Booked a cottage for the end of October.
Will be calling into see Stu & Bren at the Dales Bike Centre, but wondered if anyone has any other cracking local loops they can recommend?
We've done Tan Hill, Gunnerside Gill, Old Gang Beck, Cam High Road/West Cam, loads round Apedale Road, Great Knoutberry Hill and The Lady Ann Clifford Highway.
Anything up to about 30-40 miles is fine, but we'll be chasing daylight so shorter stuff might be better, as we're pretty slow.
Aysgarth Moor? Buckden Pike? Arkengarthdale?
Have got both the Jeremy Ashcroft Guides, but they're a bit out of date now & all local knowledge appreciated.
Is the pub in Carperby any good for food?
Any other local pubs or caffs you'd recommend?
Thanks in advance.
Blue Lion, East Whitton. http://www.thebluelion.co.uk/
Haven't been there in years admittedly, we had friends who had a cottage in Bellerby, but used to do various low grade loops.
There's even a quiet road back from the pub, which was handy. Used to go so regularly (admittedly being Scots and on a bike probably made us stand out) that the girl behind the bar would start pouring the Landlord as I came in..
Sorry we don't do mountain bike any more, now that we have the TdF coming through Wensleydale and Swaledale we have gone all roadified. Well thats what it feels like.
Seriously Have a look at the map for Moor dale lane of The Stang out of Arkengarthdale and above Hurst. There are some good routes that are less travel by bikes getting over as far as Marske and back to Marrick. It makes an interesting change if starting from Dales Bike Centre.
Blue Lion is a great recommendation.
Forgot to say, If you have not done Bunton Hush you've not really done Gunnerside and is worth a revisit. Be careful though.
There's a class ride out of Carlton in Coverdale (the other side of Pen hill) I'm pretty sure Stu knows it.
The little Pub Carlton is pretty good for food.
Third the Blue Lion, one of my favourite places to eat. The parents used to eat there regularly and stayed there a few times. Julia Bradbury's favourite pub in the Dales.
BTW we did a clockwise route out of Carperby last week (in the book it starts from Bolton Castle, but it was closer to park in Carperby). Not sure if it's one you mention above, but it's in the newer guide book I think. we thought it was a pretty decent 2-3hr route (on the Dales scale, if you know what I mean). on the BW out of carperby, head clockwise to the road, right up a steep hill on tarmac to overlooking crackpot, turn right on BW head over to Apedale, turn right to Castle Bolton on BW and BW back to carperby.
The Edge out of Reeth is supposed to be a classic.
We do a good one from Thoralby further up Wensleydale which includes one of the the best descents in the Dales (comes out at Starbotton) & one of the most challenging climbs (Hell Gap).
Unfortunately I haven't a clue how to put it on here apart from explain it. 😆
Actually I might do it on Sat 7th Sept with my lad.
Bermp..........
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