Hi all,

our yearly lads away ride is going to be the penine bridleway this year. We have Friday to Monday but this needs to include getting to/from Kent (although we might get away with a Thursday evening departure.

Any recommendations for sections to do in that time – we like the ‘journey’ aspect, but realise we probably can’t do the whole thing – we’re a bit leisurely these days…and like to stay in pubs!

any thoughts?

The obvious suggestion is to do the Mary Townley loop which, as the name suggests, is a 50 mile loop. That’ll give you a good day out and then on the other day(s) you can do some shorter loops. I can’t really help with overnight A to B advice I’m afraid, but I’m sure someone will be along in a moment…

Are you leaning towards focusing the southern or the northern end? The most obvious issue with an A to B route is transport back to A. This is less of a problem at the northern end, because of the rail line from Kirkby Stephen to Skipton.

You could do a cracking two-dayer from Skipton (approx 55 miles) with an overnight stop somewhere around Austwick or Clapham.

hmm – sounds interesting – tell me more…it looked pretty remote on goog, will there be places to stay along the way?

hmm – sounds interesting – tell me more…it looked pretty remote on goog, will there be places to stay along the way?

MT Loop or northern end?

northern end – I see the issue with transport although it is possible we can all get picked up where we finish…

I take it that it is a nice route ‘going both ways’ as it were?

I prefer south to north. I think the climbs and the descents are more interesting that way.

Basically you can start in Skipton, ride to Kirkby Stephen then catch the Carlisle/Settle line back to Skipton, although a close eye on the timetable is needed on Sundays. If that’s too far, you could go from Settle.

My route from Skipton would be over Sharp Haw, Hetton, Weets Top, Calton descent, up for lunch in Malham, climb out to the top of Stockdale Lane, down Stockdale, cheeky past Victoria Cave, down into Stainforth, road into Crummackdale, up over into Clapham for overnight. Then follow PBW from there up Long Lane etc.

You could feasibly make a three-dayer out of it.