If I'm above Gunnerside on Melbecks Moor where the arrow in the non working linky is shown, how can I get due West to Blakethwiate smelt mills?

Can I take the track shown as heading through the spoil heaps, and will that get me down to the valley bottom, or should I continue northwards on the main track before cutting off on the bridleway, then retracing my route by the riverside?

Any locals up there ridden round here?

Try contacting Stu at http://www.dalesbikecentre.co.uk/.

I'm sure he'll have the answer if there is one !

link no worky…. but this was gunnerside for me and haddock about a month ago. And it's rained a lot since then….

i can't see your map, but i assume you mean the old mine workings to the east of Gunnerside Gill.
In answer to your question, yes you can use them to cut the corner off. It's pretty clear, and there's some gravelly mounds to play on if you'e that way inclined.

EDIT: I've just realised I haven't answered your question at all, instead I've just whinged about the moors being boggy! sorry. Having a look at the map now.

Here you go

http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=27948

Every bit of moor round there is sodden though, and in parts, about 2 feet deep, especially over Arkengarthdale Moor

Not fun.

Thanks Pook.
This map
http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=27948
is the second alternative I was considering.
I was wondering if it's possible to cut the corner down to the gill, rather than take the big loop north. Am I making sense?
(If this link works) I'm thinking of going down from here-
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=394655&y=501450&z=120&sv=394655,501450&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=521&ax=394655&ay=501450&lm=0

That doesn't really exist on the ground, you'd have to scramble down & wade the stream

The footpath heading SW from there is very nice though 😀

Thanks I've done the footpath route, but wanted to get to the Blakethwaite ruins, so it looks like I'm on the north loop.

yeah that bit, as SND says, isn't really there and the loop north isn't bad.

Neil, that B/W from your arrow down into the Gill is perfectly rideable, we use it loads. Then you can either double back near the bottom to get to the old mine buildings & cross the river over the stone bridge then plodge across the stream to get on the wide track back down to Gunnerside, or keep on it & head towards Gunnerside. We always do the latter option.
Sorry i dunno how to show you on a map.

Then you can either double back near the bottom to get to the old mine buildings & cross the river over the stone bridge then plodge across the stream to get on the wide track back down to Gunnerside,

That's great news. That's exactly what I want to do.

Hi guys – is that an mbr route sending you from Tan Hill across to the top of Great Punchard Gill? If so it isn't ride-able.

The ground here isn't too bad, we've been out Friday, Saturday and Tuesday (we'll be out tomorrow night as well), the trails on our route maps and quite a few others are in good nick! Pop in and we'll point you in the right direction.

Arkengarthdale DBC? Yep – it's crap.

Speak to Stu at Dales Bike Centre. Then you won't end up climbing down to the bottom of Gunnerside Gill like I did 🙂

Then you won't end up climbing down to the bottom of Gunnerside Gill like I did

I did that once, but on the other side of the gill. Don't want to do the same again, hence the question!!!

Going from East to West's ok, down the BW & an easy enough climb up the other side to the wide track that comes from…Keld basically. West to East is a carry/push.

East to West will be our way. I've been on the footpath heading SW, and the trail heading north to the old dam, but never been straight down through what appear to be spoil heaps of Bunton Hush. Had a look at Google Earth, but the track can't be picked out. Saw Julia Bradbury on her Coast to Coast programme up there, and it looked dubious, so I thought I'd ask.

is that an mbr route sending you from Tan Hill across to the top of Great Punchard Gill

No way! I tried that route once, didn't succeed, and won't be going back. I'm not convinced that MBR ride their routes; they seem to come up with some very strange route choices at times.

That's a heather bash in summer & a ballache when wet!

Sorry guys misread this thread in a bit of a hurry earlier.

To try and clarify a couple of points:

Bunton Hush is quite a steep rocky gully from the moonscape into the Gyll, we ride it loads it's a fantastic bit of rocky singletrack with proper consequences!That drops you down to a finger post with four arrows on it. From there you can head up the valley and drop down to the stone bridge and head back to Gunnerside on the West side of the Ghyll. Another option from the finger post is to head south along b/w on East side of valley under Winterings Scarr. The later is a better option as 'esselgruntfuttock' says

Blakethwaite Ruins if that's the stuff up top near the dam I wouldn't bother

There is 5 or 6 different ways to drop into the ghyll from the moonscape on top. It's all good but if the cloud is down it is sooo easy to get lost.

If anyone wants advice call in to Dales Bike Centre, Fremington on your way. The trails have drained really well since all the rain we had 2 weeks ago. There is mud and bog around if you look hard for it but there is sooo much to that is good riding.

Hope that helps

Stu

Bunton Hush is really good fun if your into steep/rocky/tech as Stu said. Definately the best riding I have done in the Dales area. Hers's a pic of the hush from the other side of the valley – http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2928037/

What are peoples thoughts on the singletrack leading along the valley south from Blakethwaite Mills, the pictures in MBR looked good (April 08) but is it all like that?