ideas for routes in Yorkshire Dales

[jane]

I've just come by cheap rail tickets (with cycle booking) from a mate who had been hoping to head back to Leeds to visit family this BH weekend but has emergency in London to cope with.    I've been looking at maps and can't decide exactly what to do.  I have been up there once already from Hebden bridge through to Malham, Swaledale, Arkengarthdale and Appleby and this time   would like to do some different routes and have three days, 70-80 miles max per day, the last day heading back to Leeds.  Am thinking I might start by riding up to Pately Bridge to camp and start from there.  Any ideas any of you who know that area at all?
   Thanks

[Deano]

Pateley Bridge - B6160 up Wharfedale to Kettlewell, then take the road signposted Leyburn, which goes up the ridiculously steep Park Rash  to Coverdale.  Then you can drop into Wensleydale, and have lots of fun. 

Make sure you go over Buttertubs pass and go to Tan Hill - if you're camping, you can pitch your tent at Tan Hill for the cost of sticking a couple of quid in the charity jar.  And you can order breakfast for a fiver.  It might be a bit far north, but I know the northern end best...

[jane]

Thanks Deano- may well take a trip down Wharfedale

[tiermat]

If you want a flat day route, look at the Tiermat's Tykes ride, there's a link to abikely route (~68miles) which goes around Knaresborough, Ripon, Northallerton.

[MSeries]

One of my favourites is Nidderdale. Go north through Masham then cut west and south. Look over your shoulder as you climb over the moors and on a good day you can see Teesside ;-).

Another loop I like is 50 miles from Richmond taking in The Stang, Tan Hill and Swaledale which is my favourite of the Yorkshire Dales.

Appleby to Leeds via Kirby Stephen, Hawes and Masham is a great ride or if you want more hills go up Widdale and into Ribblesdale from Hawes, getting back to Leeds is harder though if you want to avoid the A65.

I live in leeds so email me if you want specifics of the city.

[onb]

You could head west towards Halifax area from there you could cycle along the spine of the pennines ,Hebden bridge,Heptonstal ,Haworth ,Wycoller Nick of Pendle and then Bowland Forest ,Trough of Bowland etc you will find once you are past Halifax the roads are a lot quieter than the Dales.You could then head towards Settle and maybe get the train back to leeds from there or cycle depending on time .Northern rail are relatively considerate towards cyclists.

[clarion]

Over to the Trough of Bowland is good riding, then back through Settle, and maybe over to Malham from there, unless you wanted to visit Ingleton & Kirkby Lonsdale, which are picturesque.

Personally, I've tended to stick to the southern dales - Airedale, Wharfedale and Ribblesdale, of which I prefer Upper Wharfedale.  However, Wensleydale and Swaledale both offer many opportunities, and are rather beautiful.

[jane]

Thanks all of you- I am back in London now after a great trip- if I had time I'd do a ride report, but as I don't I won't- suffice to say I headed up to Pately Bridge, camped in a field then up to Masham, along to and down Coverdale to Kettlewell (that hill out of Lofthouse up to Masham is a b******d, ) camped in another field at the beginning of Littondale, then Sunday over a moorland pass between Pen y Ghent and Darnbrook Fell to Ingleton then Dent where I found another field, then Monday, over the moor to Kirkby Lonsdale then lots of lovely little back roads through the Forest of Bowland to Settle where I got a train to Leeds just in time to get my train home.  I thought about going furher north but have been up there once before, loved Swaledale, Tan Hill etc but decided in the end to go for routes I hadn't done before. It's lovely, even in the rain ( ihad one wet day) I'm jealous of you lot that live anywhere with quick access to that area. 
     Thanks again
                            Jane

[clarion]

*sigh*

*homesick*

[Andy Corless]

I wrote a book about cycling in the YDNP last year called ,"On Your Bike - Yorkshire Dales", priced at £7-99 available from Countryside Books, detailing most of the above mentioned routes.

Andy Corless

[clarion]

Ah - I may be interested in a copy (when I have some dosh )

[Steve GT]

Jane, next time think about catching the Ilkley train from Leeds, which is only another 25 minutes on the train, but gets you much closer to the YDNP. You also do not have to cycle out of the Leeds City Centre. Then you are only 6 miles away from Bolton Abbey along my favourite country lane, which runs from Ilkley to Beamsley.
If you ever want some routes planned from Ilkley let me know. I cycle in the area all the time and know all the roads very well.
Sorry to reply so late, but I have been away on holiday.