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Anybody done either of these routes in the Dales?
http://www.mtbthedales.org.uk/mtb-aysgarth_tour_of_wensleydale.pdf
If so what were they like?
Brilliant area for biking. Done lots round there, steep up's (and some!) and spectacular views, lots of off road and techie long downs. Boggy bits are boogy tho, but it has been dry lately so take a chance. My preference would be Castle Bolton, start and finish, there's an excellent tearoom.
Thanks teagirl. There are 4 of us are heading up there next weekend to try it out, we will be based just outside Reeth. I know the area really well as its been a holiday destination of my familys for the past 20 odd years but ive never ever ridden up there so cannot wait!
Why the castle bolton ride over the others?
They are both good bike destinations but I found CB more remote, warmed up better as the first climb from Reeth is a pig, and the possibilities for route extention more enticing but that's my opinion!
TBH - the 2 Reeth rides would be my option, they're both very good rides
The piece of trail they have that takes the low route from Langthwaite to Fremington is [IMO] only really worth it if it's been dry for a while but is probably the best bit of trail on that route
Horses for courses I know but their grading of the routes is a bit on cautionary side - I'd say that most of the red stuff is moderate & none of the trails are severe
So it sounds like we cant really go wrong with either then :o)
I suppose the grading is just the websites way of doing it as there is no dedicated trail centre (sorry dales bike centre) like there is in wales etc to mark out the routes and grade them as id assume you are just following bridal ways/green lanes and footpaths.
Yep it's all natural route and you'll need a map. Did Reeth ride earlier this year, riding in the valley was pure mud. If you can drive for an hour and want guided trails, get yourselves to Gisburn!
Hi Jim.
Glad to hear you are coming up to Swaledale to do some riding - it is awesome!!
Do call in and say hi, we're more than happy to spend some time marking your map and discussing routes with you. We've ridden them a couple of times or so, so we should be able to sort you out 🙂 We've got some good cake on the go at the moment as well! Check out www.dalesbikecentre.co.uk as Trekster kindly said.
Hope to see you up here!
Anthony
Just found this thread after posting another.
How did you get on, Jim? What can you recommend? Anywhere you'd avoid if you went again?
Anthony, I'll definitely be seeing you at some point Wednesday onwards. We're staying in Gunnerside - we started looking for cottages in Reeth, and worked our way up til we found somewhere free! But we'll gladly take some tea and cake off your hands!
Hi nedrapier
I have not been yet am travlling up tonight to ride this weekend.
When are you going up?
Hey Jim, I missed this!
we went up on Tuesday night, rode crackpot loop on Wednesday & called in at the Dales bike centre for tea and cake. Thursday we pootled round and saw some waterfalls and stuff. Friday we rode the fremington edge > gunnerside loop. Pretty hard work riding up to the tops into a massive head wind! Lots of fun on the way down though. Felt bad for Ceri, my girlfriend, because the downhills were a bit steep and tricky for her and she ended up walking decent chunks. And have to agree with her that some f the funnest bits were the fast, whoopy, grassy downhills lower down. Wheeee!
Both days involved a bit of heather bashing after some navigational errors though! Character building, I'd imagine.
Came down to Leeds yesterday to see some friends, riding Stainburn if today as soon as the hangover clears. I'm concerned that tat might not happen today though!
I guess you're riding as I type. I hope you're having a good one!
Ed
Hi nedrapier
Got back from our day and a half riding on Sunday evening. Drove up Friday night and headed out early on Saturday morning to do the Edge ride (gunnerside gill & fremington edge) what a ride that was! very hard physically we did try and cycle up fremington edge but once the tarmac ran out we walked the rest but the downhills made it worth it espically the fast descent into gunnerside. And the descent into Langthwaite from fremington edge.
Whilst out Saturday we stopped in at the Dales Bike Center and spoke to Stu who told us a great ride to do Sunday morning which involved heading up the road just past the CB Inn to barnard castle then turn right at the second bridal path (just after the cattle grid) and climb up the ridge and over it and then there was a brilliant 3-4 mile fast swooping winding descent into Hurst where we picked up the langthwaite descent from The Edge ride again.
Hope to do it again next year as i had a great time.
J
jim_1980
Nice to meet you fellas, pleased you had a good time in the great Dale.
The Sunday route we have on a route map here 'Schoolmaster and the Egde' a corker!
Take it easy, see you guys again sometime
Stu
Definately need to echo Jim's comments. Good time had by all. Really glad I decided not to take my Enduro though. Steel hardtail is definately the way to go. Although Stu is a little mental in my opinion riding it all on a SS 69er! The hack along the top of the dale on Sunday was an ear-to-ear grin inducing blast!
There's a feature on riding the Dales over a weekend in the next issue of Singletrack. Tis verrrry niiiice 🙂
Country Gent
Thanks for the compliment;-)
Pleased you had such a good time in the great Dale
tbh 69er is a 2-3hr blast/night ride bike on routes I know I'll do reasonably well, tis a mad smile inducing bike though. Not keen on taking it for a walk up Fremington Edge I ride Soul for work/full-day/steep rides.
We were out last night riding dusty trails in short sleeves till 9:30pm. Truely ace
Till next time fellas..
Benji - can't wait to see the photo's hopefully some of a certain bearded one making cheese butties and using a microwave of all things!!
Stu
I know what you mean about the joy of simplicity Stu.
Been running my rigid 1993 Orange Clockwork as a SS round our local loops this summer. Absolute riot and scarily quick (far too quick for the frankly awful canti brakes!).
These is something quite nice about riding a bike that is completely silent and just lets you get on with the business of going, turning and stopping (or not in my case).
Catch you later
CG
My singlespeed is the noisiest bike I have. But that says more about my maintenance routine! 😉