I’ll admit it. I know naff all about routes around here.

I live betwix Leeds & Bradford, and on the rare occasion I actually pedal a bike nowadays, it’s usually around the dull woods near me, or canal.

I’d like somewhere pleasant (scenic).
Not technical (I can’t actually ride anymore 😀 ).
Lovely singletrack would be nice.
A cafe/pub stop on the way would be a bonus.

I know, it’s embarrassing frankly. I’ll blame too much time working and not actually making any friends up here. Don’t mind driving for an hour or so (although I’m working in the morning 😳 )

(No trail parks please, lovely though they are – I just want to bumble and enjoy the ride)

Ta, Rich

Bingley Bash route is nice and not too technical. Shipley. Baildon. Ogden. Ikley. You’re spoilt for choice. Buy THIS and go explore.

How long you looking to be out for…. We do a loop around esholt/baildon/apperly bridge but its not long although there are some good runs in the woods in esholt.

Jay

My fitness varies between daily post-work-gym activities, or slobby take the lift up four flights of stairs.

Currently taking the lift, so not looking for a marathon 😀

Happy to tag along on any rides; guaranteed to make everyone else look like Steve Peat.

Drop me a mail – I’m only in Apperley Bridge

There’s a few routes. That book recommended above is good

Some nice single track between Apperley bridge and Tong that I ride now and again

Cheers tmb, I’ll do that, especially as I live a couple of hundred meters from Tong 😀

Go to retrobike and have a look in the Yorkshire area section as there’s loads of people near you and they often have rides local to you. You don’t have to take an old bike and the pace is steady.

Bingley Bash is a good route but there’s some steep bits that you might struggle on if you’re fitness isn’t great.
Some nice riding around Shipley Glen and Baildon Moor, good views from the top of the moor.

tmb467 was it you that I chatted to the other Saturday up by the wind farm above Oxenhope?

You don’t have to take an old bike and the pace is steady

There’s some humour there. My bike is 17 years old, and it’s a Pace 😀

Thanks, I might resort to RB but I don’t want discussion about period-perfect parts and how modern bikes/disc brakes are evil; although I don’t spend a lot of time there and that assumption is probably unfounded and based on ignorance.

I’ll drop you a message next time we are out (usually do a steady hour on a weds eve? and try head out the last sat or sun of each month for a day in the saddle). Sounds like your only up the road from me, im in BD4

Drop me a mail – I’m only in Apperley Bridge

Go riding with this guy, there’s some great stuff round there.

Short hops from you

Nidderdale
Stainburn
Wharfedale (upper Kettlewell etc + Lower Embsay, Bolton Abbey)

Jay, sound good thank you – I’m in BD11. Weekday would be nice; stop me from working when I get home 😀

Dropped you an email. usually try havee a cheeky pint after the ride too.

There’s some humour there. My bike is 17 years old, and it’s a Pace

Thanks, I might resort to RB but I don’t want discussion about period-perfect parts and how modern bikes/disc brakes are evil; although I don’t spend a lot of time there and that assumption is probably unfounded and based on ignorance.

Trust me, the Yorkshire chaps (and the NW group) are nothing like that in real life 😆

Most of them have modern bikes as well. 😯

BD11, is that Birkenshaw?

BD11, is that Birkenshaw?

Not that posh; Drighlington (the nice part!) 😀

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, there’s a nice ride on Threshfield Moor nr Grassington, which I can do without resorting to granny ring. Some really nice views as well. I’ll look for the map

B.A.Nana – Member
If you don’t mind a bit of a drive, there’s a nice ride on Threshfield Moor nr Grassington, which I can do without resorting to granny ring. Some really nice views as well. I’ll look for the map

Must be easy then 😉

I like Grassington and that whole area (Kettlewell etc), but transport-wise it’s a bit of a sh***er to get to from here.

I’d like to find somewhere that I can regularly get to. Thanks though.

EDIT: just noticed this:

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive

Not that much of a drive, but thank you all the same.

Hi simon – I’d tried to reply earlier but were just out tonight

Yes, that was me and my pal out – have you been out much since ?

And do you go out regularly anyway?

My email is in my profile – otherwise I’ll be on here tomorrow again
Cheers!

No Si, I just get off and push up the hills. 🙂
It’s got a couple of tough climbs, but steady away

There’s also one called Tunnels and Bridges which starts from Clapham (might be too far) which is steady going, senic and has cafe part way and some singletrack. can be found on MTB the dales or something

Check this lot out Badbrainsmbc

have you been out much since ?

Yes, loads, I’ve been making the most of the good weather 🙂

Ilkley Moor out and back from Dick Hudsons, just go and explore (dry conditions only tho).

+1 for the Bad Brains lot. I’m down the road in Gildersome and have been riding with them for about 7 years now. At least 2 organised rides a week all within 30 mins drive of me and lots of varying abilities. Always starts and ends at a pub so it’s got that covered.
Also worth checking out the Garage Bikes shop rides. Big Al knows the area very well and runs rides about once a month with a social emphasis. In fact, I think he’s got one tomorrow from his shop in Morley. I’ll check start tea and report back.

EDIT: Just checked his twitter feed, ride tomorrow from his shop in Morley starting 9.30.

Within an hour you can easily get to parts of the Yorkshire Dales, especially around Wharfedale. There’s not a huge amount of singletrack but it s very scenic, plenty of technical and less technical options and some very good pubs. The bridleway from Bolton Abbey to Rylestone is very good, road to Halton then track upto to the road at Halton Heights, a long steady climb up a shooters track, then some singletrack over the moor top (mostly smooth but a bit of rocky stuff) then a rockier steeper downhill to Rylestone. Either link in with the lanes to do a round or do what I do and turn round and repeat it but go straight on when you cross the road, for a easy but fun descent (steep grass then singletrack in the woods) into Bolton Abbey. Takes me 2-3hrs and I’m not fit at at all.

Or start in Grassington and head out over Threshfield moor to Mastilles lane, then either over to Littondale or back via Weets Top. The National Park have repaired some bridleways here which make easy singletrack.

I live in Otley and it takes me 20-40min to get to the Dales, so you should be within an hour

I tend to recommend it a lot – as mentioned above, the tunnels and bridges route here

is pretty much perfect for your brief. About an hour to get there, some nice singletrack, gorgeous location, cafe at Feizor, pub in Austwick, not technical in the slightest, and not particularly long, so doable in well under 2 hours.

Cheers for suggestions all; abandoning work today so will pick one 😀

Scrap that, just seen the forecast 🙁

I’ll be out on the shop ride this morning. It’ll be steady. 😉