I’d like to take my wife on some not too techy singletrack in the South East Dales next weekend. Looking for a route that is around 2-3 hours and she doesn’t mind a few hills. I’m fairly new to the area but was wondering if there was anything around Pateley Bridge for example? Cheers

Yes, lots. Simply head up Nidderdale to Lofthouses (I think) then round the North side of the dam, heading clockwise back down the top end of Nidderdale until you hit a brown wodden building, a shooting house IIRC, for a fun downhill, then follow the Nidderdale trail back to the road for a finish back to Pateley Bridge.

This is the usual Nidderdale ‘classic’, pretty all weather route. Not much singletrack though – SE Dales really isn’t that sort of place.

http://www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/outandabout/gettingactive/cycling/mtb/mtb-findaroute/mtb-route-nidderdale/mtb-tour_of_nidderdale.pdf

Start from Ramsgill not Scar House. Only bit to watch out for is the descent to Scar House after the climb out of the back of Middlesmoor, which is rubbly with a couple of little drop-offs.

That route looks ideal. Thanks guys!

That’s a good route
At some point on Lofthouse Moor, where you can see a shooting hut ahead, the BW (or more likely, landowner) has you hacking off left on a horrible bog bash. ignore the BW and continue on the track to the shooting hut and beyond to rejoin the same route.

Further to above you can start at Pateley Bridge itself and climb out of town to meet the Nidderdale Way bridleway that gives you a few extra miles and an interesting few 100 metres of singletrack at the mine workings but that’s the end of the legal singletrack in Nidderdale. There is pretty much only one route in the whole area which can be extended into the nearby Dales if you want a big day out. However the whole area is mainly a series of dry stone walls, gates, muddy fields and land rover tracks. So best to just think of it as a ride like rides used to be 25 years ago!

It’s definitely hardtail/29er/cyclocross/light all day bike territory and perfect for beginners/families or just a mellow day out. A very beautiful area but from a mountain bike perspective a massive let down, however when I move back to Cumbria in a few months I am sure I will have fond memories of my year in Nidderdale.

Did you head north out of Nidderdale from Scar House, Duir – gets a fair bit rougher and fun to ride out that way.