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Four of us are looking for a 3, 4 or 5 day MTB off road ride this summer. On the shortlist are The Pennine way, Bridleway or Cycleway.
We're all experienced riders, fit[ish] and will be using XC race bikes and long forked hardtails.
We'd prefer some technical riding rather than tarmac although we accept we'll see both.
So some local knowledge please as to which you recommend so that we can start planning.
Many Thanks in advance.
Lakeland 200
Of those three, only the PBW is really suitable for MTB, and isn't exactly technical anyway.
The Pennine Cycleway is quiet lanes and canal towpaths.
The Pennine Way will be busy with walkers, and have stiles.
Do you REALLY want a journey, rather than staying in one place and riding superb day loops?
Mary Towneley Loop is worth a potter round, possibly as part of a PBW day.
Coming up here from down South I'd recommend basing yourselves in the lakes & doing some big days up there,or mixing a couple of days in the lakes with a couple of days in the Dales
Pennine Way is a footpath. You'd probably get beaten to death by ramblers where you to try to ride it. Pennine Bridleway is a mix of everything. I understand that quite a lot of it is fairly remote, you'd want to be carrying supplies etc, possibly a tent or two (that or accept you'd be riding a long way off route to find a b&b.
There's the transpennine trail, but that's mainly dirt track and old railway lines. I'd agree with the above, find a good place to base yourself and sort a series of good day rides in the Lakes and Dales
This is exactly the advice I was hoping for, thanks to you all. I'm just back from You Tube watching the Lakeland 200 which looks great 'though I'm still having a man sulk after loosing all of our Saturday Polaris points struggling over "The Old Man of Conniston" many years ago.
I always keep the maps from magazines so I should have enough routes for a dozen holidays in the Lakes.
If we settle on the Lakes can you recommend a good base with good riding, digs, secure parking, food and beer.
Again Thanks in advance.
did you do the Lakeland 200 on cx bikes?
I wouldn't say the PBW is remote - no more than two or three miles from a road, you'd get to a road quicker than from the far points of many trail centres for example. As others have said the PBW is the only one of your three that's MTB suitable but it's a journey rather than trail centre type riding. It's meant to be ridable by horses. Takes you to some good places though.
There's quite a bit of Hike-a-Bike on the Lakeland 200 which might not be what you want 😆
It's not too far (an hour to two hours depending on which bit) between the Lakes and the Dales so it's not exactly onerous to find yourself somewhere between the two and head whichever way you feel.
If you're looking for technical natural riding I'd suggest Shropshire instead.