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Heading up to the Dales this weekend and works got in the way of me doing my normal 3 weeks of studying every OS map and GPX trace on the internetlooking for the most interesting route (or 3 months in the case of our GR5 trip).
We're looking for the more fun/technical options where available and anything from 150-250km total distance, ideally as off road as possible! Anyone got a route, or suggestions on what we mustn't miss as neither of us have ridden in the dales before! GPX would be awesome but link to a strava route or just maps would be fine too! Found the YD200 but that looks to be fairly roady in sections and not bothered about repeating sections if that's the best way to do it!
Thanks in advance!
There are multiple YD200 routes, Stuart changed it every year, last year's had quite a bit of road on it as it headed west towards Lancaster.
Technical riding in the Dales is mainly around Swaledale, away from that it's few and far between and often there's a bit of hike-a-bike to get to those. Think traditional XC and you are basically there.
The YD300 might be suitable - https://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=shajkmhxbzjkunzq&language=en though there's a big road section from Gunnerside over Buttertubs pass and down to Bainbridge. If you wanted to cut that out then shortcut from Askrigg (90km) to Bainbridge (160km) and you'd end up with about 220km with only the first 30km being mainly road but there's a BW starting here http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=413625&Y=461129&A=Y&Z=120 that could be used to miss most of the second section of road out.
Potential bivy spots: around here - http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=404725&Y=477334&A=Y&Z=120 , here - http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=382905&Y=483334&A=Y&Z=120 , here - http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?X=391735&Y=465499&A=Y&Z=120 (possible depending on livestock) would give you three and a bit easyish days with plenty of time for cafe stops.
There are techy descents in the Dales, but not that many and generally with a fair amount of XC to join them up.
Why the Dales? Sounds like you'd enjoy 3 days bikepacking in the Lakes much more, and you can fill your boots with rocky tech over there.
Someone posted up a 300km route which looked pretty rideable and a lot of fun. That would work well over 3/4 days. If you wanted something shorter, one of the Jennride routes gives you 160km as a starting point.
+1 for 300k route. There’s stuff north west of hawes you can add on to make it longer too for 3 days. It’s a great route
We've already done (the majority of) the lakeland 200 route and wanted to find something new (No reason it has to be the dales it was just out original idea). We also we wanting to avoid Wales as we always seem to end up going to Wales! Oxfordshire and Wiltshire based so heading north for ~4 hours anyway, happy to take suggestions of better places to go!
Do the Rapha 3 Days of Yorkshire route.
North Yorkshire Moors? Moors OneHundred route?
I thourghly enjoyed that earlier in the year.