Yorkshire Dales – gravel route?

We quite fancy riding somewhere not-the-peak-district this coming weekend. Yorkshire Dales feels like a good answer.

Can anyone suggest a decent loop. Gravelbikeable, say 30-50 miles and scenic with it?

I know a route from Burnsall that comes back over Embsay Moor and through Bolton Abbey, plus odd bits from Malham to Kettlewell, but some of the latter are definite mtb territory.

Thanks!

I enjoy the route from the Dales Bike Centre along Swaledale then up to Tan Hill. A pint and food to recover from the climb up. Then down Arkengarthdale and to Langthwaite. Turn right up onto Great Pinseat. Loop around and descend back into Swaledale and finish at the Dales Bike Centre for tea and double cake.

Swaledale may be a bit busy this weekend as there’s a gravel event out of the DBC. I’m currently trying to pick a route around it all for Sunday.

If you fancy something with a twist, park in Settle, get the train to Garsdale (over the Ribblehead viaduct) and ride back. The route below is about 80% off road and fine on a gravel bike or hardtail MTB. It’s at the top end of gravel tbh, but all rideable on a gravel bike with care in places, and non technical hilly riding on a hardtail. For a longer ride carry on the train to Kirkby Stephen and ride up the quiet and wonderful Mallerstang via Lady Anne Clifford’s Way. Regular ride for me as I live in Garsdale so works well.

Views from the train are superb, and it’s not expensive.

I can send a gpx file if that helps – PM me.

Helwith Bridge to Wharfe, follow Pennine Bw to Cam Fell then the Roman Road to Bainbridge. South to Buckden across Stake Allotment. Road all the way up Langstrothdale then across to Horton and back to Helwith. 45 miles. Nothing technical, a few rocks here and there, very scenic.

2 great routes there.

Although you could get off at Dent just before Garsdale and reduce some of the climbing.

Dent Station to Skipton is about 40 miles of gravel friendly tracks, without the full grind up the Coal Road to start.

Basically everything round Settle/Ribblesdale is good gravel riding, we generally use MTBs and there may be some bits where you have to walk but it’s hardly radical gnar. There’s a fairly new bit of bridleway down through Cam Woods (connecting Cam High Road to Langstrothdale) that doesn’t seem to be on maps but can be useful for making a loop.

On the route from @daverhp, you could also drop down into the Langstrothdale forest for a little more distance, and to see the only big forest in the Dales (much of which has unfortunately been clearcut…)

Most of the forest tracks in there are bridleways, even though they aren’t marked as such on OS maps (signposted when there)

Couple of pics from around there:

yes that’s the bit I was talking about. The bridleway follows the forest track that’s clear enough on the map.

How about start at Skipton, go to Carleton then follow the old railway to Thornton, join the canal then follow back to Gargrave via East Marton, BW to Airton, road to Carlton, BW to Wheets Top then back down to Hetton, road to Rylston, BW up over Black Park to the Barden road, BW to Bolton Abbey, back road to Halton East, up to Draughton Heights then follow the Roman Road back to Skipton?

Done all sections on my gravel bike no worries and it has plenty of get out points.

Helwith Bridge to Wharfe, follow Pennine Bw to Cam Fell then the Roman Road to Bainbridge. South to Buckden across Stake Allotment. Road all the way up Langstrothdale then across to Horton and back to Helwith. 45 miles. Nothing technical, a few rocks here and there, very scenic.

Came here to say something like that.

Follow the watershed around Raydale and extend it out to Ribblehead. The only bit I’ve not done is the section from Langstrothdale across to Horton and I don’t recognise the outbound description?

My loop would have been park at ribblehead, there’s a footpath (it’s not a footpath, it’s a gravel road that becomes a bridleway after about a mile) then becomes the Cam road, round the bottom of Semer Water, take your pick of either of the bridleways out the other side (Stallingbusk is all rideable, the other is a bit steep in places then flattens out over the top, but neither is technical, down the other side, turn right, lunch in the pub, carry on and take the bridleway back to Helwith, and then road back to Ribblehead (there may be a better option than the road).

I don’t recognise the outbound description?

Along to Crummackdale then up to meet the Pennine Bridle way at Thieves Moss. Then follow that to Cam Fell.

Update – did Martin Hutch’s route yesterday. Nice day out for it, thank you! Somewhat chunderier than expected – Roman Road down into Bainbridge especially so. Definitely gravel in the “shit 90’s MTB”* fashion rather than “grubby roadie” as the sceptics would have it. Stunning landscapes though!

Ta, all…
https://www.instagram.com/p/CwvaYcsMeAj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

*ie how I like it 🙂

Glad you enjoyed it! Lovely day for it.