Cycling the Pennine Bridleway

Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales, plus 11 day rides

By Keith Bradbury

ISBN

9781852846558

Availability

Published

17 May 2012

Reprinted

16 Feb 2017

Edition

First

Pages

208

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.20cm

Weight

270g

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A guidebook for cycling the Dales section of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail. Over 140km of mountain biking riding through Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales, along with an anti-clockwise route round half of the Mary Towneley Loop. 11 circular day MTB routes in the Yorkshire Dales using the Bridleway are also included.

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

ISBN

9781852846558

Availability

Published

17 May 2012

Reprinted

16 Feb 2017

Edition

First

Pages

208

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 1.20cm

Weight

270g

Overview

This guidebook covers the northern stages of the Pennine Bridleway, through Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria, a dedicated and waymarked mountain biking and horse-riding trail that opened in 2011. Using part of the Mary Towneley Loop, the route is described for mountain bikers from Summit, just outside Rochdale all the way to Ravenstonedale in Cumbria, in about 176km.

11 circular day mountain bike routes are included for those who do not wish to ride the whole route as a linear trail. It splits the main bridleway into rides of 8 - 16 miles in length.

A grand total of 384km of trail are covered, mapped using OS map extracts and illustrated with profiles, photographed and described in enough detail to suit all levels of navigational ability. Appendices also offer information on local facilities, accommodation, bike shops and other useful contacts for planning your days out or longer trip along the Bridleway, and information provided before each route description includes distance, ascent, grading, estimated time and percentage of route off-road, as well as maps needed and pubs and cafes en route.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Map key

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 Feizor, 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 and the Mallerstang Valley

Route 11 Ravenstonedale, Pendragon Castle & High Dolphinsty

Appendix A Route Summary Tables

Appendix B Local Facilities

Appendix C Useful Contacts

Appendix D Accommodation

Appendix E Bike Shops

Maps

Ordnance Survey (http://www.ordnance survey.co.uk/leisure) 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)

Updates

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Keith Bradbury

Keith Bradbury's early interest was in white water and sea canoeing. After trekking in Nepal and canoe guiding in France, a teaching job in Kendal meant the Lake District would be his next playground. Walking and climbing then became new passions, until he was introduced to caving in the Yorkshire Dales.

He has been exploring their hidden places for the last 20 years, either underground with helmet and lamp, or above, on his (t)rusty mountain bike. A member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild, Keith prides himself on his knowledge of the Lake District and the Northern Dales bridleways.

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