I’m up guiseley over the weekend and fancy a lazysunday morning ride. Any suggestions? (ridden stainburn/norwood already recently)

Know loads of stuff in ilkley, no maps tho, but if you’re in guiseley head into esholt and calverley woods, there’s some great stuff in there if you explore and its on your doorstep

If you’re in Guiseley why not drop down the old coach road and explore Spring Woods / Buck Woods / Calvedrley Woods etc? All got some great bits in.

I’d show you (and I owe you it for the SingletrAction vids) but am at the Weekender Sunday.

Coach Road: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=419160&y=441250&z=115&sv=419160,441250&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=419160&ay=441250&lm=0

Spring Wood (aim to come out at Esholt / in the back of the car park): http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=419050&y=440435&z=120&sv=419050,440435&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=419050&ay=440435&lm=0

Lots of stuff if you’re inquisitive and fancy an explore.

Little bit of road past the Shoulder of Mutton and then left, over the bridges and into Buck Wood: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=416995&y=439180&z=120&sv=416995,439180&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=416995&ay=439180&lm=0

SingletrAction built skills spot and PT in Buck Wood: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=417545&y=439000&z=120&sv=417545,439000&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=417545&ay=439000&lm=0

Pop back out of Buck Wood after some more exploring, tootle along the canal and then into Calverley Woods: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=419735&y=437680&z=120&sv=419735,437680&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=419735&ay=437680&lm=0

Pop back out of Calverley Woods onto the main road and head towards Yeadon to take this trail http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=419587&y=438557&z=115&sv=419587,438557&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=419587&ay=438557&lm=0

Play in the bombhole here: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=419414&y=439767&z=115&sv=419414,439767&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=419414&ay=439767&lm=0

Then ride up through the woods and rejoin Spring Wood to climb back out the Coach Road into Guiseley: http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=419212&y=440157&z=115&sv=419212,440157&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=686&ax=419212&ay=440157&lm=0

Dunno if that helps?

There are no legal areas to ride on Ilkley Moor, infact the eastern side of the moor is private property so best to avoid…

This is a route around Baildon/Guisely that I do. You could shorten it if you wanted to. Most not BW’s but never had any conflict from any one and very popular with mtb’s.

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/qqNV3qW94DQ

EDIT: Mile 6-7 on that route is a complete nettle fest at the minute!

Tim’s suggestions are good but you really need a local to show you around.
Try posting up on the SingletrAction forum or the North Leeds rides thread on Bikemagic, someone might offer to take you for a ride.

I know a good Ilkley Moor loop but like Tim I’ll be at Lee Quarry for the Weekender.

There are no legal areas to ride on Ilkley Moor, infact the eastern side of the moor is private property so best to avoid…

Cycling is officially “tolerated” on the council owned area of the metropolitan common.

There has been no conflict for several years, however it remains a sensitive area ecologically, erosion wise, and politically

it would be nice if people keep that in mind and ride accordingly 🙂

There are no legal areas to ride on Ilkley Moor

Not quite true. Bradford Council are happy for you to ride on most of the bits they own.

Have a look here http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ilkley-moor-access

Ah I stand corrected! Thanks for pointing that one out.

I havent ridden from Dick Hudsons over to Ilkley for at least 15 years after having told to get off some years back by Bradford Rangers. Obviously things have changed since.

There are no legal areas to ride on Ilkley Moor, …

That’s not correct. You’re fine riding on Ilkley Moor providing you ride responsibly. There’s an MTB Protocol for it’s use but it’s poorly promoted. The wording of the protocol is here:

http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/ilkley-moor-access

With reference to the Ilkley Moor Management Plan and the subsequent protocol, Bradford LA have granted “lawful authority” for bike use.

However, certain areas are tourist / walker honeypots in good weather / weekends etc so it can be a tricky place to ride. Personally I prefer “out of hours” and avoid it when the weathers been wet and some of the trails are going to be in poor condition.

Ha, Si beats me to it.

It’s a bit frustrating that the agreement reached a few years ago with help from several locals, Bradford, English Nature, SingletrAction and others isn’t better promoted but I’m not sure it’s our (STA’s) place to go trumpeting it. Be much better if it could be easily found on Bradford’s site.

Ilkley Moor is part of the wider Rombauld’s Moor and the majority of that is in private ownership with keepers and shooting rights, They really don’t like you on those bits 😉

Think the markers are still a series of yellow painted posts across the Moor.

Fun as the buck/spring/thackley rides are (dependent on the wind direction and bradford’s diet at the time) I’m not sure they’d be my first choice in the area. A loop from Baildon up to Dick Hudson’s and back via shipley glen is good and easy to combine with an hour’s messing about in Thackley.

Rather than get onto Ilkley Moor and spend the time dodging walkers I’d probably head out in the other direction onto Denton Moor and do a loop over there. Maybe even train to ilkley and cut up at Denton, down through Swinsty woods via the marked singletrack, up to John of Gaunts, through Norwood, alongside lindley wood reservoir, down to Otley, over the chevin and back to guiseley via the fun bridleway next to the nursery on Netherfield Rd.

Oh, that probably fails the ten miles bit. Sorry. A loop over Denton and back must be about that though.

Fun bridleway next to nursery = Fairy Dell?

Great down, a bitch up 😉

Agree there’s plenty of alternatives to what I suggested but I do like buggering about in the woods. I must have a stronger constitution or not be bothered by the smells from Esholt. I just grimace swallowing the flies when riding the trail next to the filter beds!

Don’t get me wrong, I love the trails there too, I’ve been in Thackley woods 5 times in the last fortnight. I just wouldn’t necessarily say that they’re the best introduction to the area…

P.S. Fairy Dell sounds right, I work on Netherfield Rd. so our evening jaunts typically start by trying (and failing) to get up that without a dab and finish by seeing who can get down without touching the brakes.

Funky Dunc do you have a GPS of that route?

If by that do you mean a .gpx file then yes. Miles 15 to 16 and 0 to 1 are just getting to and from my house and I wouldnt recommend riding them… unless you live in Baildon?

As I say though, alot of it is cheeky trail.

I almost live in baildon, shipley. might give some of those trails a go.

When I lived in Guiseley and just wanted a quick ride then I’d either head down in to Esholt woods or up onto the Chevin. For a Sunday I’d definately pick Esholt. It’s been raining a lot today though so I’d certainly give Ilkley moor a miss.

As Gribs says, it’s absolutely lashed it down the last few days, MTB on Ilkley Moor would be out of bounds for responsible locals until another dry period. FunkyDunc route looks good or a ride exploring the Chevin.

The decent bits on the top of the Chevin are cheeky though and there’s generally enough people up there at weekends for it to be hard work.

Bummer, I’m at the Weekender too or i’d show you around Bingley. All the best stuffs hidden away as usual!

There’s the Bingley Bash route or Hard’en Fast (same routes pretty much). Bogtrotters Bingley Bash route map is probably the best version accessible on t’internet (includes some naughty stuff).

Had a cracking little ride through Shipley Glen last night, just a short loop through the woods and on the side of Baildon Moor. There really is some great riding around there. 8)

Hi Pook,

I will be out riding round there this sunday. give a shoot if you want to tag along.

Luke

lukeellis82@hotmail.co.uk

Cheers Luke – busy unfortunately, but next time!

GlitterGary
Next time go up onto Harden Moor and St Ives Estate, some excellent stuff up there aswell. Harden Moor is a great playground.