Hi, I need to ride from Lofthouse in Nidderdale to Tan Hill Inn and I'm not sure of the best way from Lofthouse out of Nidderdale to Castle Bolton. I can either go north directly from Lofthouse, over Little or South Haw to West Scrafton and then west offroad towards West Burton:

or from Lofthouse over to Scar House reservoir and then north to West Scrafton and west to West Burton:

or from Lofthouse to Scar House res, north to Braidley or Horsehouse and then northwest to Whiterow road.

Are any of these three routes better than the others.

Also, Stony Stoop Lane crosses the River Ure just south of Castle Bolton, is it normally passable in summer?

Thanks for the help.

Jon

The BW's over Little or South Haw were invisible towards W Scrafton the last time I looked for them.

Middlesmoor then down to Scar House is good, up over Dead Man's Hill and you have a fine descent to Arkleside – stiff climb out of Horsehouse but again a good descent to West Burton.

If you take the West Scrafton BW from Dead Man's Hill its a slow grassy trail reasonably visible to W Scrafton then not such a gradient to climb out of Carlton across to West Burton – super loose rocky descent this last bit

I did this some years ago when younger and fitter, on my 98 spec stumpy..

my route was:

(from Harrogate up to ramsgill by road)
Lofthouse
Middlesmoor
over the top to Scar House
over the dam and turn left
Deadmans hill old road to arkleside then turn left back to braidley
over the top to whiterow farm and down road into west burton
along to askrigg, road over the top and down to muker, then bridleway north to edge of Keld and onto pennine way to tan hill
(I then carried on to Baldersdale youth hostel, via gods bridge)

Think it came out as 75 or 80 miles, great ride, you'll be glad of some road sections for a bit of a rest)

Thanks for that.