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Hading to the dales in a few weeks, staying in Swaledale. I've looked at the routes on dales bike centre website but looking at the map there's loads of trails... so what's your favourite and why?
I'd like to make a greatest hits route.
They are all my favorites. My advise go and talk to Stu at the Dales Bike Centre and he'll pick out some goodies for you depending on what you want. Have fun.
Depends what you like, and how much of it you want.
Personally, it's dropping into Gunnerside Gill (various options depending on tech preference), following that then down to Gunnerside via the Electric Gate descent.
The quarry descent off Fremington Edge is also good.
The only one I would actively avoid is the loop which drops off Whaw Moor then climbs back over Schoolmaster Pasture. Shooting track bashing with little reward. Also the BW which runs under Fremington Edge between Reeth and Langthwaite, which will be a nettle fest unless someone has been around with the scythe.
Lots of good 'uns in Swaledale. Favourite loop(s)?
Short Loop: Fremington Edge - Hurst - Langthwaite - Cringley Hill - Angry man descent - Harkerside - DBC
Longer loop: Fremington Edge - Hurst - Langthwaite - Cringley Hill - Great Pinseat - Gunnerside Gill - Gunnerside - Crackpot - Summer Lodge - Apedale - Harkerside - DBC
There are variations on each depending on time and weather. For instance: on the longer loop instead of dropping down to Gunnerside, traverse the pastures to Blades then take the "footpath" (actually a farm track) that leads back towards Surrender Bridge then over the ford and up to Cringley Hill to do the Angry Man descent.
angry man to finish a ride is great.
the descent from apedale head down through birks end to low houses is also cracking.
While we are in Swaledale, what are the BWs like between The Stang and Langthwaite/Booze? I've done the one from Booze round to Hurst which is part of the loop mentioned by Martin.
Also the BW descending to Cogden Hall just east of Grinton.
done the bw from long green gate to stang foot.
wet boggy mossy stuff. remember we walked loads of it.
the stang is grim.
I've only done Scarhouse Lane as a climb - fairly nondescript farm track. Don't know if Windegg Lane is any more interesting, suspect not. There are various other ways of dropping off Moresdale Road at the turn but it goes without saying that they are not BWs.
Also the BW descending to Cogden Hall just east of Grinton.
That's reasonable, and there are some little hushes as you cross over from the Greets Hill track to reach it which are worth doing too.
The old stage 2 at Ard rock. Ooft.
Also the BW which runs under Fremington Edge between Reeth and Langthwaite, which will be a nettle fest unless someone has been around with the scythe.
Yes, the further I got along it the more I figured it was a bad idea.
Also the BW which runs under Fremington Edge between Reeth and Langthwaite, which will be a nettle fest unless someone has been around with the scythe.
The only time we've ignored Stu's advice.
In fairness, we used it instead of the road to go and watch the hill climb, but it's a frustrating bit of trail.
The Apedale Road circular (from the Bolton Arms in Redmire) is fun but not techy. Great on a tourer, fast on a hardtail. Parking further up the hill if you want to avoid the road climb.
And all the above, obviously. 🙂
Road up to the Tan Hill Tavern and back down the bridleway from the front door is great fun on a tourer/hardtail too.
@martinhutch - yes I've done those hushes - didn't want to mention them as they aren't technically BW.
Apedale is a great blast as a descent.
The other descent not mentioned so far is the Pipeline descent, it's not easy to find even if you know where it is! This is the top http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=402133&Y=497594&A=Y&Z=115 but the marked line to get to it doesn't exist on the ground! You have to circle along the moor edge to find it.
Avoid anything to do with The Stang...its utter horsesh1t. I used to live in a village near the bottom of it (the Northern side), i walked and rode every inch of the place over the years trying to find something that would be remotely interesting to ride. Theres nowt....and its so densely packed you cant even make a cheeky trail in there. The BW over the top is a boggy, undefined, heather covered mess. Its a BW on a map only.