[Closed] Pennine bridleway Kirby Stephen to Settle

Also which way is it best to ride? S-N or N-S ?

Look at the prevailing wind direction - tends to be either NW or SE, and you don't want to be going into it all day if it's blowing a bit.

I do Skipton - KS fairly regularly, and my preference is S-N, although I tend to miss out the last climb up and over to Street when going that way.

N-S has the advantage of it being 100% rideable, going the other way you'll be pushing up from behind Garsdale.

Nothing technical really, just a big day ride with fantastic views. Are you using the train?

I tend to go down into Hawes instead of over to Newby Head and Garsdale, mainly for refreshment reasons, as you still need to get up Cotter End afterwards to rejoin. The section of Lady Ann's Highway heading north from there is one of my favourite bits of trail in the Dales.

Thanks @martinhutch
Yes I was thinking of using the train. Easy and picturesque journey up there from Leeds where I live. Gives plenty of options which station to pick up from on the return.

And yes prevailing wind is important!

I was idly musing whether doing it this coming Friday was possible, with wind coming straight from the N.

we did it from Kirby Stephen back to Leeds a couple of years ago. stayed at Malham yoho.
just a bloody great ride really. i love Dales riding, big views and wide tracks.

can i come........... ;o)

I was idly musing whether doing it this coming Friday was possible, with wind coming straight from the N.

Depends how much (if any) snow we get in the north Dales on Thursday. Route goes up towards 2000ft in a couple of places. Could be a chilly one.

Did it last summer. It's a mixed bag surface wise, plenty of hardpack but also some grassy, tussocky stuff too. I imagine some of it could be boggy if it's been wet, but we had great weather.

Don't underestimate how remote it is, you don't see much of anything from KS until you get to Feizor.  Not a lot of flat, 5,000 feet+ of climbing over the 43 miles from KS to Stainforth, and it's up and down, up and down constantly.   Pizza at the campsite in Stainforth was very welcome 🙂

I was watching some Pennine bridleway videos last night funnily enough , and quite fancy giving it a go over maybe 4 or 5 days , looks bloody hard but also amazing , its on my to do list 🙂

Fantastic view of Mallerstang looking north from Wild Boar Fell to Kirkby Stephen. The white strip left to right in the photo is the climb from Street up to High Dolphinsty.
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I was idly musing whether doing it this coming Friday was possible, with wind coming straight from the N.

Wochoo wanna do that for? Riding's all crap in Yorkshire, didn't you know?!

woody2000
Full Member
Did it last summer. It’s a mixed bag surface wise, plenty of hardpack but also some grassy, tussocky stuff too. I imagine some of it could be boggy if it’s been wet, but we had great weather.

Don’t underestimate how remote it is, you don’t see much of anything from KS until you get to Feizor. Not a lot of flat, 5,000 feet+ of climbing over the 43 miles from KS to Stainforth, and it’s up and down, up and down constantly. Pizza at the campsite in Stainforth was very welcome 🙂

You forgot to mention the gates! Loads of the bloody things 😱

Gates were day 2 Si (unless I've forgotten some on day 1) 😀

unless I’ve forgotten some on day 1

I've just mentally skimmed down that bit of the route, and there are at least 50! 🙂

If there's one thing Dales riding teaches you, it's gate technique...

I've obviously forgotten them! 😀