Tag Archive for: MTB

RHYD DDU SNOWDON – HARD 14 MILES

It goes up, then it goes down! It’s tough going up, and it’s a real whizz going down, with lots of tricky and fast sections that you’ll need to take care on. Awesome mountain day though. Just remember to adhere to the mtb restrictions.

CUT GATE – HARD 39 MILES

Rolling, tight, technical, steep, fast and fun, Cut Gate has it all. It can be a mountainbikeneering trip in poor weather, but when the sun shines, you’d be hard pushed to have a better day out.

HELMSLEY LOOP – MEDIUM 19.5 MILES

Starting with a pleasant gravel track through a wooded dale, the route takes you out into a little frequented part of the moors, before bringing you back to Helmsley via the ruins of Rievaulx Abbey.

OSMOTHERLEY INTRO – MEDIUM 15.4 MILES

This is a fantastic introduction to Moors riding. Don’t look at the middle section as 5 miles of toil – it’s 2 1/2 miles of toil, followed by a great downhill section. From Square Corner – yep, check the map name – we’ve taken this route down the Cleveland Way and past the reservoir, towards the village.

RIEVAULX WOODS – MEDIUM 10.2 MILES

Numerous bridleways and tracks cut across this valley. The route here is a good introduction, and a great little evening or afternoon ride. A few steep climbs and a terrific short singletrack descent, good woodland trails, and great little swooping descent across open meadows.

RUDLAND RIGG – HARD 18 MILES

This route has a section of moorland singletrack that is amongst the best in the UK – yep. I know that’s a big statement, but ride it and see. The route itself starts off with some easy riding and some woodland downhilling, followed by a long climb along Rudland Rigg, before turning off on singletrack to Low Row.

BLUE ROUTE AT SUTTON BANK- EASY 9.4 MILES

The short blue, as it’s now listed, it a great amble across the escarpment, with some good field edge trails thrown in; all nicely surfaced with chippings where necessary, providing an excellent surface. The route starts off near the visitor centre and heads off into the woods, providing a great little section through trees, before opening up and crossing the gallops on its way to the escarpment.

BLACK COMBE – MEDIUM 8.6 MILES

You’ll need to pack your lungs – much of the climbing will have you simultaneously screaming for a lower gear and wrestling the front wheel back down. But the route is easy to follow and is all rideable apart from a section at 200m that would challenge the toughest climber.

CLAIFE HEIGHTS – MEDIUM 15 MILES

It’s uphill, so accept it and enjoy. This route typifies that, as you climb on tarmac towards the tracks that take you across Claife Heights, before sweeping descents on hard packed and well drained tracks lead you down again.

CRAKE VALLEY – EASY 9 MILES

An easy but enjoyable pootle around a network of byways. Even this far south, it still counts as The Lakes because there’s a glimpse of Allan Tarn (the Octopus Lagoon in Swallows and Amazons) at one stage.

EASTERN PASSES – HARD 11 MILES

A cracking ride into the hills around the south-eastern Lake District, with epic descents that are hard earned, but definitely worth the effort.

GATESGARTH & NAN BIELD – HARD 20 MILES

This route is not for the feint hearted. It includes two big ascents, one over Gatesgarth, on a track but very few have cleared it, for it is steep and relentless for 3.4 miles. The second is a hike a bike up Nan Bield pass.

GREEN QUARTER – EASY 8.5 MILES

The easiest of the Lakeland passes is followed by a steep haul on grass, a fine moorland cruise and a rattling good descent. This route would make a good, easy-going Sunday excursion after a quad-hardening Saturday.

HELVELLYN WEST – HARD 10 MILES

A brawl with gravity on the Western flank of rideable Lakeland’s biggest bruiser. One of the many great thing about Helvellyn is the number (nine) of legitimate routes to the summit from valley level.

HIGH STREET SOUTH – MEDIUM 12 MILES

Well worth doing as an out-and-back but can be made into a loop either by wandering far to the north or by making a brief sortie on foot to Nan Bield Pass (no bridleway for c.1 mile) and returning via Kentmere and Garburn Pass.

KENTMERE LOOP – EASY 12.4 MILES

A wild moornland crossing of Green Quarter, a stony hop over Stile End then a rutted swing over Whiteside End (more classically done as a coda to Garburn Pass)

LONSCALE FELL – MEDIUM 10 MILES

Prior to the floods of 2015 we would have taken you along the old railway cycle route to Threlkeld. Due to the bridge being taken in the floods we’ve re-assessed things and taken a steady road and track climb on the other side of the river.

LOWESWATER LOOP – EASY 5.3 MILES

Short, gentle, beautiful. There’s a tucked-away quality to Loweswater – you can afford a fleeting sense of smugness leaving the hordes in Borrowdale and Buttermere for the quiet delights of Loweswater and Lorton Vale.

