Anyone on here with a good knowledge of the cycling infrastructure actually IN Skipton?
eg: Are you permitted to cycle on that long path through Airville Park? Are there any shared-use / segregated paths anywhere else other than over the railway at Burnside Avenue?
And/or cycle lanes?
Bike shops? Bike hire?
OpenCycleMap and Google Streetview only go so far. Need some first-hand, primary-source knowledge!
Your help would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
Are you permitted to cycle on that long path through Airville Park?
Never thought whether it was an issue, really. So, yes is the answer. 🙂
Leeds Liverpool towpath runs right through town.
There are few quite a few little shared use paths, cut throughs and back alleys of dubious legal standing.
I think you can hire bikes out of Dave Ferguson's in town, again it's not something I've look into.
Why do you need to know?
[s] There's not much of anything in Skipton but a castle, old people, traffic, old people, drunks, old people and folk from Keighley who are barred from all the pubs in Keighley.
Oh and stabbings in supermarkets.[/s]
Sorry I'm in DM scribbler mode. I can't help.
Aireville Park is cyclable anywhere, including on the grass 😋 usual rule #1 applies. There's a pump track up towards the swimming pool.
Leeds-Liverpool canal runs through town. The towpath heading towards Leeds was resurfaced a couple of years ago as far as Bradley, it's a bit bumpy after that until you get to Silsden then it's fine to Leeds. Heading to Gargrave the towpath is grass (or mud in winter) and on a bit of an angle. There's funding to improve it but I've not heard any start date for the work.
Skipton is a pretty small place, you could walk from the railway station to Skipton Building Society's HQ which is basically all of the town centre in ten minutes, it's also an "old" town with little room to provide dedicated facilities.
Bike shops: Dave Ferguson's with "interesting" customer service and Chevin Cycles. Not sure if either do hire bikes.
The sports development officer at Craven District Council is a keen cyclist - he was one of the first Brits to ride and finish the Tour Divide - so if there's a chance to get infrastructure installed he'll push for it.
Bike shops: Dave Ferguson’s with “interesting” customer service and Chevin Cycles.
Has Stu Ryder Packed in?. I haven't had need to use him for a while.
No, he's still in business but he's a bike mechanic rather than a bike shop. He certainly doesn't hire bikes. Hence not mentioning him.
Another Skipton resident here. I think everything has been covered above. Its a small town and you can cycle from one end to the other in 5 minutes so not much room / demand for specific cycling infrastructure inside the town itself. I've never been shouted at for cycling on the Airdale Park path. Sometimes I do after a night ride just to have a quick 5 mins on the pump track when the kids aren't about. 😀
Is there anything more specifically that you need to know OP?
May I DM you, Mr Devash?
On Gargrave Road (above the park) it's a dotted white line cycle lane but it's useless as one side is full of parked cars Monday to Friday daytime and both sides suffer from being covered thick with leaves and twigs / sticks.
Looking at web sites for Dave Ferguson and Chevin suggests they both hire bikes - you can google them.
And bike shops:-
Bike shops:
Dave Feguson'sChevin Cycles with “interesting” customer service
Also a cycle cafe, The Clubhouse https://www.theclubhousecc.co.uk/
Of course. Fire me a pm.
*Loving* those cycle lanes along Gargrave Road. Just had a look on Streetview: 100ft long, covered in parked cars, and next-to-useless. 🙂
Beware the higher than average numbers of myopic pensioners pulling a SMIDSY on you
What's the score on riding in Skipton Woods - is that allowed? I ride through it all the time but rarely see other riders when walking there etc. Do people include it on local rides?
What other routes do people ride that aren't clearly marked rights-of-way? Without incriminating yourself obviously - not stuff where landowners really don't want bikes.
And when you've finished cycling: the Beer Engine and the Sound Bar (a real hoot on a sunday afternoon). The castle is well worth a gander.
What’s the score on riding in Skipton Woods – is that allowed?
I don't generally. It isn't allowed, and I just think there's too many dog walkers and mardy ramblers to justify it.
There is other non Row stuff which I do ride, but I won't stick it up on here.