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Hi
I have been browsing through the YD south dales VG guidebooks at the longer rides and just wanted to know a little more about some of the routes, if folks have done them. Done several long and more technical ones now and enjoying it, having always defaulted to lakes, wales, and peaks in past. Based in Calderdale.
Tour D'Ingleborough - what's it like? Worth doing? As there seems to be a lot of road and the possibility of slabs on the off road sections. Is it more about the scenery and experience?
Horton, Langstrothdale, Foxup - sounds a good route, but typically there are folks on this forum suggesting the reverse is better. However this were around 5 years ago so things may have changed. Any views? Prefer technical descents, but would be looking for the direction with best flow over this sort of distance.
Stainforth and Littondale - again, sounds nice but folks have also commented on it being so, so. Thoughts?
There are variations of the last two routes on other websites, inc a tour around PenYGent. So with that in mind is there a good route that takes in the best of this specific area to recommend?
Cheers,
paul
Watching this thread with interest. Not really ridden that bit of the Dales, mainly default to Swaledale (and occasionally Nidderdale).
I can only think of a handful of 'technical descents' in that area of the Dales. Majority of it is for people who are more into er......fitness, than technical mtb. It's worth a visit, but don't set your tech-o-meter too high. Mostly climbs/descents of double farm track of either grass, concrete or limestone rubble rock.
Sure, yes appreciate that from my riding up there so far. Good, big days out though, which is always nice for a change. The long washed out farm tracks are normally pretty fun.
As BA says it's more fitness and scenery rather than technical. So depends on what you want.
Too much doubletrack/grassy bridleways for my liking that way.
Swaledale area is better for more a bit more tech.
There's very few technical descents in the south Dales, it's more old style XC riding.
Tour of Ingleborough: I've always done it clockwise rather than the direction indicated - in fact the shot of climbing Twistleton Scar is going clockwise. No need to go down to Horton these days, the PBW cuts directly between High Birkwith and Selside. I'd improve it by dropping down to Crummack then Wharfe rather than Long Lane, cut back to Austwick and across to Clapham to rejoin the marked route.
Not done the Horton Langstrothdale route as one but for all the bits I've done it's best done anti-clockwise. The lane out of Horton is better as a descent, there's no real descent in Langstrothdale, it's just forestry track and tarmac. The climb over Horse Head Moor is hike-a-bike going clockwise, it's rideable going anti-clockwise. The BW above Foxup would be more hike-a-bike going clockwise.
My local area, I enjoy the riding (settle over to littondale for a pub lunch is always a good day out) but as others have said, more about fitness and views than tech and gnar. I don’t like carrying - especially a tandem - so it’s ideal for us.
Thanks guys,
really useful. Appreciate this.
paul
To echo the above, if you want technical, go to the Lakes or at least Swaledale. There is a very small amount of tech on BWs in the southern Dales, but generally it's about big skies, views and effort.
I can't say I've done many of the routes you mention as they are laid out in the VG guide. The Ingleborough one would suit a gravel bike, but there is way too much road in it, even by Dales standards. The crossing into Crummackdale is the only bit that really qualifies as enjoyable riding.
Foxup is a funny one. I tend to keep it for dryish conditions, as it does hold water and can be a bit of a slog in the wet, hard to find any flow, but I would normally drop into Littondale, along the road to pick up the byway heading back over Dawson Close, then up the road to pick up the byway towards Helwith Bridge. Quite short as a loop - 14/15 miles I think, so I would probably start at Helwith, spin up the road to Wharfe, up Crummackdale and over Thieves Moss, Pennine Bridleway to Old Ings, Forest road straight on to BW back to Horton, then Foxup etc. That gives you a cafe at midpoint too.
I suppose this qualifies as a tour of Penyghent.
The BWs around Kettlewell/Starbotton generally offer a bit more of a challenge, up and down.