Thinking about attempting the PBW this summer. I really love the SDW and want to try other long-distance MTB routes in the UK. In places the PBW looks like about the most "remote" feeling you can achieve in England which seems great. I'd probably try and base my itinerary around staying at inns rather than bikepacking in order to stay light and enjoy the ride as much as possible.
When I do research on STW though, there's a lot of comments about the PBW routing being bad in places, with it religiously sticking to low quality bridleways where a road section or other alternative route would have been preferable. Also, apparently there's a frustrating number of gates. I found the gates in SDW to be real momentum killers, and apparently PBW is worse?
Does anyone have a GPX route that improves on the PBW? Or is this something I'll have to come up with myself based on comments about which sections are skippable or not that enjoyable to ride.
Do you have to stick slavishly to the official route? We have alway used the official route as a starting point and then done our own modifications.
Do you have to stick slavishly to the official route? We have alway used the official route as a starting point and then done our own modifications.
I have no interest in sticking slavishly to the original route if there are better alternatives. But as somebody who has never ridden the area before, I have no idea what better alternatives would look like. My work at mapping out routes in Surrey recently showed me that local knowledge is essential, what can often look like a good path on a map turns out to be pretty crap in reality (e.g. heavily overgrown). The Strava heatmap is a valuable resource but that is still not as good as the experience of local riders.
So, I guess I am being lazy and asking if anyone else has already done the work of a better GPX for mountain bikers that roughly follows the original route? If not, I'll have a go at doing it myself.
I'm in the process of doing this for the Great North Trail. There are places where there are much easier and quicker (off road) options to take that either weren't there when it was designed, or they don't like to use, such as canal towpaths.
I'm not sure you'll find any off-road route in the South Pennines which isn't plagued by gates. It's just a fact of life in areas where lower level packhorse routes cross countryside known for livestock farming.
I know the Dales section very well, and can probably suggest a couple of changes that I usually follow when heading north on the PBW.
The main one is that from the top of Cam Fell, I take the Cam Road down towards Hawes rather than going across to the end of Dentdale and then losing height on the Coal Road (tarmac) instead. Then rejoin via Hardraw and Cotter End. Less pushing overall, some rougher sections of descent and better re-supply options.
The section between Barnoldswick and Long Preston is a bit rubbish, my recommendation would be to follow the canal towpath to Bank Newton, then head north via Bell Busk, Airton, Weets Top and Mastiles Lane to rejoin the route just south of Malham Tarn.
Depends where you are. There are some bits (even of the MTL which is quite heavily trafficked) where the surface is not “an all weather surface suitable for horses” eg. the bit south of Hollingworth Lake where if memory serves it’s all loose chippings.
Also a slightly sketchy in a bad way section north of the Summit pub where sticking to the canal is better.
Last time I tried to do it, the surface was waterlogged which was far more energy sapping than the gates. Also wasn’t there a diversion up in the NE corner?
Do you know which direction you will go? A lot of alternative paths will be direction dependent -e.g. I prefer to ride the pennine way mainly between hebden and Diggle, but going the other way I wouldn't be as fussed.
I think for the entire S section from the Peak up to around Bwick you are basically fine on the bridleway route, there aren't any egregious sections where you're missing great riding. Maybe reroute to ride either Jacobs ladder or Cavedale descent, direction depending, if you are on a MTB.
Isn't this what Strava Heatmaps are for?
Just zoom in closely and find the most popular sections ??
IMO most of the pbw is generally pretty good. The gates are greatly helped by riding as a pair.
The one section that is truly awful is barnoldswick to settle. The bridleways are a sticky shitty sludge. Just take some nice back lanes that are actually a pleasure to ride.
The section from Hayfield to the m62 is also IMO not great. I have done this ride a few times and I think it's a good improvement. https://strava.app.link/CZ5ziTRayUb — hayfield_edale_loop_177
