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If I'm stuck in Harrogate for half a day should I take a bike with me? Never been there before, will have a vehicle to use but would want minimal driving to ride. Have hard tail, ebike and proper bike - happy to ride either, nice singletrack is awarded extra points. Probably got 3-4 hours.
If you look up Trail Finder on YouTube. He lives near there and he has plenty rides nearby. All with Strava and Trail Forks links.
Stainburn.
Nidderdale if you don't mind some old school moorland hacking on doubletrack.
If you have time to drive to Stainburn I might be inclined to suggest drive 15 mins longer to Ilkley. IMO a lot better riding on Ilkley moor
Ebike might be best choice if short on time to get to top get bearings etc
If you really want to stay local in Harrogate, there’s the river Nidd, can ride along that which is boardwalk and there are bits where you can limb then do some off piste descents.
My friend and I when he lived over there, used to go. You can make a good ride of it
Ilkley is great, but a real maze
Stainburn much easier to navigate (aside form the unofficial trails) if you wanted a quick simple ride
If you wanted a nice XC loop something in Nidderdale could be good, or the BW over the back of Simon's Seat
If you want minimal driving and only half a day, I wouldn't waste time going all the way to Ilkley. Just head to stainburn, warm up on the high red loop. Then red descent down to the boulder drop and take the escape climb. Then back to the top and do the full red descent. By then you're nicely warmed up to have a crack at the black loop (take your trials skills), and with any remaining legs/time, cross the road and follow your nose. There's enough obvious off piste stuff to keep you occupied. Guy Kesteven has a stainburn guide on his channel if you need it.
Nidd Gauge has some nice enough stuff in it if short f time
Stainburn is 20/30 mins away depending on traffic, it’s tech, not flowy riding, depends what you are after
Ilkley and Nidderdale are 1hr away by car. The riding in Nidderdale is nice but will take more that the time you have including driving. Ilkley you will just spend your time trying to find the stuff without getting told off.
if you are just looking to get out in the countryside the this is ok, it’s not brilliant and a bit neglected but it’s ok
http://www.hedgehogcycling.co.uk/fewston-beecroft-timble-woods-swinsty-bike-trail.html
Timings a bit out there Dunc, 20 mins max to Stainburn and 30 to 40 max to Ilkley or decent bits of Nid.
I work in Harrogate and live in Skipton and allow 40 mins to get to or from.
Forgot to add, for a bit of XC there's stuff to do at Swinsty Res which can be combined with Stainburn.
Posted a long reply but it's disappeared!
Anyway if I was in Harrogate I'd go to Stainburn with your ebike, As above warm up on the carpark side them head over the road to Norwood for sume fun.
XC? Buzzard or Kestrel routes.
More technical? Stainburn
Thanks for the info everyone. Had a great 3 hours at Stainburn yesterday. Hats off to the trailbuilders, I know how hard rock gardens are to build and the work done there is amazing.
Took the ebike, looped the reds then did the blacks twice and headed over the road did most of whats on Trailforks. Didn't do the ladder to rock slab though, Fme.
Good stuff, glad you enjoyed it👍
Did you bump in to Gareth Southgate he lives right on the edge of Stainburn and can probably see it from his tennis court
Sounds like I need another trip up to Stainburn.