From Kirkby Stephen to the MTL, Is it CX able or would a MTB be more suitable?

CX able for sure. Although I ride it regularly on a XC bike which I think is ideal. I even see people on tourers riding it from time to time – or at least pushing their bikes 🙂

Depends how good you are on the CX 😆

Mostly you’d be fine on a CX, there’s a few short sections heading in either direction that would be better on an MTB. If you do use an MTB then FS is a bit overkill really, but if it’s all you have, use it.

CX will be fine.

The only shit bit on any bike is Long Preston to Paythorne.

The tracks there are all ‘new’ bridleways for the PBW and are totally soft crap unless it is frozen solid or a heatwave for 6 months.

IMO just avoid this section & you’ll have 30 minutes quiet county lanes instead of an hour of sticky hell.

The only shit bit on any bike is Long Preston to Paythorne.

+1 to this, the route is mainly across fields churned up by cattle so not pleasant at all but the bit between Paythorne and Halton West is mostly on armoured track so not too bad. Quite often the PBW does something like straight on then left whereas the road does left and straight on to get to the same point.

OP: any reason why you are looking at the route N-S? I think you get better descents in the opposite direction.

OP: any reason why you are looking at the route N-S? I think you get better descents in the opposite direction.

Was thinking to get the Train from Bolton upto Windemere, cycling over to Kirkby Stephen and Riding back to Bolton. But now you have said that…

I did have a thought along those lines as I hit “send”: going S-N means you have to get to KS in time for a train back. Worth noting that the station is quite a way uphill from the town centre but the official route starts/ends above the level of the railway.

…alternatively, going S-N, cut short at Garsdale station?

@wors, I did very similar last year (back to Edgworth), but started from Oxenholme. bivid one night near Gaping Gill.

Planning on similar this year but starting from Hexham, so two nights out (I think)

Nice one Bill, just looking at Trains to Kirkby Stephen and its a trek and a half!! Is it doable in a one day do you think?

The record for the whole PBW is just under a day so KS to Bolton should be possible. I’ve done Colne to just past Settle and back in seven hours or so when I wasn’t fit as an example. Might be best to get the KS the night before and give yourself/ves as much daylight as possible.

I wouldn’t bother with Wild Boar Fell – just take the road section through Nateby to pick up the PBW further down.

There is enough decent riding N-S – particularly if you’re a bit creative with the route. However, if you’re on a CX, I doubt that descents are your absolute priority.

If you’re in a hurry I doubt you’d be flirting with the Settle Loop anyhow.

1 day – not by me, but then that is not my thing.

I’m more tortoise than hare.

BTW – I did PBW as far as Cragg Quarry & then did Edenfield/Peel Tower/Edgworth.

BTW – I did PBW as far as Cragg Quarry & then did Edenfield/Peel Tower/Edgworth

Cheers Pal, that was the plan.

Blatant thread hijack alert!

If anyone’s interested in booking onto a supported tour of the whole PBW, my company’s running one over four days in September.

https://peakpedalling.com/pennine-bridleway-tour