Discover the Pennine Bridleway and explore one of England's finest dedicated mountain biking National Trails, following 176km of waymarked tracks through the limestone country of Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales from Summit near Rochdale to Ravenstonedale in Cumbria. Passing the Yorkshire Three Peaks, the wild moorland of the Mary Towneley Loop, and the classic Dales scenery of Ribblehead, Garsdale, and Mallerstang, this is outstanding off-road riding through some of northern England's most spectacular countryside.

Suitable for beginner and experienced mountain bikers alike, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook covers 384km of trail in total, including the linear Pennine Bridleway route and 11 circular day MTB routes of 8 to 16 miles using the Bridleway as a base. Day routes are graded from easy family rides to tough challenges for experienced riders, with routes linkable for longer days.

• Ride the full linear Pennine Bridleway from Summit near Rochdale to Ravenstonedale in Cumbria, described in three sections covering the Mary Towneley Loop, the Lancashire Link from Hurstwood to Long Preston, and the Yorkshire Dales from Long Preston to Ravenstonedale.
• Choose from 11 circular day MTB routes of 8 to 16 miles using the Pennine Bridleway as a base, including the Settle Loop, the Ribblehead to Dentdale via the Craven Way, Lady Anne's Highway, Cam High Road and the Ribble Way, and Ravenstonedale, Pendragon Castle and High Dolphinsty.
• Discover the highlights of the Pennine Bridleway, including classic limestone country around the Yorkshire Three Peaks of Ingleborough, Pen-y-Ghent, and Whernside, the dramatic Ribblehead Viaduct, the remote Mallerstang valley, and the wild moorland of the Mary Towneley Loop above Rochdale.
• Navigate every route with confidence using OS 1:50,000 map extracts and elevation profiles included for each route, with route descriptions clearly detailing distance, ascent, grade, estimated time, and percentage off-road for every ride.
• Plan your Pennine Bridleway adventure with comprehensive practical information on accommodation, local facilities, bike shops, and useful contacts throughout Lancashire, the Yorkshire Dales, and Cumbria.
• Ride in spring and summer for the Dales at their most attractive, or take on the trail in winter for a tougher and more remote experience on one of England's most rewarding off-road National Trails.

Ride the limestone tracks, moorland bridleways, and Dales scenery of the Pennine Bridleway with confidence using this trusted Cicerone guidebook. Your essential companion for mountain biking on one of England's great National Trails.

Cycling the Pennine Bridleway – Quick Facts

Location: Northern England – Lancashire, Yorkshire Dales, and Cumbria
Start point: Summit, near Rochdale
End point: Ravenstonedale, Cumbria
Route covered: 176km (linear Pennine Bridleway); 384km total including all day routes
Day rides: 11 circular MTB routes (8–16 miles each)
Difficulty: Graded from easy family rides to tough challenges for experienced riders; routes linkable for longer days
Terrain: Waymarked bridleways, limestone tracks, moorland trails, and off-road Dales paths; routes up to 90% off-road
Navigation/mapping: OS 1:50,000 map extracts and elevation profiles included for every route; OS Explorer OL21, OL41, OL2, and OL19 recommended for on-the-ground navigation
Key centres: Littleborough, Burnley, Barnoldswick, Long Preston, Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Dentdale, Garsdale Head, Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen
Highlights: Mary Towneley Loop, Yorkshire Three Peaks, Ribblehead Viaduct, Mallerstang, Garsdale, Lady Anne's Highway, Cam High Road, Feizor, Crummack Dale
Accommodation & logistics: Accommodation appendix, local facilities listings, bike shop information, and practical advice on getting there and when to go
Best time to go: Spring and summer for the Dales at their best; winter possible but conditions can be tough on the exposed Pennine moorland

Author Highlight

"From Long Preston however, the mighty uplift of the Craven Fault dictates that steep climbs are the order of the day as the limestone scars and craggy peaks make their presence felt. With the climbs however, come the views; and the true nature of Dales scenery opens out ahead as the climb from Long Preston surmounts the rise alongside the abandoned quarries at Hunter Bark. This is Yorkshire at its best: enjoy your ride!”

- Keith Bradbury, author of Cycling the Pennine Bridleway

Overview map

Introduction               

Where to start?            
Getting there   
Who is this guide for? 
When to go     
Accommodation         
Safety 
How far can I ride in a day?   
What type of bike will I need?
Waymarks and access
Using this guide         
What to take   

Section 1: The Mary Towneley Loop 

Summit to Hurstwood (anti-clockwise)         

Section 2: A linear description of the Pennine Bridleway     

The Lancashire Link

Part 1   Hurstwood to Barnoldswick   
Part 2   Barnoldswick to Long Preston           

The Yorkshire Dales

Part 1   Long Preston to Horton-in-Ribblesdale         
Part 2   Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Garsdale Head       
Part 3   Garsdale Head to Ravenstonedale      

Section 3: Day loops off the Pennine Bridleway        

Route 1            The Settle Loop          
Route 2            Giggleswick, Wharfe and Catrigg Force       
Route 3            Clapham, Crummack Dale and Feizor           
Route 4            Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Helwith Bridge and Sulber Nick      
Route 5            Ribblehead to Ling Gill and Horton-in-Ribblesdale  
Route 6            Ribblehead to Dentdale, via The Craven Way           
Route 7            Cam High Road and The Ribble Way
Route 8            Arten Gill, Dent Head Viaduct and the Driving Road           
Route 9            Garsdale to Dentdale, via Dandra Garth        
Route 10          Lady Anne’s Highway           
Route 11          Ravenstonedale, Pendragon Castle & High Dolphinsty        

Appendices

Appendix A    Route summary tables
Appendix B     Local facilities
Appendix C     Useful contacts           
Appendix D    Accommodation         
Appendix E     Bike shops     

Seasons

perfect in spring and summer when the Dales are at their most attractive; winter conditions offer a new adventure but the Pennines can be tough in bad weather.

Centres

Littleborough, Burnley, Barnoldswick, Long Preston, Settle, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Dentdale, Garsdale Head, Ravenstonedale, Kirkby Stephen

Difficulty

graded routes from easy, family rides for beginners through to tough challenges for experienced riders; routes can be linked for longer days

Must See

classic limestone country, including the Yorkshire Three Peaks - Ingleborough, Pen-y-ghent, Whernside; Ribblehead, Garsdale, Ravenstonedale, Mallerstang

Ordnance Survey provides maps of the area covered in both 1:50,000 (Explorer) and 1:25,000 (Landranger) scales. The most up-to-date 1:50,000 scale mapping has been used in this guidebook, and each route description details the relevant OS map (or maps) required for that ride. From south to north these are:

• OS Explorer OL21 South Pennines
• OS Explorer OL41 Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale
• OS Explorer OL2 Yorkshire Dales (Southern & Western area)
• OS Explorer OL19 Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley

Equivalent Landranger maps covering the route are as follows:

• OS Landranger 103 Blackburn and Burnley (Mary Towneley Loop and Lancashire Link Parts 1 and 2)
• OS Landranger 98 Wensleydale and Upper Wharfedale (Yorkshire Dales Parts 1, 2 and 3)
• OS Landranger 91 Appleby-in-Westmorland (Yorkshire Dales Part 3)

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