Apologies if this sounds like a ridiculous question or post but bear with me please…. I’m wondering what the Yorkshire Dales is like for mountain biking. I assume, possibly incorrectly, that it’s going to have some good routes but is the biking in the area good enough to draw riders from further afield?

The reason for asking is I have a friend who is considering buying a weekend bolt hole in the area and she is thinking of using the same for short term holiday lets, hence wondering if the areas is frequented by mountain bikers who are not from the area. The cottage has ample parking, a garage and a secure brick-built shed.

She has no idea on charges though they’d be in line with the area/market. Saying that, money isn’t a driver on this – she’s probably going to buy the cottage regardless.

Appreciate the above is a bit light on info just now (I’m running into a meeting and was meant to post this a couple of hours ago) but any thoughts and opinions would be gratefully received. I will of course update more later on.

Thanks.

I almost laughed out loud !( sorry )
Brilliant riding in the area..and too many routes to mention ..
Go for it 😀

What hodgynd said.

If an area has enough going for it to support a bike hire business (Stage 1 Cycles), that’s usually a good sign.

Also hosted an OMM Bike event recently.

Only thing that let it down when I was there was the weather. It was wetter than Wales!

Lovely area, really lovely. I do the Dodd Fell and over the other side Kidstones on the CXer..

Lovely pub in Marsden.

There are quite a few good routes going into and out of Hawes. All of them very XC in nature, but that’s not a bad thing in itself.

However, as a local, I don’t see it as a natural hub for mountain biking in the same terms as, for example, Reeth in the next valley up, at least not for riding from the door.

Doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work as a holiday let for roadies, touring motorcyclists or just non-riding tourists – there are plenty of those around. It could well work better than Reeth in that respect.

I’m wondering what the Yorkshire Dales is like for mountain biking.

It’s awful. Look at this bloke, smiling & stuff.

Only thing that let it down when I was there was the weather. It was wetter than Wales!

Oh yes! It’s grim oop North.

If she’s interested in renting out the garage, we might be looking for waterski boat storage in Hawes area next spring (nearer to Semer water the better). used to have a house at Askrigg, but now sold. Currently keep it in a farmers field by the lake, but it’s not ideal.

I’d like to book it for a week next spring, please.

Folks, thanks for your thoughts on this, sounds like it’s worth considering further.

🙂

I dont think it’s that great for mtb personally. Gets lots of people through on road bikes these days though because of the TdF and Buttertubs

Pretty good area, though as others said Swaledale to the north is probably better. Close enough for people who are happy to drive out to the start, but if they’re wanting to ride from the house, the off-road riding is less interesting I’d say.

Providing route ideas in the area on a webpage would help market it.

Good bike cleaning area also a bonus, not just storage.

Well… we’ve gone through hawes several times on the road bike but never yet gone MTBIng there. As an overall holiday base it’s great, not convinced it’s specifically MTB Mecca though.

Hawes is not great for uber tech mountain biking. Take a rigid 29er and a full day and you’ll have great fun. But as said above hawes is not the best hub for short rides.

Yes grim indeed.

Why is everyone focusing on Hawes?
The question the OP asked was is there good mountain biking in the Yorkshire Dales ..which there undoubtedly is.
As a base Hawes is as good as anywhere to go exploring from and having travelled to the area it seems a little naive ( at least to me ) that you are going to just base your riding purely from the front door of your holiday cottage ..when there is an abundance of fantastic riding a short car journey away in the surrounding Dales … 8)

A three word answer why some MTBers will look for loops from the door rather than having to drive into the next dale and back.

Halfway Pub Stop

Oh yeah …
Of course being the god-like race snake that is me ..I wouldn’t dream of doing that 😕 😆

In 1987 between jobs I stayed at my parents’ cottage in Countersett above Semerwater. I started riding around all the bridleways on my Dad’s old 3 speed Raleigh roadster and then I spotted a Raleigh Maverick in a bike shop in Harrogate and walked in and bought it on my Barclaycard for £199. Couldn’t believe how good it was over rocky hilly terrain or how hard it made me breathe; I’ll never forget the impression that bike made on me at the time.