route

1. Cycle from the village pub, going up the hill to the left for about 150 yards to a junction. Turn right into the lane and follow this keeping left and heading out to Foulgate Farm.

2. At the farm head straight on and steeply down the rough track at speed as is twists and turns.

3. A sharp turn left at the bottom takes you through a ford (don’t fall here in winter!) and rises steeply immediately on leaving the water. Then begins a grind up the green lane for some distance before meeting tarmac.

4. Keep straight on at the road and head for the bridleway, joining the track across the moor as the road turns sharp left.

5. Continue the climb on the rocky track, through the gate and after about 1 mile a track to the right speeds you downhill with exhilaration.

6. As this track meets the road at Ilton, head straight on towards a junction right at Ilton Grange Farm.

7. Keep on straight ahead until the bridleway heads left at Blackhill House, taking you down and back to Foulgate Farm. Take the lane back to Grewelthorpe and refreshments at the Inn!
If you look at the elevation profile, you’ll notice that this is a 3 miles descent to finish. Just remind yourself of this as you do the initial climbs!