RATHERHEATH – MEDIUM 22 MILES

There are many reasons why you should do this ride: if the higher hills are misted up, snowed up or rained off, if you only have time to venture a little way from the motorway or if you have someone in the party likely to be nervous on the harder trails.

SATTERTHWAITE SAUNTER – MEDIUM 23 MILES

This route is excellent at all times of the year. There is lots of climbing involved, but some fantastic descents too, all on good firm tracks.

SLEDDALE & SWINDALE – MEDIUM 11.3 MILES

A short but wild loop into the desolate stretch of land between Shap and the High Street fells. Expect Cairngorm-like desolation and solitude, even on a Bank Holiday weekend.

STAKE PASS & GREENUP – HARD 18 MILES

One for push ‘n’ carry nostalgic and masochists. Ignore the modest distance – there’s plenty of brutal terrain to snag your pedals on here. One adjective you would never deploy for this route is “flowing”.

THIRLMERE BANKS – EASY 10.5 MILES

An undulating trundle through the forests followed by a gentle bimble round the lakeside road. The road carries very little traffic so is suitable for reasonably biddable children. If they can spell “circumnavigate” they’re probably old enough to do this ride.

TOUR OF SKIDDAW – HARD 19 MILES

Prior to the floods of 2015 we would have taken you along the old railway cycle route to Threlkeld. Due to the bridge being taken in the floods we’ve re-assessed things and taken a steady road and track climb on the other side of the river, dropping into Threlkeld.

BUCKDEN TO SEMER WATER – HARD 23 MILES

Excellent climbs and great descents, twisting their way across the Dales, this ride will leave you with big grins all round.

COVERDALE HIGH ROAD – HARD 15.4 MILES

This is a cracking mid-morning or early evening ride over some fantastic Moorland. It has some superb steep and rocky Dales descents along the way.

DENT TO HAWES – HARD 25 MILES

An excellent loop straddling the main watershed of Northern England. The initial climb is brawny but surprisingly do-able and both big descents are to-die-for.

GRINTON MOOR – MEDIUM 12.4 MILES

This will leave you with a great big grin on your face, and remind you to come back again for more of the same. It’s only the distance that stops it being classed as a hard route.

HEART OF THE DALES – HARD 36.3 MILES

This is a fantastically varied ride through the heart of the Dales. It packs in five serious climbs and enough teeth-rattling descents to leave the keenest rider satisfied.

HUTTON ROOF – EASY 8.5 MILES

This corner of Cumbria is massively overlooked in favour of the famous haunts but proves to be pleasant, rolling limestone country.

INGLEBOROUGH DIRECT – HARD 6 MILES

I can categorically state that the last few steppy sections to the summit are totally unrideable to mortals.

KIRKBY MALZEARD MOOR – MEDIUM 16 MILES

The mountain biking in this route is superb, tarmac lanes leading into rocky but well defined track around Kirby Malzeard Moor.

LANGTHWAITE SHORT – MEDIUM 9.4 MILES

A 2 hour ride up and over Swaledale moorlands with steep ascents & descents, starting with a killer climb.

MASTILES LANE – MEDIUM 14 MILES

One of the classic routes in the Dales, with an awesome descent to finish off, flying down to Wharfdale.

NIDDERDALE LOOP – HARD 21 MILES

This ride is an excellent trip out, with some hard climbs matched by superb descents. The climb to Middlesmoor will test all riders, and you may want to stop to enjoy the view at the top – it is fantastic.

SETTLE TO WHARFDALE – HARD 30.6 MILES

This is a fantastic route, bringing together some superb elements: the Settle Loop; Mastiles Lane; and Old Cote Moor – a fantastic three course meal.

SWALEDALE MIXED – EASY 10 MILES

We wanted to throw in an easy opportunity for the younger kids to ride a section of the Tour de France and also enjoy some of Swaledale’s great tracks. This way they can make a choice in terms of where they think their cycling lies.

THE CAM ROAD – HARD 22 MILES

From the moment that you take to the saddle, the road climbs steeply, leading onto a further 3 1/2 mile climb along the Cam Road. Even the descent into Hawes from Cam Houses takes some technical skill and will test your fitness.

VALLEY & PINSEAT – MEDIUM 23 MILES

Excellent climbs on road and trail and a great descent on the hard but loose tracks down Pinseat. Flowing tracks along the river make this a great and steady day out and a super intro to riding Swaledale.

WHERNSIDE LOOP – HARD 28 MILES

This ride describes a loop around the Cinderella hill, taking in some beautiful Dales scenery and a good variety of under-tyre surfaces. It has climbs to test all riders, and descents to live in the memory for weeks.